Taylor triggered in a different way, and ended up a Star Wars tinker. I'm bad at summaries.(Dead)
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Mandalore the Administrator
Mandalore the Administrator[Dead]
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Chapter 1
AgelessReaper
A Custom Title
A.N. Hi, I've only seriously written one story, and it had some glaring issues. I'll try to do better here, but don't expect a masterpiece. I've also been a lurker for awhilr, and while I've read the rules, please let me know if I mess anything up.
Premise: Taylor triggers as a Star Wars tinker in an AU where she triggered slightly differently, and had more time to prep as a result. Star Wars also didn't exist, so there won't be any lawsuits to worry about, nor will Uber and Leet geek out over her stuff.
hope you enjoy!
"...the kids just shoot."
I freeze and tune out the rest of what the man in the metal mask is saying.
He couldn't have made this easy on me could he? I was walking away, but no, he has to go and announce he plans to attack kids. Can I really just leave now? I've been working on my tech for months with the express purpose of helping people. Can I really just walk away if they're going after kids?
A soft sigh escapes me as I come to a decision.
I guess I'm fighting a dragon tonight.
I turn back around and quietly move to the edge of the roof to see what exactly I'm up against. There's Lung himself, who is apocalyptically bad on his own, and thirty-two gang members. I tag them all on my hud to track their movements, and begin formulating a plan.
I've gotten pretty good with my blasters, but I doubt I'm good enough to stun all the regular guys before Lung finds me. I could try some grenades I guess? Yeah, that might work. An adhesive or two to limit their movement mixed with a few anesthetic should handle them all, if I'm lucky they'll even down Lung. That would be amazing, but I'm not gonna hold my breath.
Lung finishes up his little speech, and him and his men start moving from the alley.
If I'm actually going to do this, it has to be now.
My right hand goes to my belt, and my left goes to my bandolier. I unclip five ball shaped grenades and prime them. I wait just long enough for all the gang members to be in the same stretch of the alley before I throw my adhesive grenades. One arcs over the group to land in front of them, and one lands behind.
Lung raises his hand to stop the group's advance, and begins to move away from the small silver orb. He's too late.
The adhesive grenades activate within moments of each other forming a large amount of blue-white goo at the entrance and exit of the alley, effectively blocking the gangsters in. The gang members start to panic as I throw my other three grenades, these ones set to activate much faster. Before the grenades even hit the ground they go off, and create a thick green cloud over the entire area. Some of the gangsters try to run away, but they get caught in the goo left behind by the adhesive grenades. The cloud is so massive it even catches me, but I have filters in my helmet, and it's pressure locked with the rest of my suit, so I'll be fine.
The gang members slowly start dropping one at a time, allowing me to focus my attention on Lung himself. I pull my blasters and use my hud to find him through the thick green cloud. I see him walking back through the alley, but much scarier than when I last laid eyes on him. His muscles have started bulging out, and flames are licking up and down his form. Hard metallic scales are already visible as he simply burns his way through the goo at the end of the alley.
I was really hoping the knock out gas would have taken him down, but it looks like I'm not that lucky, and now I have to deal with a pissed off rage dragon. Why did I think this was a good idea?
Having found my target, I open fire from both of my pistols. Blue bolts of energy fire from their barrels and collide with Lung. He lets out a scream of rage as the first two shots drive him to his knees, a scream that quickly turns into a roar as his head and neck elongate and grow scales. The man turned dragon looks directly at me and roars.
This is really bad.
I fire my jetpack and rocket away from my roof perch seconds before Lung jumps through it. I switch my blasters from stun to kill and start firing at Lung's limbs. The red bolts connect, leaving blackened burn marks wherever they hit, but Lung isn't even slowed, and the damage is healed by his regeneration too quickly to take advantage of.
I did not think this through. How the hell am I supposed to take this guy down?! The only things I have that might do the job are prone to collateral damage and need me to be in melee, with Lung!
Lung roars up at me and gathers fire in his hands and maw. He throws the large globes of red hot flame up at me, forcing me to dodge. The fire misses me, but hits a building a little ways behind me when it arcs back down. I quickly use my hud to scan for life signs, but the building is clear.
I need to drop him now! If I wait any longer, he'll burn down the entire area.
My worries about a minor amount of collateral damage now thoroughly squashed, I lean my head forward so I can line up my jetpack with Lung.
He begins to gather more fire, but my targeting system locks onto him before he can. The large heavy missile rockets from its place at the top of my pack, and streaks towards Lung. The dragon tries to dodge, but he's too big, and too close to get out of the way in time. The missile rockets home with a resounding BOOM whose shockwave shakes the ground. Lung's fire dies, and all that's left is a dark black cloud of smoke.
Oh shit, did I kill him?!
The cloud is vaporized as white hot flame once more lights up the night. A very large, very pissed off, Lung looks up at me and roars, "'ll oo! Ai 'll oo!"
How is he still on his feet after that?! That thing could take down a building!
Two small wings sprout from Lung's back, and begin to get larger. He throws more fire at me, but I'm able to dodge thanks to my jetpack.
He's going to be able to fly in a minute, I have to take him out now.
Out of options, I holster my blasters and pull a long metal cylinder from my belt. I push a button on the side, and a beam of green plasma extends from the end.
This is such a bad idea.
With that last encouraging thought, I streaked towards Lung with my blade pulled back for a strike. He let out a challenging roar, and jumped up to meet me, leaving the building to collapse in his wake.
Unable to dodge the literal ton of metallic scale and fiery muscle, I lash out with my blade and hope for the best. I connect with his arm, and burn through it almost as if it were paper, but I get hit in the process. Lung's other arm comes around and knocks me in the side of the head. My shield flares up around me, but Lung's strike is too much, and the device clipped to my forearm shorts out after absorbing only most of the impact. Had it taken any less I'd probably be dead.
As it is, a chunk gets clawed out of my helmet which disables my hud, my armor gets torn around my stomach when another claw pierces through it, and I'm sent spinning to the ground. The world rotates around me as I force myself to my feet, pulling another grenade from my belt as I do. I see Lung holding his stump, and throw the grenade at him, before unclipping two more and lobbing those as well.
The grenades detonate one after the other, and form three lung sized fields of ice around the dragon. Pinning him down, and fighting his flames.
I'm not naive enough to think that'll hold him forever, so I quickly pull a stim from my bag and shove it into my leg. The world stops spinning, and the pain dims, allowing me to focus. I grip my saber with both hands and charge towards the downed dragon.
He's using his fire to melt through the ice at an alarming rate, but I'm able to get there before he's free. I stab my saber into and through the ice, piercing the dragon on the other side. I dig the saber around the dragon's body, prompting roars of rage and agony.
Lung thrashes about, and tears himself the rest of the way free of the ice, but I quickly throw the grenade I had taken out. Once more he's trapped in an icy prison, allowing me to stab him again and again from relative safety.
The dragon slowly starts to shrink back down, and I throw in my last two anesthetic grenades to help the process along. He tries to pound against the ice, but he's getting weaker by the second. It's not long before his scales, wings, and tail have all disappeared, and he's left lying armless and unconscious on the ground.
I step back from what remains of the ice as the reality of the situation sets in.
I just beat Lung. I just beat Lung!
I throw my head back and laugh in triumph, only for the action to cause me pain. I look down to where my armor was torn earlier, and see three deep claw marks in my midsection. Pressing my hand against the wound, I move over to a nearby wall and sit against it. I retrieve my medpac from it's place at my side and get to work closing up the wound. It's a painful process, but the stim from earlier makes it bearable, and before long I'm good enough to move. I'll need to go over it again when I get back to my lab, but it'll do for now. I look up and see the green anesthetic gas has mostly dissipated.
I need to call someone before that wears off and Lung wakes back up.
I push myself to my feet, and am about to call the PRT when three massive shadows descend upon me. I spin around too fast, aggravating my wound, and come face to face with three quadrupedal monsters and their four riders. The things look like what you'd get if you crossed a basilisk with a manticore. Scaled, furry, and wrong.
The riders look between me and the partially ice encased Lung with what appears to be disbelief.
"Well I'll be damned." Says the girly looking guy with a white puffy shirt and a scepter.
That seems to break them from their shock, and they all step off their mounts, and walk over to me.
I keep my guard up, but don't pull any weapons. Yet.
"You really saved us." The guy in the bike leathers says with cheer. "When we heard Lung was after us, we were understandably freaking out. Decided it was best to meet him head on, but you saved us the trouble."
Kids… Lung said to kill kids. Did I just risk my life to save a bunch of villains? I should really have listened to everything else he said.
The guy in bike leathers claps his hands. "Introductions. I'm Grue, the smug looking girl is Tattletale, this is Bitch, and the porcelain doll is Regent." He points to each member as he introduces them.
Regent chuckles and twirls his scepter. "Fuck you too Grue."
I look at Bitch, but the butch girl just glares at me.
She seems even less social than I am, and that's saying something.
Tattletale, the one in purple spandex with an eye emblem on her chest, walks towards me with a wide grin. "So, you're obviously a tinker, and pretty varied from the look of things. What's that on your wrist? Weapon? No. Shielding device. Got it. That's actually pretty cool. New cape? Wow, first night out. Quite the way to introduce yourself."
How the heck did she…
"How'd I figure it out?" She asks with a shit eating grin. "It's what I do sweetie. I'm a mind reader." She winks at me.
I call bullshit. If you're a mind reader, what's my favorite kind of taco?
Her eyebrows scrunch together as she studies me, then she pouts at me. "Fine. You got me, I'm not a mind reader, but I am amazing! Oh! You never told us your name. Shy?"
No, I just don't like talking to people.
She bobs her head up and down. "Shy."
I really don't like this girl. "I'm Mandalore." I say a little more sharply than I intended to.
Grue nods at me. "Thanks again Mandalore. We owe you one."
Tattletale opens her mouth, but closes it and looks off into the distance. "The Protectorate's coming. Time to go Grue."
They all mount up, and Grue looks down at me. "Do you need a ride out of here? It would be kinda sucky of us to leave you to the heroes after you just saved us."
Why would I want a ride from a bunch of...? They think I'm a villain don't they? Come on! The armor isn't that sinister looking! It's practical!
I shake my head, then motion to my jetpack. "No thanks. I've got my own way out of here."
Grue nods. "Thanks again Mandalore."
Bitch whistles, and the dogs take off running without another word.
With them gone, I settle in to wait for the heroes. To occupy myself, I unlatch my helmet and get to work fiddling with my hud. I don't need to worry about my identity because I have a secondary mask underneath my helmet in case it somehow gets knocked off.
Now that I've got a good look at it, I can see Lung really did a number on this thing. The computer I use to track everything is all but paste, and there's a puncture mark right above the visor. I reach up to feel my forehead, and sure enough, there's a shallow cut above my eyebrow. My helmet got destroyed. It's going to take me at least a day to get it working again.
I sigh, and lock it back into place.
Things could be worse I guess. I've got plenty of materials back home that I can use to fix it up. It's just going to be a little annoying.
A crashing sound has me drawing my blasters, but it's just a chunk of burning building.
Oh. I kind of forgot about that.
I get to work putting out the fires however I can. I use the last of my cryo grenades, and then cut the burning pieces away with my lightsaber. It's not exactly perfect, but it'll do until the fire department gets here.
I'm about to go check on Lung when the roar of an engine makes itself known. I look over and see a man in blue metal armor with a red visor and a halberd strapped to his back.
I guess I get to meet Armsmaster. I would've preferred Miss Militia, but he's still cool.
He dismounts his tinkertech motorcycle and walks over to Lung's prone form.
"Careful!" I call out. "I'm not sure if the anesthetic I used is still working or not."
He looks over towards me, seemingly shocked, almost as if he didn't notice me, then gives a sharp nod. He pulls out his halberd, and starts advancing much more cautiously. I pull out a blaster and join him.
When he's close enough, he quickly stabs the tip of his halberd into Lung's prone form. A needle shoots out and administers something into the prone cape.
I tilt my head at Armsmaster questioningly.
"It's a potent tranquilizer designed specifically for Lung. He won't be getting up any time soon."
I think over his words.
If it's designed specifically for a man with insane regenerative capabilities, whose regenerative capabilities are currently focused on replacing the arm I cut off, isn't that going to cause problems?
I say as much to Armsmaster.
The half of his face I can see morphs into a frown. "I will be sure the medical personnel take that into account." He says simply.
"Good." I respond.
He glances sidelong at me, and gives me a once over. "You're a tinker obviously, but I can't determine your specialty. It must be pretty varied if you were able to freeze him, create the substance that entrapped the regular gangsters, and create your armor and weapons."
Knowing what he's getting at, I say, "If it's alright, I'd prefer to keep that to myself. I have a general idea of what it might be, but I don't want any advantage I have to disappear because my specialty got out." Of course that wasn't the real reason.
Armsmaster's grip tenses on his halberd. "Are you a villain?" He asks terse.
Even though he can't see it because of my helmet, I raise an eyebrow at him. "Just because I don't want my specialty getting out I'm automatically a villain? What kind of logic is that? To answer your question, no, I am not a villain. I would've thought gift wrapping Lung for you would have tipped you off."
Armsmaster relaxes, and turns to face me. "I'm sorry, but your armor is very neutral looking. Can't be too careful."
Neutral looking is better than villainous I guess.
I wave him off. "I get it, just try not to be so uptight yeah?"
I'm pretty sure he's glaring at me right now, Should I maybe tone it back I bit? Nah, I'm fine.
"Going after Lung wasn't a very good idea." He says out of the blue.
I snort. "No really? I was originally going to turn around and leave him alone, but I overheard him talking about killing kids."
Armsmaster's mouth forms a hard line. "Truth." He says contemplatively.
Truth? What? Does he have a lie detector in his suit? Is that even legal? Oh well, I wasn't planning on lying anyway.
"Yeah." I say. "I wasn't about to let him go after a bunch of ten year olds." I let out a long sigh. "Turns out I needn't have bothered. The 'kids' he mentioned were a group of villains, they stopped by a little bit ago to thank me for helping them out. You missed them by a few minutes."
"You didn't try to apprehend them?" He says in a scathing tone.
"No? I just fought Lung. I burned through all of my more heavy hitting weapons, and they had giant monster horse things. I was perfectly fine with letting them go if they didn't mess with me."
Seriously, what is his issue? I've got a hole in my stomach, of course I'm not going to fight a bunch of villains unless I'm forced to.
"Hmm, sounds like the Undersiders. Did they mention why they left?"
I nod. "Tattletale knew you were coming somehow. Not quite sure what her power is, but she isn't a mind reader. She claimed she was but couldn't back it up."
He nods back. "Thank you for the information."
Huh, I guess he can be nice. Or at least nicer.
"If that's everything, I need to get going." I say and begin to walk away.
"Wait." He says, and I stop to face him. "We need to discuss who gets credit for Lung's capture." He says a little confrontationally.
What is this guy's issue? My hero worship is going to shrivel up into a husk at this rate.
I raise another eyebrow behind my helmet and say, "I think that should be fairly obvious right? I get credit for bringing him down, you get credit for being the one to put him away. Am I missing something?"
"Are you sure you want the credit?" Armsamster asks, though not as aggressively as before. "The ABB has two more parahuman members that will be out for revenge when they learn Lung's been captured."
"Two?" I ask. "I thought they only had Oni Lee?"
Armsmaster shakes his head. "They did, but they recently recruited a bomb tinker by the name of Bakuda. She attempted to hold Cornell hostage with her explosives."
A bomb tinker huh? That has the potential to make things complicated, but I should be safe in my lab.
"Thanks for the info, but I'll still take credit. I should be safe enough." I say.
"If you're worried about safety, we would be able to help. You seem to be wards age, and we could always use another tinker on the team. You will gain access to a lab as well as a stipend for materials." He says in a tone that's almost polite.
Man, between me, Bitch, and him, I'm beginning to think parahumans don't have any social skills to speak of.
"Thanks for the offer." I say. "I'm pretty comfortable as I am right now, but I'll keep it in mind."
He nods. "That is all I can ask. Do you need any medical attention?" He looks down to my slowly bleeding stomach. "I'm sure Panacea would be willing to help you."
I shake my head. "Thanks, but I'll be good." A thought occurs. "Actually, is there a way I can contact her? I have some healing tech I wanted to get her approval on."
He stands there for a moment. "If that is accurate, the Protectorate would be more than happy to set something up at the rig." He reaches towards his waist, and a small compartment opens. He retrieves a card from it, and holds it out to me. "Here." I walk forward and take it. "That is my personal number. Call it sometime tomorrow after two o'clock and I will be free to speak with you."
I nod in thanks, and put the card in one of my pouches.
Loud sirens draw both mine and Armsmaster's attention as the first fire trucks arrive.
"Looks like you guys have everything in hand." I say.
He nods. "Yes. It was a pleasure meeting you…?" He prompts.
Oh, I haven't introduced myself have I? Maybe this is why I have no friends?
"Mandalore." I hold out a hand.
He shakes it. "It was good to meet you Mandalore. I look forward to speaking to you tomorrow."
"Talk to you then." I take a step back, and activate my jetpack. With a small adjustment to the output I rocket into the sky, drawing a few wide-eyed stares from the fire fighters and PRT troops who are arriving on the scene.
Having hit my socialization quota for the day, I go straight home. Well, not straight home. I'm not stupid enough to leave a smoke trail leading directly to my lab. I drop down a few blocks away and walk. Luckily, my stealth field generator wasn't damaged in my fight with Lung, so I'm able to make it back without anyone seeing me.
I walk up to the wall of my lab and input the code on the hidden keypad. It might seem ridiculous, but I think it's fun.
The hatch down into my lab opens and I climb down the ladder. Once I'm inside, the base automatically seals itself off, and powers up.
I'm pretty proud of this place. It started as a sinkhole, but I've expanded it into a larger liveable space where I can construct and maintain my tech. There are several workbenches covered in a variety of tools and scrap metal, a weapon rack with a few different rifles and pistols, a bucket full of spare shield generators, defense is important, a spare suit of armor, and a bunch of other nick nacks. It's cluttered, but it's home.
I strip off my armor and weapons, wincing a little as fabric and plating rubs against my stomach. The stim is wearing off, and the pain is starting to make it hard to move. I pull my undersuit off, and head towards the large tank in the corner of the room.
It took me two weeks to get this thing working properly, but it is one piece of my tech I am exceedingly proud of. How many capes can say they can heal and kick ass? Me! I can! Suck it Lung!
I take another step, and gasp in pain, my arm shooting down to my side.
Ok, get in tank first, brag second.
I fiddle with the controls, and the sliding door opens up. I set a timer to wake me, and pull the rest of my clothes off. Technically I'll be fine so long as the wound is open, but this is essentially a high budget luxury healing bath. I'm going to enjoy it. I put the mask on and step inside. The door slide closed in front of me, and a thick liquid began to fill the tank.
I take a deep breath through the mask and close my eyes as the liquid quickly passes over my head, then let myself float in the gel-like substance of the bacta tank.
It doesn't take long before I nod off to sleep.
I wake in the tank, and blink around the stiff gel. I crane my neck to look up at the timer, and see I still have another half hour before I'm done. Call me a terrible patient, but I don't really feel like waiting thirty minutes.
I feel around my torso before I look just in case it's not fully healed, but feel mostly healed skin with three gashes. I look down, and sure enough, I look fine. I'll let the rest heal naturally.
I reach up and hit the manual drain. There's a muted rushing sound as the tank slowly purges itself. I could have hit the emergency release, but then I'd have to clean my lab. As it is I only have to wait about a minute for the tank to completely empty.
I unhook my oxygen mask, and open the door. I grab one of the towels I keep nearby, and dry myself off.
I rummage around through the mess of clothes I keep in a basket and get dressed in some simple sweats.
Should I do my workout this morning? I did just fight Lung.
The thought stops me dead.
Holy Shit I fought Lung. I beat Lung!
I definitely did not squee, and anyone who says otherwise is a lying liar who lies.
I fall onto my stolen… tactically acquired couch and look up at the ceiling.
I actually fought Lung last night! I hit Lung with a missile. I cut his arm off!
Hysterical laughter echoes off the ceiling as I roll around.
Oh!
I jump to my feet, and run over to where I threw my armor last night. I cringe a little as I pick it up, it did a really good job of keeping me alive, but now I'll need to make some extensive repairs. Not important right now.
After rummaging through my pouches for a moment, I come up with a card. On it is the word 'Armsmaster' as well as a phone number.
I got a cape's number! Sure, Armsmaster isn't my favorite hero ever, especially after interacting with him last night, but he's still one of the better tinkers out there. If he's willing to work with me I might be able to accelerate my plans for my tech. I have a good set up here, but I'm moving too slow. Making better tools just to use those to make even better tools is a frustrating process.
Besides, he might be able to put me into contact with Dragon. They work together on a lot of projects right? If she can replicate some of my stuff, especially the Bacta Tank, I might be able to make some money. Dumpster diving works, but it's slow and disgusting.
I'll talk to him about it when I meet with him today, until then, I should repair some of my gear.
I look at the digital clock on the wall.
10:37 am.
I've got a few hours before I need to call him. I might as well get some work done.
"Can I help you?" The attendant asks cautiously.
"Yes." I reply. "I have a meeting with Armsmaster, could you please let him know I'm here?"
He nods, and motions to the several chairs in the lobby. "Please take a seat."
I nod in thanks, then move to one of the chairs. I pull out some tools and start fiddling with my shield generator. I had been too focused on my helmet this morning to make much progress fixing my shield, and while I have spares, this one definitely saved my life last night. Call me sentimental, but I think it's earned some repairs.
I finish up on the energy shield, and stash my tools. Turns out this was a much simpler fix than I thought. My helmet had been all but smashed by Lung, while the shield just shorted out. It wasn't designed to take a hit that hard, but several smaller hits over time. I'll need to upgrade it later.
I flip a switch, and I'm suddenly covered in a transparent blue energy field.
"Impressive."
I looked up to see Armsmaster walking towards me, his eyes focused on my wrist. "An energy shield? You didn't have that last night."
"I did actually." I deactivate the shield and stand up. "It's primary setting is reactionary. If any object or energy poses a noticeable danger to me it'll activate." I pull one of my knives from my belt and bring it down against my arm to demonstrate. Sure enough, the blue field springs to life just in time to deflect the blade before shutting off once more. I sheathe the blade and say, "I could leave it on all the time, but it would drain too much of the battery."
Armsmaster nods. "I could potentially assist with that issue if you'd be willing to provide me with such a shield."
I shrug. "I wouldn't be opposed to it, but we'll figure that out later."
He nods, and gestures for me to follow him further into the building. "If memory serves you wished for Panacea to test healing tech?"
"Yes. While the full apparatus was too large to move, I brought along a sample of the actual healing component. The rest of the device is just there to contain it."
The two of us board an obviously tinkertech elevator, and begin to ascend.
"What is it, and how does it work?" Armsmaster asks.
I pull the small jar of Bacta fluid from my pouch, and hold it up for him to inspect. "I call it Bacta. It's a fluid that accelerates natural healing by an impressive amount. You won't be able to use it to regrow limbs, but so long as the injured party makes it to a tank fast enough they should be able to survive and recover from just about any injury."
"Tank?" Armsmaster asks with a tilted head.
I nod, and put the jar back in my bag. "I have an example back in my lab, and I brought blueprints with me. It's essentially just a large upright bathtub with temperature control and an oxygen supply. I spent last night inside one to heal where Lung cut me."
The elevator stops, and Armsmaster leads me towards a set of heavily reinforced tinkertech doors I assume to lead into his lab.
"Is there a risk of any kind of infection?" He asks.
"Not that I know of, but that is one of the things I wanted Panacea to check for. If it works as intended, it should eliminate disease instead of create it, but I'd rather make sure it works properly."
"That is a good mindset to have." Armsmaster says approvingly. He walks up to a keypad next to the door, and quickly enters a code, he then presses the thumb of his glove against a small panel and the door unlocks.
"Isn't it a little risky coding the door to your armor's fingerprint? I can think of a few ways to get that off you."
He turns to me with a smug grin. "I can alter the texture of it at any time. Only myself and one other know how to open it."
I follow him in and have a look around. His lab is smaller than mine, but it is clear he has much more funding. He's also a lot neater than I am, while I leave everything lying around, he has labels within labels within labels. There is a label for each individual material and what it is for. Nanoforge materials, free work materials, halberd materials, motorcycle materials. This level of neatness would drive me crazy.
"No offense intended, but I can't see how you work here for extended periods of time."
"None taken, I understand my workspace is heavily personalized, and that individual tinkers work better in different conditions. Now, if you would show me those blueprints you mentioned."
I unclip the belt with the Bacta jar from my belt, and place it on the table. I remove the Bacta jar, and set it off to the side before retrieving the small tablet with the Bacta tank's blueprints. I hold it out for Armsmaster, and he takes it.
"Efficient." He says content. He cycles through the various pages on the device, before turning to a seemingly empty corner of the room. "Can you see this?"
"I can." A synthetic voice echoes throughout the room.
I jump at the voice, and reach for my blaster, but stop myself when a blue avatar appears on a computer in the direction Armsmaster is facing. The avatar is a simple human face. I can't make out any color due to the fact it is all a simple synthetic blue. The face raises an eyebrow at Armsmaster.
"You didn't tell her I would be joining did you?" It asks in a feminine voice.
Armsmaster freezes for a second, then looks back to me. "I apologize Mandalore. I was caught up in my work and forgot to inform you that Dragon would be here. I hope that is not an issue?"
Don't ask for her autograph. Don't ask for her autograph. Don't ask for her autograph. Just be cool. You can be cool right Taylor? Cool as a cucumber yes sir. I'm as cool as…
"Mandalore?"
I jolt as Armsmaster breaks me from my thoughts, and I shake my head to get a hold of myself.
"There's no issue." I say a little too high pitched. I walk up to the monitor with the digital face. "It's an honor to meet you Dragon, I'm a huge fan of your work."
Dragon smiles brightly back at me. "Likewise Mandalore, and I must say, this 'Bacta Tank' is really something. When Armsmaster mentioned you were interested in collaborating on healing tech, I expected a more efficient x-ray machine, but this is much more impressive. You said you used it on yourself?"
I nod and place a hand over my side. "I got cut up by Lung last night. It wasn't a terrible cut, but it wasn't minor either. It would have likely taken a few weeks to heal normally had I not taken a bath in the tank last night."
Dragon's eyebrows scrunched together. She really put a lot of work into that avatar didn't she?
"Congratulations for taking in Lung. That was no minor feat." She says cheerily.
"Thanks." Dragon just complimented me. Am I dead? This kind of thing just doesn't happen to me.
"Back to the subject of the tank, were you able to sleep last night if you spent time in the tank?" Dragon asks professionally.
I take in a breath, and nod. "I slept in the tank. It monitors vital signs and adjusts the settings automatically, so it's perfectly safe for the occupant to be unconscious." I say proudly. I'm really pleased with the Bacta Tank. It's honestly more awesome than the lightsaber in my eyes.
Armsmaster seems to be off in his own little world taking various notes while Dragon considers my statement.
"Was there anyone to monitor the system while you were unconscious? What if one of the readings was wrong?"
"I have a few different systems set up to watch different things. If there is a discrepancy between any of the readings the tank will purge its contents immediately. It is as safe as I have been able to make it." Those safety measures were part of the reason the thing took so long to build.
"Very good. Hmm, what are these two components? Kavam and alazhi?" Dragon asks as she brings up the bacta's makeup.
When did she download the blueprints? She must be the queen of multi-tasking if she pulled that off while holding a conversation with me.
"Those are artificial bacteria I created." At that statement she went wide eyed, and Armsmaster stopped making notes. "Don't worry." I added hurriedly. "I don't want a kill order, so they're unable to reproduce. That's another thing I wanted Panacea to double check. Both that they're only beneficial, and incapable of spreading. I tried to make a synthetic version, but it ultimately failed. This was the only way to make the tank work like I wanted it to."
When I was doing research into how to possibly market my tech, that was the biggest hiccup I was able to find. If you can make anything that is even remotely organic, you need to make sure your ass is covered, or the PRT is going to come down on you hard.
The tension bleeds out of the room and Armsmaster lets out a breath. "That is good, but I would ask you not to make any more until Panacea clears it."
I shrug. "Shouldn't be too hard. She's coming today right?"
"She is in the lobby right now actually. I'll let her in as soon as she gets here." Dragon speaks up.
Huh, perfect timing.
"Then that won't be an issue for much longer. Either she clears it, or she doesn't and we go from there." I say.
"Thank you." Armsmaster says.
He, Dragon, and I go over the specifics of the tank while we wait for Panacea to make it up the elevator to the lab. We're eventually pulled from our nerdout session when the door to the lab opens automatically, and the two Dallon of New Wave sisters walk in.
The one on the right draws my attention immediately. She's beautiful. Her blonde hair shines brighter than gold, her tiara reflects the light just right, and her smile illuminates the entire room. She waves her strong arms at us, and goes to…
I shake my head, and turn my head away from the blonde. "Whatever you're doing, could you stop it please?"
"What do you mean?" She asks.
Why did I think something was wrong? Nothing's wrong. Wow she is amazing. Would she be my friend? Would she be…
"Vicky! Aura!" The second new arrival says in an annoyed tone.
"Oh! I'm sorry! That won't happen again." The first voice says.
The weird effect disappears again, and I take a couple seconds to make sure my head is on straight.
That was really weird. PHO said she's got some sort of shaker aura that bolsters people's spirits right? That felt more like a 'Wow Look at Me' ray. Can't say I enjoyed it all that much.
"Mandalore, are you alright?" Armsmaster asks.
"I'm fine. That was just really unexpected and unpleasant."
He studies me closely for a moment, before nodding. "Very well." He says. He turns to the two new arrivals. "Glory Girl, Panacea, meet Mandalore. Mandalore, Glory Girl and Panacea."
The blonde floats, yes floats, over to me with a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry about that. My aura can be kind of hard to control."
"I understand that, but please do not do it again." I say.
She nods. "I'll keep it in check."
The second girl walks forward. She has mousy brown hair, green eyes, and a large amount of freckles. Where her sister is dressed in her costume, she just has on a simple t-shirt and jeans. She holds out a hand. "I'm Panacea, but I'm not in costume so you can call me Amy. Someone told me you were a healer?"
I take her hand and give it a shake. "I'm Mandalore, and I'm sort of a healer. I'm a tinker, and I've developed some tech that is pretty effective at healing. From what I know about your power, you can put anything I can do to shame, but it's still fairly impressive I think."
She takes a step back, and looks around the lab. "So where is it?"
I indicate the jar on the table. "That's it."
She tilts her head seriously and walks over to it. "Is it some kind of healing paste?"
I make a so-so gesture. "Not really, but I guess it could be used like that. Basically you fill a tank up with that stuff and put someone inside it. The gel works to accelerate any healing the body would naturally do."
She raises an eyebrow at me. "So it's a bathtub?"
"In principle, but it is slightly more complicated." Armsmaster says as he types away at a computer. "From the blueprints, I would imagine it looks something like this?" He pushes the enter key, and a hologram of the Bacta Tank appears in the center of the room.
I look it over. It's actually pretty accurate. The control panel, oxygen supply, and door are all correct. It's just a little smaller than mine.
"The one I have in my lab is bigger, but other than that it seems right." I say.
Armsmaster smiles triumphantly and turns to Amy. "Panacea, would you be willing to tell us if there is anything harmful in the bacta's make-up? It is organic in nature, so we would like to ensure there is no risk of it reproducing, or evolving into anything harmful."
Amy nods and walks over to the jar. She screws the lid off, and sticks a finger into the gel. Her eyes glaze over for a second. "Woah." She says.
Woah? Is that a good woah or a bad woah?
"Amy?" Glory Girl floats over to her in concern.
Amy shakes her head and waves her off. "I'm fine, I just didn't expect something this complex." She looks over her shoulder at me. "How did you make this?"
I shrug. "Tinker bullshit mostly. I can give you a step by step later if you want, but it would take a while. Is it safe to use?"
She looks back to the jar, and her eyes unfocus again. "Yes. It's safe. Can I take this home with me?" She asks out of the blue.
"Uh… what?" I say. Great response Taylor. You are truly the most social of socialites.
Amy shakes her head, and shrinks in on herself a little. "Sorry, that probably sounded weird. I've just never seen anything like this before, and I wanted to see if I could maybe figure some things out with it."
Figure things out? Isn't she the greatest healer on the planet? What is there to figure out? Then again, I'm not really opposed to the idea, I have plenty of the stuff back at the lab. I had intended to give that sample to the Protectorate though. Even with the green light from Panacea I'm willing to bet they'll want to make sure it's safe.
"Um… I'm fine with that, but maybe take only half of it? I was planning on giving that to Armsmaster to test. If he has another jar though, then you could just pour some out."
Armsmaster mechanically walks to a very specific part of his lab, and pulls a jar out of a drawer. "We won't need a substantial amount for testing purposes. We trust Panacea, so we'll only need a small sample to get the paperwork filed. You can have the rest."
Amy's face lights up. "Thank you." She says to me and Armsmaster.
"No problem." I say. I turn to Armsmaster. "Is there anything else we need to do today?"
He shakes his head. "Dragon and I will be able to handle testing for the Bacta Tank, so we do not need you for anything tinker related, but I would be willing to give you a tour of the facility."
That sounds like it could be fun. "Will I get to meet any of the other heroes?"
He nods. "We could stop by and say hello, although some are out on patrol at the moment."
"Sure then. Whenever you want to get started."
He turns to Amy and Glory Girl. "Thank you for being here today. You are welcome to join us if you wish."
"Thanks, but we need to get home." Glory Girl says, then turns to me. "It was nice to meet you Mandalore!"
"You too."
She floats out the door, and Amy follows with a jar filled with half the bacta fluid I came with. "It was nice to meet you, and thanks for this."
"Nice to meet you too, and you're welcome."
With that, the two Dallon sisters leave.
"Shall we?" Armsmaster asks.
I nod, and he leads me through the halls of the rig. Occasionally he'll comment about this or that, but I get the sense he's not very vocal when the subject is anything other than tinkertech.
He stops in front of a set of double doors that open inward automatically.
While that on its own isn't enough to say the doors are tinkertech, the electromagnetic locking system somehow set into the hinges is. The budget for this place has to be insane if they're able to not only build this stuff, but maintain it too. I've heard that tinkertech breaks down pretty fast. I haven't encountered that problem yet, but I've only been active for a few months, so it probably just hasn't happened yet.
Armsmaster and I move into the room, and I see a group of costumed heroes sitting around a table drinking coffee and playing cards.
It's not the entire Protectorate, but this is more heroes gathered in one place than I ever thought I'd meet. There's a woman in a blue costume with electrical lines running up and down it complete with a blue helmet and visor, the man sitting next to her who's wearing a red jumpsuit and mask, and a woman across from those two in military fatigues and a patriotic bandanna for a mask. They all look up to greet us as we enter.
"Hey Armsmaster. Who's this?" The woman in blue asks.
"This is Mandalore. Mandalore, this is Battery, Assault, and Miss Militia." He gestures to each of them in turn.
"Nice to meet ya." The man in red, Assault, says. "You joining up?"
I swallow a lump in my throat, and action that goes unnoticed thanks to my armor, and take a deep breath.
Don't embarrass yourself. It's just talking. How hard is it to talk to people? Oh yeah, extremely hard.
"Hi I'm Mandalore, and I'm not sure. I might, but not for a bit. I'd be in the Wards anyways."
Battery looks at me up and down. "Could've fooled me. Between the armor and your height, I'd put you at around nineteen."
Miss Militia stands up and walks over with her hand outstretched. The green energy that makes up her power settles into a small knife and clips itself to her belt. "It's good to meet you Mandalore. It's always good to see another hero around."
"Um... thanks. It's good to meet you too." Somehow I manage not to stutter as I shake the hand of my childhood hero.
"So," Assault, who is now right next to me, says abruptly. "you're a tinker right? What all can you make?"
"A lot." I answer. "I don't quite have my specialty pinned down yet, but I've got a few ideas of what it could be. I can make blasters, grenades, armor, and even healing tanks. I might even be able to make a speeder sometime."
Miss Militia raises an eyebrow at me. "Speeder? What would that do?"
Oh, right. No one knows what any of my stuff is called.
I tilt my head to the side as I think of how best to explain it. "Think of a hovering motorcycle that's much faster and you got the right idea."
Assault's jaw hangs open. "You can make a hoverbike?" He asks excitedly.
"I guess?"
He gives me a wide smile, then points a finger at me. "You are my new favorite person. Together we shall destroy all villainy while riding around in floating style."
I really don't know how to respond to that.
"Uh…"
Luckily I don't have to finish speaking as Battery elbows him in the ribs, and he doubles over in pain.
That makes no sense. Isn't he a kinetic manipulator? There's no way that would hurt him.
"Ignore him." Battery says tiredly.
Armsmaster straightens, then turns to me. "I apologize, but I was just called into the field. I need to go. Miss Militia, would you please show Mandalore out?"
Miss Militia crinkles her eyes at him. "I'd love to."
He gives a jerky nod, and swiftly departs from the room.
Miss Militia watches him go, then gestures for me to follow her. "I'm sorry about Armsmaster." She says as I fall in behind her. "He is always very focused, and it can be a bit much to deal with at times."
"Don't worry about it." I say. "We got along fine."
We make it to the elevator, and both get on.
"I noticed your armor seems pretty put together. You seem a lot more prepared than most new triggers I've met." Miss Militia says gently.
I tense up at her words.
I'd read about triggers on PHO, and from what I saw it was bad etiquette to ask about a cape's trigger. Is she fishing for information?
"I've had some time to prepare." I say vaguely.
The elevator dings, and we both disembark.
"That's good." Miss Militia says. "Don't do anything until you're ready for it. I've seen far too many new capes get killed because they bit off more than they could chew."
I let out a soft sigh of relief.
She's not looking for information. She's just worried about me. Man have I got trust issues.
We walk out the doors into the afternoon air, and I shiver as I adjust to the temperature. A glance at my hud's clock shows the time to be just after four o'clock. I've still got time to work on my gear before I'll need to go to sleep.
I turn to face Miss Militia. "It was really great to meet you, and thanks for walking me out."
She eye smiles at me. "It was my pleasure."
I nod and turn away. I'm about to blast off, when I clench my teeth, and work up the courage to ask a question I've been wanting to since I met her.
"Miss Militia?"
She takes her hand off the door handle and turns around.
"Can I have you autograph?" I ask meekly.
She chuckles and walks forward. "Of course."
With a wide grin that's hidden by my helmet, I reach into one of my pouches, and hold a notebook and pen out to her. She scribbles her signature in it, then hands it back.
"Have a good day Mandalore."
"You too, and thanks."
Before I make a fool of myself I blast away into the air. Only when I'm sure the roar of my jetpack will drown out the sound do I allow myself to squee.
The flight/stealth walk home is uneventful and I make it inside my lab easily enough. I once more strip off my armor and pull on some loose fitting grey sweats. It's more comfortable than living in my armor.
I grab an energy bar from my cupboard and take a seat on the couch.
Today's been pretty good, probably one of the best days I've had in awhile. Last time I felt this good was when dad and I went out for…
I scowl and angrily chew on my power bar.
Asshole. Now my good mood is gone.
I sigh and finish the bar, tossing the wrapper into one of the many trash bins on the floor.
I might as well channel my newly soured mood into something useful. I still haven't finished fixing my helmet, and my energy shield could use an upgrade.
I sit down at one of my workbenches and get to work.
Premise: Taylor triggers as a Star Wars tinker in an AU where she triggered slightly differently, and had more time to prep as a result. Star Wars also didn't exist, so there won't be any lawsuits to worry about, nor will Uber and Leet geek out over her stuff.
hope you enjoy!
"...the kids just shoot."
I freeze and tune out the rest of what the man in the metal mask is saying.
He couldn't have made this easy on me could he? I was walking away, but no, he has to go and announce he plans to attack kids. Can I really just leave now? I've been working on my tech for months with the express purpose of helping people. Can I really just walk away if they're going after kids?
A soft sigh escapes me as I come to a decision.
I guess I'm fighting a dragon tonight.
I turn back around and quietly move to the edge of the roof to see what exactly I'm up against. There's Lung himself, who is apocalyptically bad on his own, and thirty-two gang members. I tag them all on my hud to track their movements, and begin formulating a plan.
I've gotten pretty good with my blasters, but I doubt I'm good enough to stun all the regular guys before Lung finds me. I could try some grenades I guess? Yeah, that might work. An adhesive or two to limit their movement mixed with a few anesthetic should handle them all, if I'm lucky they'll even down Lung. That would be amazing, but I'm not gonna hold my breath.
Lung finishes up his little speech, and him and his men start moving from the alley.
If I'm actually going to do this, it has to be now.
My right hand goes to my belt, and my left goes to my bandolier. I unclip five ball shaped grenades and prime them. I wait just long enough for all the gang members to be in the same stretch of the alley before I throw my adhesive grenades. One arcs over the group to land in front of them, and one lands behind.
Lung raises his hand to stop the group's advance, and begins to move away from the small silver orb. He's too late.
The adhesive grenades activate within moments of each other forming a large amount of blue-white goo at the entrance and exit of the alley, effectively blocking the gangsters in. The gang members start to panic as I throw my other three grenades, these ones set to activate much faster. Before the grenades even hit the ground they go off, and create a thick green cloud over the entire area. Some of the gangsters try to run away, but they get caught in the goo left behind by the adhesive grenades. The cloud is so massive it even catches me, but I have filters in my helmet, and it's pressure locked with the rest of my suit, so I'll be fine.
The gang members slowly start dropping one at a time, allowing me to focus my attention on Lung himself. I pull my blasters and use my hud to find him through the thick green cloud. I see him walking back through the alley, but much scarier than when I last laid eyes on him. His muscles have started bulging out, and flames are licking up and down his form. Hard metallic scales are already visible as he simply burns his way through the goo at the end of the alley.
I was really hoping the knock out gas would have taken him down, but it looks like I'm not that lucky, and now I have to deal with a pissed off rage dragon. Why did I think this was a good idea?
Having found my target, I open fire from both of my pistols. Blue bolts of energy fire from their barrels and collide with Lung. He lets out a scream of rage as the first two shots drive him to his knees, a scream that quickly turns into a roar as his head and neck elongate and grow scales. The man turned dragon looks directly at me and roars.
This is really bad.
I fire my jetpack and rocket away from my roof perch seconds before Lung jumps through it. I switch my blasters from stun to kill and start firing at Lung's limbs. The red bolts connect, leaving blackened burn marks wherever they hit, but Lung isn't even slowed, and the damage is healed by his regeneration too quickly to take advantage of.
I did not think this through. How the hell am I supposed to take this guy down?! The only things I have that might do the job are prone to collateral damage and need me to be in melee, with Lung!
Lung roars up at me and gathers fire in his hands and maw. He throws the large globes of red hot flame up at me, forcing me to dodge. The fire misses me, but hits a building a little ways behind me when it arcs back down. I quickly use my hud to scan for life signs, but the building is clear.
I need to drop him now! If I wait any longer, he'll burn down the entire area.
My worries about a minor amount of collateral damage now thoroughly squashed, I lean my head forward so I can line up my jetpack with Lung.
He begins to gather more fire, but my targeting system locks onto him before he can. The large heavy missile rockets from its place at the top of my pack, and streaks towards Lung. The dragon tries to dodge, but he's too big, and too close to get out of the way in time. The missile rockets home with a resounding BOOM whose shockwave shakes the ground. Lung's fire dies, and all that's left is a dark black cloud of smoke.
Oh shit, did I kill him?!
The cloud is vaporized as white hot flame once more lights up the night. A very large, very pissed off, Lung looks up at me and roars, "'ll oo! Ai 'll oo!"
How is he still on his feet after that?! That thing could take down a building!
Two small wings sprout from Lung's back, and begin to get larger. He throws more fire at me, but I'm able to dodge thanks to my jetpack.
He's going to be able to fly in a minute, I have to take him out now.
Out of options, I holster my blasters and pull a long metal cylinder from my belt. I push a button on the side, and a beam of green plasma extends from the end.
This is such a bad idea.
With that last encouraging thought, I streaked towards Lung with my blade pulled back for a strike. He let out a challenging roar, and jumped up to meet me, leaving the building to collapse in his wake.
Unable to dodge the literal ton of metallic scale and fiery muscle, I lash out with my blade and hope for the best. I connect with his arm, and burn through it almost as if it were paper, but I get hit in the process. Lung's other arm comes around and knocks me in the side of the head. My shield flares up around me, but Lung's strike is too much, and the device clipped to my forearm shorts out after absorbing only most of the impact. Had it taken any less I'd probably be dead.
As it is, a chunk gets clawed out of my helmet which disables my hud, my armor gets torn around my stomach when another claw pierces through it, and I'm sent spinning to the ground. The world rotates around me as I force myself to my feet, pulling another grenade from my belt as I do. I see Lung holding his stump, and throw the grenade at him, before unclipping two more and lobbing those as well.
The grenades detonate one after the other, and form three lung sized fields of ice around the dragon. Pinning him down, and fighting his flames.
I'm not naive enough to think that'll hold him forever, so I quickly pull a stim from my bag and shove it into my leg. The world stops spinning, and the pain dims, allowing me to focus. I grip my saber with both hands and charge towards the downed dragon.
He's using his fire to melt through the ice at an alarming rate, but I'm able to get there before he's free. I stab my saber into and through the ice, piercing the dragon on the other side. I dig the saber around the dragon's body, prompting roars of rage and agony.
Lung thrashes about, and tears himself the rest of the way free of the ice, but I quickly throw the grenade I had taken out. Once more he's trapped in an icy prison, allowing me to stab him again and again from relative safety.
The dragon slowly starts to shrink back down, and I throw in my last two anesthetic grenades to help the process along. He tries to pound against the ice, but he's getting weaker by the second. It's not long before his scales, wings, and tail have all disappeared, and he's left lying armless and unconscious on the ground.
I step back from what remains of the ice as the reality of the situation sets in.
I just beat Lung. I just beat Lung!
I throw my head back and laugh in triumph, only for the action to cause me pain. I look down to where my armor was torn earlier, and see three deep claw marks in my midsection. Pressing my hand against the wound, I move over to a nearby wall and sit against it. I retrieve my medpac from it's place at my side and get to work closing up the wound. It's a painful process, but the stim from earlier makes it bearable, and before long I'm good enough to move. I'll need to go over it again when I get back to my lab, but it'll do for now. I look up and see the green anesthetic gas has mostly dissipated.
I need to call someone before that wears off and Lung wakes back up.
I push myself to my feet, and am about to call the PRT when three massive shadows descend upon me. I spin around too fast, aggravating my wound, and come face to face with three quadrupedal monsters and their four riders. The things look like what you'd get if you crossed a basilisk with a manticore. Scaled, furry, and wrong.
The riders look between me and the partially ice encased Lung with what appears to be disbelief.
"Well I'll be damned." Says the girly looking guy with a white puffy shirt and a scepter.
That seems to break them from their shock, and they all step off their mounts, and walk over to me.
I keep my guard up, but don't pull any weapons. Yet.
"You really saved us." The guy in the bike leathers says with cheer. "When we heard Lung was after us, we were understandably freaking out. Decided it was best to meet him head on, but you saved us the trouble."
Kids… Lung said to kill kids. Did I just risk my life to save a bunch of villains? I should really have listened to everything else he said.
The guy in bike leathers claps his hands. "Introductions. I'm Grue, the smug looking girl is Tattletale, this is Bitch, and the porcelain doll is Regent." He points to each member as he introduces them.
Regent chuckles and twirls his scepter. "Fuck you too Grue."
I look at Bitch, but the butch girl just glares at me.
She seems even less social than I am, and that's saying something.
Tattletale, the one in purple spandex with an eye emblem on her chest, walks towards me with a wide grin. "So, you're obviously a tinker, and pretty varied from the look of things. What's that on your wrist? Weapon? No. Shielding device. Got it. That's actually pretty cool. New cape? Wow, first night out. Quite the way to introduce yourself."
How the heck did she…
"How'd I figure it out?" She asks with a shit eating grin. "It's what I do sweetie. I'm a mind reader." She winks at me.
I call bullshit. If you're a mind reader, what's my favorite kind of taco?
Her eyebrows scrunch together as she studies me, then she pouts at me. "Fine. You got me, I'm not a mind reader, but I am amazing! Oh! You never told us your name. Shy?"
No, I just don't like talking to people.
She bobs her head up and down. "Shy."
I really don't like this girl. "I'm Mandalore." I say a little more sharply than I intended to.
Grue nods at me. "Thanks again Mandalore. We owe you one."
Tattletale opens her mouth, but closes it and looks off into the distance. "The Protectorate's coming. Time to go Grue."
They all mount up, and Grue looks down at me. "Do you need a ride out of here? It would be kinda sucky of us to leave you to the heroes after you just saved us."
Why would I want a ride from a bunch of...? They think I'm a villain don't they? Come on! The armor isn't that sinister looking! It's practical!
I shake my head, then motion to my jetpack. "No thanks. I've got my own way out of here."
Grue nods. "Thanks again Mandalore."
Bitch whistles, and the dogs take off running without another word.
With them gone, I settle in to wait for the heroes. To occupy myself, I unlatch my helmet and get to work fiddling with my hud. I don't need to worry about my identity because I have a secondary mask underneath my helmet in case it somehow gets knocked off.
Now that I've got a good look at it, I can see Lung really did a number on this thing. The computer I use to track everything is all but paste, and there's a puncture mark right above the visor. I reach up to feel my forehead, and sure enough, there's a shallow cut above my eyebrow. My helmet got destroyed. It's going to take me at least a day to get it working again.
I sigh, and lock it back into place.
Things could be worse I guess. I've got plenty of materials back home that I can use to fix it up. It's just going to be a little annoying.
A crashing sound has me drawing my blasters, but it's just a chunk of burning building.
Oh. I kind of forgot about that.
I get to work putting out the fires however I can. I use the last of my cryo grenades, and then cut the burning pieces away with my lightsaber. It's not exactly perfect, but it'll do until the fire department gets here.
I'm about to go check on Lung when the roar of an engine makes itself known. I look over and see a man in blue metal armor with a red visor and a halberd strapped to his back.
I guess I get to meet Armsmaster. I would've preferred Miss Militia, but he's still cool.
He dismounts his tinkertech motorcycle and walks over to Lung's prone form.
"Careful!" I call out. "I'm not sure if the anesthetic I used is still working or not."
He looks over towards me, seemingly shocked, almost as if he didn't notice me, then gives a sharp nod. He pulls out his halberd, and starts advancing much more cautiously. I pull out a blaster and join him.
When he's close enough, he quickly stabs the tip of his halberd into Lung's prone form. A needle shoots out and administers something into the prone cape.
I tilt my head at Armsmaster questioningly.
"It's a potent tranquilizer designed specifically for Lung. He won't be getting up any time soon."
I think over his words.
If it's designed specifically for a man with insane regenerative capabilities, whose regenerative capabilities are currently focused on replacing the arm I cut off, isn't that going to cause problems?
I say as much to Armsmaster.
The half of his face I can see morphs into a frown. "I will be sure the medical personnel take that into account." He says simply.
"Good." I respond.
He glances sidelong at me, and gives me a once over. "You're a tinker obviously, but I can't determine your specialty. It must be pretty varied if you were able to freeze him, create the substance that entrapped the regular gangsters, and create your armor and weapons."
Knowing what he's getting at, I say, "If it's alright, I'd prefer to keep that to myself. I have a general idea of what it might be, but I don't want any advantage I have to disappear because my specialty got out." Of course that wasn't the real reason.
Armsmaster's grip tenses on his halberd. "Are you a villain?" He asks terse.
Even though he can't see it because of my helmet, I raise an eyebrow at him. "Just because I don't want my specialty getting out I'm automatically a villain? What kind of logic is that? To answer your question, no, I am not a villain. I would've thought gift wrapping Lung for you would have tipped you off."
Armsmaster relaxes, and turns to face me. "I'm sorry, but your armor is very neutral looking. Can't be too careful."
Neutral looking is better than villainous I guess.
I wave him off. "I get it, just try not to be so uptight yeah?"
I'm pretty sure he's glaring at me right now, Should I maybe tone it back I bit? Nah, I'm fine.
"Going after Lung wasn't a very good idea." He says out of the blue.
I snort. "No really? I was originally going to turn around and leave him alone, but I overheard him talking about killing kids."
Armsmaster's mouth forms a hard line. "Truth." He says contemplatively.
Truth? What? Does he have a lie detector in his suit? Is that even legal? Oh well, I wasn't planning on lying anyway.
"Yeah." I say. "I wasn't about to let him go after a bunch of ten year olds." I let out a long sigh. "Turns out I needn't have bothered. The 'kids' he mentioned were a group of villains, they stopped by a little bit ago to thank me for helping them out. You missed them by a few minutes."
"You didn't try to apprehend them?" He says in a scathing tone.
"No? I just fought Lung. I burned through all of my more heavy hitting weapons, and they had giant monster horse things. I was perfectly fine with letting them go if they didn't mess with me."
Seriously, what is his issue? I've got a hole in my stomach, of course I'm not going to fight a bunch of villains unless I'm forced to.
"Hmm, sounds like the Undersiders. Did they mention why they left?"
I nod. "Tattletale knew you were coming somehow. Not quite sure what her power is, but she isn't a mind reader. She claimed she was but couldn't back it up."
He nods back. "Thank you for the information."
Huh, I guess he can be nice. Or at least nicer.
"If that's everything, I need to get going." I say and begin to walk away.
"Wait." He says, and I stop to face him. "We need to discuss who gets credit for Lung's capture." He says a little confrontationally.
What is this guy's issue? My hero worship is going to shrivel up into a husk at this rate.
I raise another eyebrow behind my helmet and say, "I think that should be fairly obvious right? I get credit for bringing him down, you get credit for being the one to put him away. Am I missing something?"
"Are you sure you want the credit?" Armsamster asks, though not as aggressively as before. "The ABB has two more parahuman members that will be out for revenge when they learn Lung's been captured."
"Two?" I ask. "I thought they only had Oni Lee?"
Armsmaster shakes his head. "They did, but they recently recruited a bomb tinker by the name of Bakuda. She attempted to hold Cornell hostage with her explosives."
A bomb tinker huh? That has the potential to make things complicated, but I should be safe in my lab.
"Thanks for the info, but I'll still take credit. I should be safe enough." I say.
"If you're worried about safety, we would be able to help. You seem to be wards age, and we could always use another tinker on the team. You will gain access to a lab as well as a stipend for materials." He says in a tone that's almost polite.
Man, between me, Bitch, and him, I'm beginning to think parahumans don't have any social skills to speak of.
"Thanks for the offer." I say. "I'm pretty comfortable as I am right now, but I'll keep it in mind."
He nods. "That is all I can ask. Do you need any medical attention?" He looks down to my slowly bleeding stomach. "I'm sure Panacea would be willing to help you."
I shake my head. "Thanks, but I'll be good." A thought occurs. "Actually, is there a way I can contact her? I have some healing tech I wanted to get her approval on."
He stands there for a moment. "If that is accurate, the Protectorate would be more than happy to set something up at the rig." He reaches towards his waist, and a small compartment opens. He retrieves a card from it, and holds it out to me. "Here." I walk forward and take it. "That is my personal number. Call it sometime tomorrow after two o'clock and I will be free to speak with you."
I nod in thanks, and put the card in one of my pouches.
Loud sirens draw both mine and Armsmaster's attention as the first fire trucks arrive.
"Looks like you guys have everything in hand." I say.
He nods. "Yes. It was a pleasure meeting you…?" He prompts.
Oh, I haven't introduced myself have I? Maybe this is why I have no friends?
"Mandalore." I hold out a hand.
He shakes it. "It was good to meet you Mandalore. I look forward to speaking to you tomorrow."
"Talk to you then." I take a step back, and activate my jetpack. With a small adjustment to the output I rocket into the sky, drawing a few wide-eyed stares from the fire fighters and PRT troops who are arriving on the scene.
Having hit my socialization quota for the day, I go straight home. Well, not straight home. I'm not stupid enough to leave a smoke trail leading directly to my lab. I drop down a few blocks away and walk. Luckily, my stealth field generator wasn't damaged in my fight with Lung, so I'm able to make it back without anyone seeing me.
I walk up to the wall of my lab and input the code on the hidden keypad. It might seem ridiculous, but I think it's fun.
The hatch down into my lab opens and I climb down the ladder. Once I'm inside, the base automatically seals itself off, and powers up.
I'm pretty proud of this place. It started as a sinkhole, but I've expanded it into a larger liveable space where I can construct and maintain my tech. There are several workbenches covered in a variety of tools and scrap metal, a weapon rack with a few different rifles and pistols, a bucket full of spare shield generators, defense is important, a spare suit of armor, and a bunch of other nick nacks. It's cluttered, but it's home.
I strip off my armor and weapons, wincing a little as fabric and plating rubs against my stomach. The stim is wearing off, and the pain is starting to make it hard to move. I pull my undersuit off, and head towards the large tank in the corner of the room.
It took me two weeks to get this thing working properly, but it is one piece of my tech I am exceedingly proud of. How many capes can say they can heal and kick ass? Me! I can! Suck it Lung!
I take another step, and gasp in pain, my arm shooting down to my side.
Ok, get in tank first, brag second.
I fiddle with the controls, and the sliding door opens up. I set a timer to wake me, and pull the rest of my clothes off. Technically I'll be fine so long as the wound is open, but this is essentially a high budget luxury healing bath. I'm going to enjoy it. I put the mask on and step inside. The door slide closed in front of me, and a thick liquid began to fill the tank.
I take a deep breath through the mask and close my eyes as the liquid quickly passes over my head, then let myself float in the gel-like substance of the bacta tank.
It doesn't take long before I nod off to sleep.
I wake in the tank, and blink around the stiff gel. I crane my neck to look up at the timer, and see I still have another half hour before I'm done. Call me a terrible patient, but I don't really feel like waiting thirty minutes.
I feel around my torso before I look just in case it's not fully healed, but feel mostly healed skin with three gashes. I look down, and sure enough, I look fine. I'll let the rest heal naturally.
I reach up and hit the manual drain. There's a muted rushing sound as the tank slowly purges itself. I could have hit the emergency release, but then I'd have to clean my lab. As it is I only have to wait about a minute for the tank to completely empty.
I unhook my oxygen mask, and open the door. I grab one of the towels I keep nearby, and dry myself off.
I rummage around through the mess of clothes I keep in a basket and get dressed in some simple sweats.
Should I do my workout this morning? I did just fight Lung.
The thought stops me dead.
Holy Shit I fought Lung. I beat Lung!
I definitely did not squee, and anyone who says otherwise is a lying liar who lies.
I fall onto my stolen… tactically acquired couch and look up at the ceiling.
I actually fought Lung last night! I hit Lung with a missile. I cut his arm off!
Hysterical laughter echoes off the ceiling as I roll around.
Oh!
I jump to my feet, and run over to where I threw my armor last night. I cringe a little as I pick it up, it did a really good job of keeping me alive, but now I'll need to make some extensive repairs. Not important right now.
After rummaging through my pouches for a moment, I come up with a card. On it is the word 'Armsmaster' as well as a phone number.
I got a cape's number! Sure, Armsmaster isn't my favorite hero ever, especially after interacting with him last night, but he's still one of the better tinkers out there. If he's willing to work with me I might be able to accelerate my plans for my tech. I have a good set up here, but I'm moving too slow. Making better tools just to use those to make even better tools is a frustrating process.
Besides, he might be able to put me into contact with Dragon. They work together on a lot of projects right? If she can replicate some of my stuff, especially the Bacta Tank, I might be able to make some money. Dumpster diving works, but it's slow and disgusting.
I'll talk to him about it when I meet with him today, until then, I should repair some of my gear.
I look at the digital clock on the wall.
10:37 am.
I've got a few hours before I need to call him. I might as well get some work done.
"Can I help you?" The attendant asks cautiously.
"Yes." I reply. "I have a meeting with Armsmaster, could you please let him know I'm here?"
He nods, and motions to the several chairs in the lobby. "Please take a seat."
I nod in thanks, then move to one of the chairs. I pull out some tools and start fiddling with my shield generator. I had been too focused on my helmet this morning to make much progress fixing my shield, and while I have spares, this one definitely saved my life last night. Call me sentimental, but I think it's earned some repairs.
I finish up on the energy shield, and stash my tools. Turns out this was a much simpler fix than I thought. My helmet had been all but smashed by Lung, while the shield just shorted out. It wasn't designed to take a hit that hard, but several smaller hits over time. I'll need to upgrade it later.
I flip a switch, and I'm suddenly covered in a transparent blue energy field.
"Impressive."
I looked up to see Armsmaster walking towards me, his eyes focused on my wrist. "An energy shield? You didn't have that last night."
"I did actually." I deactivate the shield and stand up. "It's primary setting is reactionary. If any object or energy poses a noticeable danger to me it'll activate." I pull one of my knives from my belt and bring it down against my arm to demonstrate. Sure enough, the blue field springs to life just in time to deflect the blade before shutting off once more. I sheathe the blade and say, "I could leave it on all the time, but it would drain too much of the battery."
Armsmaster nods. "I could potentially assist with that issue if you'd be willing to provide me with such a shield."
I shrug. "I wouldn't be opposed to it, but we'll figure that out later."
He nods, and gestures for me to follow him further into the building. "If memory serves you wished for Panacea to test healing tech?"
"Yes. While the full apparatus was too large to move, I brought along a sample of the actual healing component. The rest of the device is just there to contain it."
The two of us board an obviously tinkertech elevator, and begin to ascend.
"What is it, and how does it work?" Armsmaster asks.
I pull the small jar of Bacta fluid from my pouch, and hold it up for him to inspect. "I call it Bacta. It's a fluid that accelerates natural healing by an impressive amount. You won't be able to use it to regrow limbs, but so long as the injured party makes it to a tank fast enough they should be able to survive and recover from just about any injury."
"Tank?" Armsmaster asks with a tilted head.
I nod, and put the jar back in my bag. "I have an example back in my lab, and I brought blueprints with me. It's essentially just a large upright bathtub with temperature control and an oxygen supply. I spent last night inside one to heal where Lung cut me."
The elevator stops, and Armsmaster leads me towards a set of heavily reinforced tinkertech doors I assume to lead into his lab.
"Is there a risk of any kind of infection?" He asks.
"Not that I know of, but that is one of the things I wanted Panacea to check for. If it works as intended, it should eliminate disease instead of create it, but I'd rather make sure it works properly."
"That is a good mindset to have." Armsmaster says approvingly. He walks up to a keypad next to the door, and quickly enters a code, he then presses the thumb of his glove against a small panel and the door unlocks.
"Isn't it a little risky coding the door to your armor's fingerprint? I can think of a few ways to get that off you."
He turns to me with a smug grin. "I can alter the texture of it at any time. Only myself and one other know how to open it."
I follow him in and have a look around. His lab is smaller than mine, but it is clear he has much more funding. He's also a lot neater than I am, while I leave everything lying around, he has labels within labels within labels. There is a label for each individual material and what it is for. Nanoforge materials, free work materials, halberd materials, motorcycle materials. This level of neatness would drive me crazy.
"No offense intended, but I can't see how you work here for extended periods of time."
"None taken, I understand my workspace is heavily personalized, and that individual tinkers work better in different conditions. Now, if you would show me those blueprints you mentioned."
I unclip the belt with the Bacta jar from my belt, and place it on the table. I remove the Bacta jar, and set it off to the side before retrieving the small tablet with the Bacta tank's blueprints. I hold it out for Armsmaster, and he takes it.
"Efficient." He says content. He cycles through the various pages on the device, before turning to a seemingly empty corner of the room. "Can you see this?"
"I can." A synthetic voice echoes throughout the room.
I jump at the voice, and reach for my blaster, but stop myself when a blue avatar appears on a computer in the direction Armsmaster is facing. The avatar is a simple human face. I can't make out any color due to the fact it is all a simple synthetic blue. The face raises an eyebrow at Armsmaster.
"You didn't tell her I would be joining did you?" It asks in a feminine voice.
Armsmaster freezes for a second, then looks back to me. "I apologize Mandalore. I was caught up in my work and forgot to inform you that Dragon would be here. I hope that is not an issue?"
Don't ask for her autograph. Don't ask for her autograph. Don't ask for her autograph. Just be cool. You can be cool right Taylor? Cool as a cucumber yes sir. I'm as cool as…
"Mandalore?"
I jolt as Armsmaster breaks me from my thoughts, and I shake my head to get a hold of myself.
"There's no issue." I say a little too high pitched. I walk up to the monitor with the digital face. "It's an honor to meet you Dragon, I'm a huge fan of your work."
Dragon smiles brightly back at me. "Likewise Mandalore, and I must say, this 'Bacta Tank' is really something. When Armsmaster mentioned you were interested in collaborating on healing tech, I expected a more efficient x-ray machine, but this is much more impressive. You said you used it on yourself?"
I nod and place a hand over my side. "I got cut up by Lung last night. It wasn't a terrible cut, but it wasn't minor either. It would have likely taken a few weeks to heal normally had I not taken a bath in the tank last night."
Dragon's eyebrows scrunched together. She really put a lot of work into that avatar didn't she?
"Congratulations for taking in Lung. That was no minor feat." She says cheerily.
"Thanks." Dragon just complimented me. Am I dead? This kind of thing just doesn't happen to me.
"Back to the subject of the tank, were you able to sleep last night if you spent time in the tank?" Dragon asks professionally.
I take in a breath, and nod. "I slept in the tank. It monitors vital signs and adjusts the settings automatically, so it's perfectly safe for the occupant to be unconscious." I say proudly. I'm really pleased with the Bacta Tank. It's honestly more awesome than the lightsaber in my eyes.
Armsmaster seems to be off in his own little world taking various notes while Dragon considers my statement.
"Was there anyone to monitor the system while you were unconscious? What if one of the readings was wrong?"
"I have a few different systems set up to watch different things. If there is a discrepancy between any of the readings the tank will purge its contents immediately. It is as safe as I have been able to make it." Those safety measures were part of the reason the thing took so long to build.
"Very good. Hmm, what are these two components? Kavam and alazhi?" Dragon asks as she brings up the bacta's makeup.
When did she download the blueprints? She must be the queen of multi-tasking if she pulled that off while holding a conversation with me.
"Those are artificial bacteria I created." At that statement she went wide eyed, and Armsmaster stopped making notes. "Don't worry." I added hurriedly. "I don't want a kill order, so they're unable to reproduce. That's another thing I wanted Panacea to double check. Both that they're only beneficial, and incapable of spreading. I tried to make a synthetic version, but it ultimately failed. This was the only way to make the tank work like I wanted it to."
When I was doing research into how to possibly market my tech, that was the biggest hiccup I was able to find. If you can make anything that is even remotely organic, you need to make sure your ass is covered, or the PRT is going to come down on you hard.
The tension bleeds out of the room and Armsmaster lets out a breath. "That is good, but I would ask you not to make any more until Panacea clears it."
I shrug. "Shouldn't be too hard. She's coming today right?"
"She is in the lobby right now actually. I'll let her in as soon as she gets here." Dragon speaks up.
Huh, perfect timing.
"Then that won't be an issue for much longer. Either she clears it, or she doesn't and we go from there." I say.
"Thank you." Armsmaster says.
He, Dragon, and I go over the specifics of the tank while we wait for Panacea to make it up the elevator to the lab. We're eventually pulled from our nerdout session when the door to the lab opens automatically, and the two Dallon of New Wave sisters walk in.
The one on the right draws my attention immediately. She's beautiful. Her blonde hair shines brighter than gold, her tiara reflects the light just right, and her smile illuminates the entire room. She waves her strong arms at us, and goes to…
I shake my head, and turn my head away from the blonde. "Whatever you're doing, could you stop it please?"
"What do you mean?" She asks.
Why did I think something was wrong? Nothing's wrong. Wow she is amazing. Would she be my friend? Would she be…
"Vicky! Aura!" The second new arrival says in an annoyed tone.
"Oh! I'm sorry! That won't happen again." The first voice says.
The weird effect disappears again, and I take a couple seconds to make sure my head is on straight.
That was really weird. PHO said she's got some sort of shaker aura that bolsters people's spirits right? That felt more like a 'Wow Look at Me' ray. Can't say I enjoyed it all that much.
"Mandalore, are you alright?" Armsmaster asks.
"I'm fine. That was just really unexpected and unpleasant."
He studies me closely for a moment, before nodding. "Very well." He says. He turns to the two new arrivals. "Glory Girl, Panacea, meet Mandalore. Mandalore, Glory Girl and Panacea."
The blonde floats, yes floats, over to me with a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry about that. My aura can be kind of hard to control."
"I understand that, but please do not do it again." I say.
She nods. "I'll keep it in check."
The second girl walks forward. She has mousy brown hair, green eyes, and a large amount of freckles. Where her sister is dressed in her costume, she just has on a simple t-shirt and jeans. She holds out a hand. "I'm Panacea, but I'm not in costume so you can call me Amy. Someone told me you were a healer?"
I take her hand and give it a shake. "I'm Mandalore, and I'm sort of a healer. I'm a tinker, and I've developed some tech that is pretty effective at healing. From what I know about your power, you can put anything I can do to shame, but it's still fairly impressive I think."
She takes a step back, and looks around the lab. "So where is it?"
I indicate the jar on the table. "That's it."
She tilts her head seriously and walks over to it. "Is it some kind of healing paste?"
I make a so-so gesture. "Not really, but I guess it could be used like that. Basically you fill a tank up with that stuff and put someone inside it. The gel works to accelerate any healing the body would naturally do."
She raises an eyebrow at me. "So it's a bathtub?"
"In principle, but it is slightly more complicated." Armsmaster says as he types away at a computer. "From the blueprints, I would imagine it looks something like this?" He pushes the enter key, and a hologram of the Bacta Tank appears in the center of the room.
I look it over. It's actually pretty accurate. The control panel, oxygen supply, and door are all correct. It's just a little smaller than mine.
"The one I have in my lab is bigger, but other than that it seems right." I say.
Armsmaster smiles triumphantly and turns to Amy. "Panacea, would you be willing to tell us if there is anything harmful in the bacta's make-up? It is organic in nature, so we would like to ensure there is no risk of it reproducing, or evolving into anything harmful."
Amy nods and walks over to the jar. She screws the lid off, and sticks a finger into the gel. Her eyes glaze over for a second. "Woah." She says.
Woah? Is that a good woah or a bad woah?
"Amy?" Glory Girl floats over to her in concern.
Amy shakes her head and waves her off. "I'm fine, I just didn't expect something this complex." She looks over her shoulder at me. "How did you make this?"
I shrug. "Tinker bullshit mostly. I can give you a step by step later if you want, but it would take a while. Is it safe to use?"
She looks back to the jar, and her eyes unfocus again. "Yes. It's safe. Can I take this home with me?" She asks out of the blue.
"Uh… what?" I say. Great response Taylor. You are truly the most social of socialites.
Amy shakes her head, and shrinks in on herself a little. "Sorry, that probably sounded weird. I've just never seen anything like this before, and I wanted to see if I could maybe figure some things out with it."
Figure things out? Isn't she the greatest healer on the planet? What is there to figure out? Then again, I'm not really opposed to the idea, I have plenty of the stuff back at the lab. I had intended to give that sample to the Protectorate though. Even with the green light from Panacea I'm willing to bet they'll want to make sure it's safe.
"Um… I'm fine with that, but maybe take only half of it? I was planning on giving that to Armsmaster to test. If he has another jar though, then you could just pour some out."
Armsmaster mechanically walks to a very specific part of his lab, and pulls a jar out of a drawer. "We won't need a substantial amount for testing purposes. We trust Panacea, so we'll only need a small sample to get the paperwork filed. You can have the rest."
Amy's face lights up. "Thank you." She says to me and Armsmaster.
"No problem." I say. I turn to Armsmaster. "Is there anything else we need to do today?"
He shakes his head. "Dragon and I will be able to handle testing for the Bacta Tank, so we do not need you for anything tinker related, but I would be willing to give you a tour of the facility."
That sounds like it could be fun. "Will I get to meet any of the other heroes?"
He nods. "We could stop by and say hello, although some are out on patrol at the moment."
"Sure then. Whenever you want to get started."
He turns to Amy and Glory Girl. "Thank you for being here today. You are welcome to join us if you wish."
"Thanks, but we need to get home." Glory Girl says, then turns to me. "It was nice to meet you Mandalore!"
"You too."
She floats out the door, and Amy follows with a jar filled with half the bacta fluid I came with. "It was nice to meet you, and thanks for this."
"Nice to meet you too, and you're welcome."
With that, the two Dallon sisters leave.
"Shall we?" Armsmaster asks.
I nod, and he leads me through the halls of the rig. Occasionally he'll comment about this or that, but I get the sense he's not very vocal when the subject is anything other than tinkertech.
He stops in front of a set of double doors that open inward automatically.
While that on its own isn't enough to say the doors are tinkertech, the electromagnetic locking system somehow set into the hinges is. The budget for this place has to be insane if they're able to not only build this stuff, but maintain it too. I've heard that tinkertech breaks down pretty fast. I haven't encountered that problem yet, but I've only been active for a few months, so it probably just hasn't happened yet.
Armsmaster and I move into the room, and I see a group of costumed heroes sitting around a table drinking coffee and playing cards.
It's not the entire Protectorate, but this is more heroes gathered in one place than I ever thought I'd meet. There's a woman in a blue costume with electrical lines running up and down it complete with a blue helmet and visor, the man sitting next to her who's wearing a red jumpsuit and mask, and a woman across from those two in military fatigues and a patriotic bandanna for a mask. They all look up to greet us as we enter.
"Hey Armsmaster. Who's this?" The woman in blue asks.
"This is Mandalore. Mandalore, this is Battery, Assault, and Miss Militia." He gestures to each of them in turn.
"Nice to meet ya." The man in red, Assault, says. "You joining up?"
I swallow a lump in my throat, and action that goes unnoticed thanks to my armor, and take a deep breath.
Don't embarrass yourself. It's just talking. How hard is it to talk to people? Oh yeah, extremely hard.
"Hi I'm Mandalore, and I'm not sure. I might, but not for a bit. I'd be in the Wards anyways."
Battery looks at me up and down. "Could've fooled me. Between the armor and your height, I'd put you at around nineteen."
Miss Militia stands up and walks over with her hand outstretched. The green energy that makes up her power settles into a small knife and clips itself to her belt. "It's good to meet you Mandalore. It's always good to see another hero around."
"Um... thanks. It's good to meet you too." Somehow I manage not to stutter as I shake the hand of my childhood hero.
"So," Assault, who is now right next to me, says abruptly. "you're a tinker right? What all can you make?"
"A lot." I answer. "I don't quite have my specialty pinned down yet, but I've got a few ideas of what it could be. I can make blasters, grenades, armor, and even healing tanks. I might even be able to make a speeder sometime."
Miss Militia raises an eyebrow at me. "Speeder? What would that do?"
Oh, right. No one knows what any of my stuff is called.
I tilt my head to the side as I think of how best to explain it. "Think of a hovering motorcycle that's much faster and you got the right idea."
Assault's jaw hangs open. "You can make a hoverbike?" He asks excitedly.
"I guess?"
He gives me a wide smile, then points a finger at me. "You are my new favorite person. Together we shall destroy all villainy while riding around in floating style."
I really don't know how to respond to that.
"Uh…"
Luckily I don't have to finish speaking as Battery elbows him in the ribs, and he doubles over in pain.
That makes no sense. Isn't he a kinetic manipulator? There's no way that would hurt him.
"Ignore him." Battery says tiredly.
Armsmaster straightens, then turns to me. "I apologize, but I was just called into the field. I need to go. Miss Militia, would you please show Mandalore out?"
Miss Militia crinkles her eyes at him. "I'd love to."
He gives a jerky nod, and swiftly departs from the room.
Miss Militia watches him go, then gestures for me to follow her. "I'm sorry about Armsmaster." She says as I fall in behind her. "He is always very focused, and it can be a bit much to deal with at times."
"Don't worry about it." I say. "We got along fine."
We make it to the elevator, and both get on.
"I noticed your armor seems pretty put together. You seem a lot more prepared than most new triggers I've met." Miss Militia says gently.
I tense up at her words.
I'd read about triggers on PHO, and from what I saw it was bad etiquette to ask about a cape's trigger. Is she fishing for information?
"I've had some time to prepare." I say vaguely.
The elevator dings, and we both disembark.
"That's good." Miss Militia says. "Don't do anything until you're ready for it. I've seen far too many new capes get killed because they bit off more than they could chew."
I let out a soft sigh of relief.
She's not looking for information. She's just worried about me. Man have I got trust issues.
We walk out the doors into the afternoon air, and I shiver as I adjust to the temperature. A glance at my hud's clock shows the time to be just after four o'clock. I've still got time to work on my gear before I'll need to go to sleep.
I turn to face Miss Militia. "It was really great to meet you, and thanks for walking me out."
She eye smiles at me. "It was my pleasure."
I nod and turn away. I'm about to blast off, when I clench my teeth, and work up the courage to ask a question I've been wanting to since I met her.
"Miss Militia?"
She takes her hand off the door handle and turns around.
"Can I have you autograph?" I ask meekly.
She chuckles and walks forward. "Of course."
With a wide grin that's hidden by my helmet, I reach into one of my pouches, and hold a notebook and pen out to her. She scribbles her signature in it, then hands it back.
"Have a good day Mandalore."
"You too, and thanks."
Before I make a fool of myself I blast away into the air. Only when I'm sure the roar of my jetpack will drown out the sound do I allow myself to squee.
The flight/stealth walk home is uneventful and I make it inside my lab easily enough. I once more strip off my armor and pull on some loose fitting grey sweats. It's more comfortable than living in my armor.
I grab an energy bar from my cupboard and take a seat on the couch.
Today's been pretty good, probably one of the best days I've had in awhile. Last time I felt this good was when dad and I went out for…
I scowl and angrily chew on my power bar.
Asshole. Now my good mood is gone.
I sigh and finish the bar, tossing the wrapper into one of the many trash bins on the floor.
I might as well channel my newly soured mood into something useful. I still haven't finished fixing my helmet, and my energy shield could use an upgrade.
I sit down at one of my workbenches and get to work.
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Chapter 2
AgelessReaper
A Custom Title
It's been a full day since my meeting with Armsmaster, and I'm really not sure what to do now. I think he'll call me when the Bacta is either cleared or rejected, but I'm not sure. He took off before I remembered to ask.
I shrug my shoulders, and begin pulling my armor on.
Worst case scenario, I'll call him back in a couple days to ask how things are going, but I have plans for today.
I pull the last of my gear on, and lock my helmet in place. The display blinks to life, and I grab two large, empty sacks before moving towards the exit of my lab.
I used a lot of my materials after my fight with Lung. Between the expended grenades, body armor repairs, helmet repairs, and my shield generator, I'm really hurting for tinker material. I was able to replace everything I used, but I'm all but out of scrap now.
I climb the ladder out of my lab and lock it shut behind me. I activate my stealth field generator, and I vanish.
Invisibility is cool.
Deciding to get a light workout in, I begin to lightly jog. I make more noise this way, but my hud hasn't picked up anyone in the area, so I'm not too worried.
I stick to uninhabited areas as I pick up the pace until I'm running. I'm not looking for a fight right now, while I'm almost back to one-hundred percent, if I use any more of my grenades I won't be able to replace them right now, so I'd rather keep to myself.
Even running, it takes me a while to make it to my destination, but I was purposefully making my route longer than it needed to be to avoid people. Had I used my jetpack, I could probably have gotten here in somewhere around two minutes, but as it is, it's been around thirty-five minutes.
Not wanting to give myself away by using my jetpack, I climb up the fire escape of a nearby building and make my way up to the roof. I take a few moments to scan the area with my hud, and find it to be clear. Now confident that I'm alone, I move into the boat graveyard to scavenge for supplies.
Sure, it's not the most heroic way to get materials for my tinkering, in fact there's a pretty good argument for it being villainous, but I'm flat broke. Every dollar I have is for food, I can't afford to use it for anything else. Even if I had cash to spare, I'd avoid spending it on tinker stuff. PHO had a lot of warnings for new tinkers about buying large amounts of exotic supplies. Apparently the gangs watch for that kind of thing in the hopes of recruiting another tinker. It spits in the face of the unwritten rules, but from what I've seen they're more guidelines that are followed only so long as they benefit the villains. But what do I know? I'm still new to the scene, and most of my information is from the internet, so I'm hesitant to trust it too much.
Refocusing on my present task, I begin looking for suitable metal to pilfer.
After ten minutes of wandering around, I let out a frustrated sigh.
This isn't my first time coming here, so I'm not sure why I'm surprised by the lack of selection. Everything is rusted to high hell, or just plain destroyed here. It's particularly frustrating to find something I would have been able to use that's been smashed to irreparable pieces by vandals at one point or another.
Armsmaster's Wards offer is starting to look enticing about now.
Grumbling to myself about the unfairness of life, I pull out my lightsaber and begin cutting away anything I can use.
It's slow going, mainly because I have to wait for everything to cool off or else it would melt through the bags I brought along, but I make steady progress.
After around an hour, both of my bags are full of junk, and I'm ready to head back.
I'll have to smelt and restore most of the metal, but I've been doing that since I started coming here, so it's nothing I'm not prepared for.
I tuck a sack under each arm, and begin the trek back.
Each sack weighs quite a bit from the amount of metal inside them, but I've been getting a lot stronger since I got my powers. When triggered, instead of just getting a bunch of blueprints crammed into my head, I also got some fighting styles and work out programs. PHO has a few examples of something like this happening, like this one coding tinker Europe whose typing speed increased to one-hundred-twenty words per minute after he triggered, but nothing I've found has been as cool as my martial arts.
I might be biased though.
The trip back to my lab takes longer, but that's only because I walked. My hud picked up a few people on my way back, but between my stealth field, and my early warning, I was able to avoid them.
My lab opens up after I input the code, and I throw my loot in, before climbing down myself. I dump my bags in the 'Unmodified Scrap' corner, see I'm organized, and begin to take my armor off.
I stop when I hear a shrill ringing that I haven't heard the entire time I've lived here. I slowly turn to look at the simple phone I tinkered up, and sure enough, it rings again.
Forgive my surprise, but I haven't heard that thing ring since I tested it shortly after putting it together. I don't really have anyone to call, or be called by, right now. I need friends.
I pick up just as the third ring is ending and say, "Hello?"
"Mandalore, would you be able to come to the rig today?" Armsmaster wastes no time asking. "Dragon and I have finished clearing the Bacta fluid, and we would like to discuss possible applications with you."
"Uh… sure." I say smartly. "When would be a good time to fly over?"
"If you could make it within the hour, that would be preferable."
"Give me a minute to get ready and I'll head over." I say.
"We look forward to seeing you." He hangs up.
I stare at the phone in my hands for a few seconds, before setting it down.
That was much faster than I expected. I would have thought that tinkertech bacteria would've required weeks, if not months, worth of testing. I guess they really do trust Panacea's judgement.
I pulled my gauntlets and helmet back on, those were the only things I was able to take off before the phone rang, and walked back over to the exit ladder. I climbed back up, latched the hatch shut behind me, and walked a block under stealth before activating my jetpack.
My flight is over fairly quickly, and I land aboard the rig. I walk through the door, and move to meet the attendant sitting behind the desk.
"Here to see Armsmaster?" He asks before I can speak.
I nod.
"I'll let him know you're here, go ahead and take a seat until he comes down."
"Thank you." I say, and take a seat.
Arsmaster mentioned discussing 'applications' while we were talking over the phone. Did he and Dragon figure out a different way to use the fluid?
I'm pulled from my musings as a blonde haired man wearing the black fatigues of a PRT squad member walks up to me.
"Mandalore?" He says. "My name is Sergeant Miller. I'm supposed to escort you up to Armsmaster's lab."
I stand and motion forward. "Lead the way."
We begin walking, and come to a familiar tinkertech elevator. The man pushes a button, and we ascend.
"So you're a tinker huh?" He says conversationally. "What all can you make?"
"A variety of things. Everything I have on me for one."
He raises an eyebrow at me. "No kidding? You must have a pretty diverse specialty."
I frown behind my helmet at the statement. "I'd rather keep that to myself for now."
He nods understandingly. "Fair enough."
The elevator dings, and we proceed the rest of the way to the lab in silence. Once there, the door opens automatically for me, and Sergeant Miller waves goodbye before walking off.
When I enter the lab I see Armsmaster hunched over a worktable, and Dragon's synthetic avatar on a screen to his right. Dragon's 'face' turns to me as I come in.
"Hello Mandalore. Thank you for coming."
"Thanks for having me." I reply. "Armsmaster said the Bacta was cleared?"
The tinker in question turns around and nods at me. "It was, and there are already a large number of interested individuals."
I tilt my head at him. "Really? I would've thought the whole tinker made bacteria aspect would scare people off."
Dragon chuckles lightly. "Panacea has cultivated quite a reputation over the years, and she has vouched for you. Additionally, there are very few capes capable of healing in any way, so the ease with which your tanks can be constructed could see them in hospitals around the world. That on its own has gone a long way to expediting the process. We still need to run some human trials to assuage the concerns of some vocal parties, but everything should be ready within the week."
Remembering Dragon's tinker ability, as well as Armsmaster's hastily created hologram from the other day, causes my eyes to go wide. I turn to Dragon's avatar. "Were you able to replicate the tank on your own?"
Dragon smiles widely and nods. "With the detailed blueprints you provided I was able to work it out. You were right in that the tank is fairly simple. The bacteria involved in creating the actual fluid was more complex, but with Armsmaster's help I was able to create a reproducible version of both bacteria."
I stand and stare at her with my jaw hanging open, although from their perspective it would just look as if my helmet was tilted forward.
Dragon figured out my tank?! In a day?! Wow, she's good. I just wanted to get clear to maybe put one or two in Brockton General, but if she figured out how to replicate both the tank and the fluid, I could theoretically spread this to the entire world.
"Mandalore?" Armsmaster says with a hint of worry.
I straighten my back and shake my head. "I'm fine. Just processing this." I turn back to Dragon. "What happens now?"
"As it is originally your creation, that is largely up to you." Dragon answers. "Are you familiar with containment foam?"
"The PRT uses it to hose down villains right?"
"Yes." Dragon affirms. "It originally started out as a single tinker's formula, but I was able to alter it slightly for mass production. The tinker and I came to an arrangement, and he allowed me to sell it at a much larger scale in exchange for a portion of the profits."
"Are you saying you want to do something similar with my tank?" I ask.
She nods. "I believe we could do a lot of good if we were to spread this throughout the world."
I take a second to think, then say, "I originally started all of this because I wanted to help people, but this is a lot to digest. What are my options here?"
"For now? I can see three. The first is you keep the design to yourself, and only spread those you are capable of producing on your own, but I don't think this option would be overly desirable to you."
I nod in agreement.
"The second option," She continues. "Would be for you to sell the design to me."
I tilt my head in confusion. "How would that work?"
"While tinkertech cannot be patented in the same sense that regular tech can, there is still a lawful owner of the original idea and design. The legalese is convoluted, so suffice it to say I would give you a substantial sum of money, and I would become the owner of the Bacta Tank."
I clench my fist as her statement finishes.
While the large sum of money sounds nice, there's something seriously wrong with giving away my right to my tech. I don't know why, but the very idea of it pisses me off.
"The third option," Dragon pulls me from my fuming. "would be for the two of us to produce them together in a relationship similar to the tinker who created the containment foam. This would be my personal preference, because both of us will be able to improve it as we go, and we may develop even better tech while working together. If you choose this option, Armsmaster would likely assist us as well."
Working with Dragon? And making money? I get to work with one of the most renowned parahumans in the world, and I won't have to make runs into the boat graveyard anymore. I also don't think I'll have to worry about Dragon trying to screw me over. I'd be hesitant with just about anyone else being a partner, but for some reason I feel like I can trust Dragon.
"I think option three sounds best, but I don't know anything about business. Can you write something up so I know what I'm dealing with."
Dragon's synthetic avatar smiles brightly at me. "Of course. I'll write everything up, and send it to you as soon as it is finished. Would you like my number so you can call me if you have any other questions?"
I nod and manage to control myself as the greatest tinker in the world rattles off her personal phone number. I also give her my own, so she can send me any paperwork that would be necessary to set everything up.
I don't know what I did to make this week go so well, but I need to figure it out so I can do it again.
"Feel free to call me or message me through PHO if you have any concerns about the tank, or just need tinker assistance."
"Thank you." I say a little higher pitched than intended. I make a mental note to make a PHO account for Mandalore ASAP. I already have one for Taylor Hebert, but I'd like to keep her and Madalore separate if at all possible.
"Now that that has been covered," Armsmaster speaks up, reminding me he's in the room, and this is in fact his lab. "I would like to request blueprints of some of your other tech. Tinkers whose tech is reproducible are incredibly valuable, even Dragon cannot replicate everything, so we would like to see if any of your other creations can be mass produced."
I quickly run through all the designs for the things I've made, and shake my head. "Even with the bacteria, the Bacta Tank is by far the simplest. I'd be happy to give you a few more blueprints, but I doubt you'll be able to do anything with them."
Armsmaster frowns slightly, but nods. "We will simply have to test them. The Bacta Tank is more than sufficient should the rest of your tech not be reproducible."
I agree to send him a variety of my designs as soon as I get back to my lab, and we finish up the tinker business.
Overall everything has been going incredibly well,
"Would you be interested in stopping by the PRT headquarters?" Armsmaster asks as we're finishing up. "I will be leaving to meet with the director, and the Wards showed interest in meeting with you."
The Wards want to meet me? How do they even know who I am? I'd really rather avoid any drama associated with people my own age, that's one of the reasons I'm living in a literal hole in the ground.
That being said, it's not like I have anything pressing going on. Come on Taylor, you're not going to make any friends if you just avoid people for the rest of your life.
"I'll tag along."
"It was nice seeing you again Manadlore!" Dragon's synthetic voice says in parting. "I'll send you everything." With that, her avatar disappears from the screen.
"Follow me." Armsmaster says, and we leave his lab. The tinkertech door sealing itself behind us.
We don't talk as we make our way down the elevator and outside. I get the sense Armsmaster's social skills are about on par with my own. At least Miss Militia knew how to talk to people, she gives me hope I won't always be a hopeless loner.
We make our way out of the building, and Armsmaster turns to me. "I lack the ability to fly, so I will have to take the ferry. You are free to accompany me, or fly to the headquarters on your own."
Fly into a heavily fortified building where almost all the personnel specialize in taking down Parahumans wearing a mask and obvious tinkertech, with my social skills no less?
"I'll stick with you."
He gives a jerky nod, and both board the sea craft. We sit down next to each other and stare directly ahead as the ferry begins to slowly sail towards land.
Neither one of us speaks the entire ride. I make several attempts to break the silence, but every time I opened my mouth, I would chicken out and go back to staring intently at the white wall across from me. It got so awkward I considered activating my stealth field generator to get away.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mandalore! She who defeated Lung!
What seems like an eternity later, the ferry docks, and we both robotically stand and make our way off the boat. Armsmaster leaves me on the dock, and moves back onto the ferry.
Just as I was starting to think he decided to ditch me, and this whole thing was just an elaborate ruse to leave me alone on a dock, a ramp lowered on the ferry, and Armsmaster appears riding the motorcycle he rode on the night I first met him.
I exhale and chuckle softly at myself.
Yeah, he'd go through all this effort to abandon someone with a jetpack. I really need to work on those trust issues.
"Will you be able to follow along with me?" He asks as he pulls up next to me.
I nod. "My jetpack can maintain some ludicrous speeds."
He returns my nod, and we take off through the city, him riding his tinkertech motorcycle, and me flying overhead with my jetpack.
I would be lying if I said I hadn't drawn heads while flying before, but I've never really flown around in broad daylight. The only times I've used my pack were my test flights in the early evenings, and the night I fought Lung.
Right now though? Right now it's four o'clock in the afternoon, so rush hour is starting. The streets are filled with cars, and the sidewalks have a significant amount of people walking on them, and while Armsmaster's motorcycle is startlingly quiet unless he intentionally revs the engine, my jetpack has very few settings. Loud, louder, and loudest.
As I roar several meters above Armsmaster and keep pace with him, I draw the attention of almost everyone we pass. People look up at me with wide eyes, and gaping jaws, and I see a large number of cell phones pulled out to video tape me.
I'm going to be all over PHO after this fiasco aren't I? Why did I think socializing was a good idea? I don't think I've ever been so glad I went with the full face helmet, even when Lung's claw tore through it, I wasn't this relieved. It's the only thing keeping me from bolting.
After an uncomfortably long time moving slowly through the air so I don't leave Armsmaster behind, we reach the PRT building.
I'm not sure what I was expecting, laser guns maybe, but the building is pretty plain looking. Three stories tall and painted a dull brown. It's not all that impressive, but it is a government building. Function over aesthetic is a major point for them right?
Actually maybe I shouldn't trust that, I read it on PHO. I really need to get out more.
Armsmaster pulls to a stop, and dismounts. I land next to him, and we walk through the two glass doors. We draw a lot of heads, but after the attention I received on the trip over, this doesn't even affect me. I'm already a tomato, they just can't see it because of the helmet. What are a few more people gonna do? Make me more of a tomato?
"I'll escort you to the Ward's common room, after that I have to meet with the director." Armsmaster says from my side.
Not trusting I'll be able to keep my voice level, I just nod and follow after him.
My hud picks up a bunch of hidden nozzles and what look like tasers, but they aren't tracking my, so I don't do anything aside from marking their locations.
They're probably just containment foam dispensers for if anyone decides to try for a Darwin award by attacking the PRT headquarters.
Although, knowing the gangs in this city, they probably hit this place a lot. Between the druggy Merchants, the literal nazis in the Empire 88, and Lung's Azn Bad Boys, the heroes have a lot on their plate. There's probably a lot of times where there just isn't enough manpower to properly defend this place.
The sound of a horn, and a flash of red light startles me out of my internal musings, and I drop a hand to the blaster at my hip.
"It's a warning so the Wards have time to put their masks on before their visitor enters." Armsmaster says, apparently oblivious to the fact that I had walked here on autopilot.
How far did we just walk, and which way did we come from? I'll figure it out.
The timer runs out, and Armsmaster pushes the door open. I follow in behind him.
The room we entered was not what I expected. I was thinking there would be a weight bench, training dummies, and various weapons arrayed on the walls. Instead, there's a nice leather couch and a number of recliners that are all facing a rather large flatscreen TV that has a gaming system and DVD player hooked up to it.
Way to ruin my image of hero life Wards.
Speaking of, there are four costumed figures in the room aside from Armsmaster and myself. One is a boy in a white costume and mask with clocks painted all over him. Another is a blonde girl who appears to be a few years younger than me wearing a green skirt and visor. The third is a boy in a red bodysuit and helmet. The last is a boy with brown hair wearing red colored tinkertech armor.
"Wards." Armsmaster greets stiffly. "Meet Mandalore. Mandalore, this is Clockblocker, Vista, Aegis, and Kid Win. I trust you can keep each other company. I have to meet with the director." He pulls an about face and leaves me to the wolves.
"Hi, I'm Vista!" The girl in green says. "We heard about a mystery hero who brought down Lung, but we didn't have any actual information. Are you joining the Wards?"
"Uh…"
"Is that a jetpack?!" The red armored boy exclaims as he runs over. He moves behind me, causing me to stiffen, and starts poking and prodding my jetpack. "How does it work? I've tried to get one running but I can't get enough lift."
"Uh…"
"Nice armor man." The clock covered boy says. "You look like a space marine in the special forces. The Spacial Forces!"
The three of them slowly start converging around me, and my body starts locking up.
I don't like this! I don't like this! I don't like this!
The boy in the red bodysuit laughs. "Come on guys, give him a chance to breathe. We'll have plenty of time to pester him for questions later." He walks forward and holds a hand out. "Sorry about them, we're all just excited. Like Vista said, we heard you fought Lung, and our imagination's have been going crazy since. I'm Aegis. Nice to meet you."
The others back off somewhat sheepishly, and I take a few seconds to just breathe.
They're not malicious, they're just curious. Give it a chance Taylor.
I hold my hand out and take Aegis's hand. "Mandalore."
"Sorry about that, your tech just distracted me. I'm Kid Win." The boy who was fawning over my jetpack says.
"It's alright." I say. "I'm just not very good with people. Social situations aren't really my thing."
"And Armsmaster just dropped you in here by yourself with a group of teenagers who've been placing bets on what you're like since yesterday evening." The clock covered kid says with a smile in his voice. The space around him bends in a nausea inducing way, and he keels over holding his side.
"Don't tell her about the bets Clock." Vista says as she retracts her elbow. She smiles up at me. "Sorry. Like Aegis said, we've been curious about what you're like."
"And you've been placing bets." I deadpan.
"Yep!" Clockblocker says, now recovered from Vista's elbow strike. "A bet that I won. Told you he was a tinker, no way Armsmaster would've invited him up to his lab otherwise."
I run his statement back through my head a few times, before letting out an indignant, "He?"
The four Wards freeze, and slowly look me up and down.
I huff in irritation. I might not have the biggest chest, but I never thought I was boyishly flat.
There's a brief moment of stunned silence before Vista starts cackling.
"I win!" She happily proclaims. "Told you she was a girl!"
That's what she takes from that? Really?
I'm about to turn around and leave when the girl runs forward and wraps me in a hug. She looks up at me with pleading eyes. "Please join the Wards! I'm surrounded by boys and I can't take it any longer!"
"Stalker's a girl Vista." Kid Win says.
Vista glares at him. "Stalker's Stalker. She doesn't count." She looks back up at me with the same pleading expression. "You have to save me from these clowns!"
I caught most of what she said, but it was greatly overshadowed by the fact that she's hugging me. How long has it been since I've gotten a hug? I didn't realize it had been this long. I missed this.
Maybe I can...
My arms start shaking, and I turn to Aegis. "I'd like to leave. Can you show me out?"
Vista lets go of me and backs up with a confused look on her face.
Aegis's smile turns into a frown. "What's wrong? Do you…"
"I'd like to leave." I cut him off forcefully as the shaking intensifies. "Can you please show me out?"
He holds my gaze for a moment, then nods. "Sure. Follow me."
I force myself to exude a mask of calm as Aegis leads me through the halls, and out the front door.
"If you get together sometime…"
"It was nice meeting you." I cut him off, and rocket into the air.
I pay attention to nothing but getting home safely. I focus on that and nothing else. Get home. Be safe. Get home. Be safe.
I land a few blocks away from my lab, turn on my stealth generator, and quickly move towards my lab.
When I finally arrive, my arms are shaking violently. It takes me three tries to get the code right which almost triggers some of my lab's defences. I fall down the ladder and start peeling my armor off.
I get my helmet, gauntlets, and a boot off before I can't take it anymore and I start weeping.
I curl into a ball on my couch and cry. Traitorous thoughts circulating in my head all the while.
You're alone Taylor.
Hopelessly alone.
No one wants you.
Why do you keep trying? It's not like anyone would care if you disappeared.
Oh that's right! You did disappear didn't you? And you weren't even reported missing were you?
That should tell you all you need to know.
I weep for hours before I finally succumb to blissful sleep.
I shrug my shoulders, and begin pulling my armor on.
Worst case scenario, I'll call him back in a couple days to ask how things are going, but I have plans for today.
I pull the last of my gear on, and lock my helmet in place. The display blinks to life, and I grab two large, empty sacks before moving towards the exit of my lab.
I used a lot of my materials after my fight with Lung. Between the expended grenades, body armor repairs, helmet repairs, and my shield generator, I'm really hurting for tinker material. I was able to replace everything I used, but I'm all but out of scrap now.
I climb the ladder out of my lab and lock it shut behind me. I activate my stealth field generator, and I vanish.
Invisibility is cool.
Deciding to get a light workout in, I begin to lightly jog. I make more noise this way, but my hud hasn't picked up anyone in the area, so I'm not too worried.
I stick to uninhabited areas as I pick up the pace until I'm running. I'm not looking for a fight right now, while I'm almost back to one-hundred percent, if I use any more of my grenades I won't be able to replace them right now, so I'd rather keep to myself.
Even running, it takes me a while to make it to my destination, but I was purposefully making my route longer than it needed to be to avoid people. Had I used my jetpack, I could probably have gotten here in somewhere around two minutes, but as it is, it's been around thirty-five minutes.
Not wanting to give myself away by using my jetpack, I climb up the fire escape of a nearby building and make my way up to the roof. I take a few moments to scan the area with my hud, and find it to be clear. Now confident that I'm alone, I move into the boat graveyard to scavenge for supplies.
Sure, it's not the most heroic way to get materials for my tinkering, in fact there's a pretty good argument for it being villainous, but I'm flat broke. Every dollar I have is for food, I can't afford to use it for anything else. Even if I had cash to spare, I'd avoid spending it on tinker stuff. PHO had a lot of warnings for new tinkers about buying large amounts of exotic supplies. Apparently the gangs watch for that kind of thing in the hopes of recruiting another tinker. It spits in the face of the unwritten rules, but from what I've seen they're more guidelines that are followed only so long as they benefit the villains. But what do I know? I'm still new to the scene, and most of my information is from the internet, so I'm hesitant to trust it too much.
Refocusing on my present task, I begin looking for suitable metal to pilfer.
After ten minutes of wandering around, I let out a frustrated sigh.
This isn't my first time coming here, so I'm not sure why I'm surprised by the lack of selection. Everything is rusted to high hell, or just plain destroyed here. It's particularly frustrating to find something I would have been able to use that's been smashed to irreparable pieces by vandals at one point or another.
Armsmaster's Wards offer is starting to look enticing about now.
Grumbling to myself about the unfairness of life, I pull out my lightsaber and begin cutting away anything I can use.
It's slow going, mainly because I have to wait for everything to cool off or else it would melt through the bags I brought along, but I make steady progress.
After around an hour, both of my bags are full of junk, and I'm ready to head back.
I'll have to smelt and restore most of the metal, but I've been doing that since I started coming here, so it's nothing I'm not prepared for.
I tuck a sack under each arm, and begin the trek back.
Each sack weighs quite a bit from the amount of metal inside them, but I've been getting a lot stronger since I got my powers. When triggered, instead of just getting a bunch of blueprints crammed into my head, I also got some fighting styles and work out programs. PHO has a few examples of something like this happening, like this one coding tinker Europe whose typing speed increased to one-hundred-twenty words per minute after he triggered, but nothing I've found has been as cool as my martial arts.
I might be biased though.
The trip back to my lab takes longer, but that's only because I walked. My hud picked up a few people on my way back, but between my stealth field, and my early warning, I was able to avoid them.
My lab opens up after I input the code, and I throw my loot in, before climbing down myself. I dump my bags in the 'Unmodified Scrap' corner, see I'm organized, and begin to take my armor off.
I stop when I hear a shrill ringing that I haven't heard the entire time I've lived here. I slowly turn to look at the simple phone I tinkered up, and sure enough, it rings again.
Forgive my surprise, but I haven't heard that thing ring since I tested it shortly after putting it together. I don't really have anyone to call, or be called by, right now. I need friends.
I pick up just as the third ring is ending and say, "Hello?"
"Mandalore, would you be able to come to the rig today?" Armsmaster wastes no time asking. "Dragon and I have finished clearing the Bacta fluid, and we would like to discuss possible applications with you."
"Uh… sure." I say smartly. "When would be a good time to fly over?"
"If you could make it within the hour, that would be preferable."
"Give me a minute to get ready and I'll head over." I say.
"We look forward to seeing you." He hangs up.
I stare at the phone in my hands for a few seconds, before setting it down.
That was much faster than I expected. I would have thought that tinkertech bacteria would've required weeks, if not months, worth of testing. I guess they really do trust Panacea's judgement.
I pulled my gauntlets and helmet back on, those were the only things I was able to take off before the phone rang, and walked back over to the exit ladder. I climbed back up, latched the hatch shut behind me, and walked a block under stealth before activating my jetpack.
My flight is over fairly quickly, and I land aboard the rig. I walk through the door, and move to meet the attendant sitting behind the desk.
"Here to see Armsmaster?" He asks before I can speak.
I nod.
"I'll let him know you're here, go ahead and take a seat until he comes down."
"Thank you." I say, and take a seat.
Arsmaster mentioned discussing 'applications' while we were talking over the phone. Did he and Dragon figure out a different way to use the fluid?
I'm pulled from my musings as a blonde haired man wearing the black fatigues of a PRT squad member walks up to me.
"Mandalore?" He says. "My name is Sergeant Miller. I'm supposed to escort you up to Armsmaster's lab."
I stand and motion forward. "Lead the way."
We begin walking, and come to a familiar tinkertech elevator. The man pushes a button, and we ascend.
"So you're a tinker huh?" He says conversationally. "What all can you make?"
"A variety of things. Everything I have on me for one."
He raises an eyebrow at me. "No kidding? You must have a pretty diverse specialty."
I frown behind my helmet at the statement. "I'd rather keep that to myself for now."
He nods understandingly. "Fair enough."
The elevator dings, and we proceed the rest of the way to the lab in silence. Once there, the door opens automatically for me, and Sergeant Miller waves goodbye before walking off.
When I enter the lab I see Armsmaster hunched over a worktable, and Dragon's synthetic avatar on a screen to his right. Dragon's 'face' turns to me as I come in.
"Hello Mandalore. Thank you for coming."
"Thanks for having me." I reply. "Armsmaster said the Bacta was cleared?"
The tinker in question turns around and nods at me. "It was, and there are already a large number of interested individuals."
I tilt my head at him. "Really? I would've thought the whole tinker made bacteria aspect would scare people off."
Dragon chuckles lightly. "Panacea has cultivated quite a reputation over the years, and she has vouched for you. Additionally, there are very few capes capable of healing in any way, so the ease with which your tanks can be constructed could see them in hospitals around the world. That on its own has gone a long way to expediting the process. We still need to run some human trials to assuage the concerns of some vocal parties, but everything should be ready within the week."
Remembering Dragon's tinker ability, as well as Armsmaster's hastily created hologram from the other day, causes my eyes to go wide. I turn to Dragon's avatar. "Were you able to replicate the tank on your own?"
Dragon smiles widely and nods. "With the detailed blueprints you provided I was able to work it out. You were right in that the tank is fairly simple. The bacteria involved in creating the actual fluid was more complex, but with Armsmaster's help I was able to create a reproducible version of both bacteria."
I stand and stare at her with my jaw hanging open, although from their perspective it would just look as if my helmet was tilted forward.
Dragon figured out my tank?! In a day?! Wow, she's good. I just wanted to get clear to maybe put one or two in Brockton General, but if she figured out how to replicate both the tank and the fluid, I could theoretically spread this to the entire world.
"Mandalore?" Armsmaster says with a hint of worry.
I straighten my back and shake my head. "I'm fine. Just processing this." I turn back to Dragon. "What happens now?"
"As it is originally your creation, that is largely up to you." Dragon answers. "Are you familiar with containment foam?"
"The PRT uses it to hose down villains right?"
"Yes." Dragon affirms. "It originally started out as a single tinker's formula, but I was able to alter it slightly for mass production. The tinker and I came to an arrangement, and he allowed me to sell it at a much larger scale in exchange for a portion of the profits."
"Are you saying you want to do something similar with my tank?" I ask.
She nods. "I believe we could do a lot of good if we were to spread this throughout the world."
I take a second to think, then say, "I originally started all of this because I wanted to help people, but this is a lot to digest. What are my options here?"
"For now? I can see three. The first is you keep the design to yourself, and only spread those you are capable of producing on your own, but I don't think this option would be overly desirable to you."
I nod in agreement.
"The second option," She continues. "Would be for you to sell the design to me."
I tilt my head in confusion. "How would that work?"
"While tinkertech cannot be patented in the same sense that regular tech can, there is still a lawful owner of the original idea and design. The legalese is convoluted, so suffice it to say I would give you a substantial sum of money, and I would become the owner of the Bacta Tank."
I clench my fist as her statement finishes.
While the large sum of money sounds nice, there's something seriously wrong with giving away my right to my tech. I don't know why, but the very idea of it pisses me off.
"The third option," Dragon pulls me from my fuming. "would be for the two of us to produce them together in a relationship similar to the tinker who created the containment foam. This would be my personal preference, because both of us will be able to improve it as we go, and we may develop even better tech while working together. If you choose this option, Armsmaster would likely assist us as well."
Working with Dragon? And making money? I get to work with one of the most renowned parahumans in the world, and I won't have to make runs into the boat graveyard anymore. I also don't think I'll have to worry about Dragon trying to screw me over. I'd be hesitant with just about anyone else being a partner, but for some reason I feel like I can trust Dragon.
"I think option three sounds best, but I don't know anything about business. Can you write something up so I know what I'm dealing with."
Dragon's synthetic avatar smiles brightly at me. "Of course. I'll write everything up, and send it to you as soon as it is finished. Would you like my number so you can call me if you have any other questions?"
I nod and manage to control myself as the greatest tinker in the world rattles off her personal phone number. I also give her my own, so she can send me any paperwork that would be necessary to set everything up.
I don't know what I did to make this week go so well, but I need to figure it out so I can do it again.
"Feel free to call me or message me through PHO if you have any concerns about the tank, or just need tinker assistance."
"Thank you." I say a little higher pitched than intended. I make a mental note to make a PHO account for Mandalore ASAP. I already have one for Taylor Hebert, but I'd like to keep her and Madalore separate if at all possible.
"Now that that has been covered," Armsmaster speaks up, reminding me he's in the room, and this is in fact his lab. "I would like to request blueprints of some of your other tech. Tinkers whose tech is reproducible are incredibly valuable, even Dragon cannot replicate everything, so we would like to see if any of your other creations can be mass produced."
I quickly run through all the designs for the things I've made, and shake my head. "Even with the bacteria, the Bacta Tank is by far the simplest. I'd be happy to give you a few more blueprints, but I doubt you'll be able to do anything with them."
Armsmaster frowns slightly, but nods. "We will simply have to test them. The Bacta Tank is more than sufficient should the rest of your tech not be reproducible."
I agree to send him a variety of my designs as soon as I get back to my lab, and we finish up the tinker business.
Overall everything has been going incredibly well,
"Would you be interested in stopping by the PRT headquarters?" Armsmaster asks as we're finishing up. "I will be leaving to meet with the director, and the Wards showed interest in meeting with you."
The Wards want to meet me? How do they even know who I am? I'd really rather avoid any drama associated with people my own age, that's one of the reasons I'm living in a literal hole in the ground.
That being said, it's not like I have anything pressing going on. Come on Taylor, you're not going to make any friends if you just avoid people for the rest of your life.
"I'll tag along."
"It was nice seeing you again Manadlore!" Dragon's synthetic voice says in parting. "I'll send you everything." With that, her avatar disappears from the screen.
"Follow me." Armsmaster says, and we leave his lab. The tinkertech door sealing itself behind us.
We don't talk as we make our way down the elevator and outside. I get the sense Armsmaster's social skills are about on par with my own. At least Miss Militia knew how to talk to people, she gives me hope I won't always be a hopeless loner.
We make our way out of the building, and Armsmaster turns to me. "I lack the ability to fly, so I will have to take the ferry. You are free to accompany me, or fly to the headquarters on your own."
Fly into a heavily fortified building where almost all the personnel specialize in taking down Parahumans wearing a mask and obvious tinkertech, with my social skills no less?
"I'll stick with you."
He gives a jerky nod, and both board the sea craft. We sit down next to each other and stare directly ahead as the ferry begins to slowly sail towards land.
Neither one of us speaks the entire ride. I make several attempts to break the silence, but every time I opened my mouth, I would chicken out and go back to staring intently at the white wall across from me. It got so awkward I considered activating my stealth field generator to get away.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mandalore! She who defeated Lung!
What seems like an eternity later, the ferry docks, and we both robotically stand and make our way off the boat. Armsmaster leaves me on the dock, and moves back onto the ferry.
Just as I was starting to think he decided to ditch me, and this whole thing was just an elaborate ruse to leave me alone on a dock, a ramp lowered on the ferry, and Armsmaster appears riding the motorcycle he rode on the night I first met him.
I exhale and chuckle softly at myself.
Yeah, he'd go through all this effort to abandon someone with a jetpack. I really need to work on those trust issues.
"Will you be able to follow along with me?" He asks as he pulls up next to me.
I nod. "My jetpack can maintain some ludicrous speeds."
He returns my nod, and we take off through the city, him riding his tinkertech motorcycle, and me flying overhead with my jetpack.
I would be lying if I said I hadn't drawn heads while flying before, but I've never really flown around in broad daylight. The only times I've used my pack were my test flights in the early evenings, and the night I fought Lung.
Right now though? Right now it's four o'clock in the afternoon, so rush hour is starting. The streets are filled with cars, and the sidewalks have a significant amount of people walking on them, and while Armsmaster's motorcycle is startlingly quiet unless he intentionally revs the engine, my jetpack has very few settings. Loud, louder, and loudest.
As I roar several meters above Armsmaster and keep pace with him, I draw the attention of almost everyone we pass. People look up at me with wide eyes, and gaping jaws, and I see a large number of cell phones pulled out to video tape me.
I'm going to be all over PHO after this fiasco aren't I? Why did I think socializing was a good idea? I don't think I've ever been so glad I went with the full face helmet, even when Lung's claw tore through it, I wasn't this relieved. It's the only thing keeping me from bolting.
After an uncomfortably long time moving slowly through the air so I don't leave Armsmaster behind, we reach the PRT building.
I'm not sure what I was expecting, laser guns maybe, but the building is pretty plain looking. Three stories tall and painted a dull brown. It's not all that impressive, but it is a government building. Function over aesthetic is a major point for them right?
Actually maybe I shouldn't trust that, I read it on PHO. I really need to get out more.
Armsmaster pulls to a stop, and dismounts. I land next to him, and we walk through the two glass doors. We draw a lot of heads, but after the attention I received on the trip over, this doesn't even affect me. I'm already a tomato, they just can't see it because of the helmet. What are a few more people gonna do? Make me more of a tomato?
"I'll escort you to the Ward's common room, after that I have to meet with the director." Armsmaster says from my side.
Not trusting I'll be able to keep my voice level, I just nod and follow after him.
My hud picks up a bunch of hidden nozzles and what look like tasers, but they aren't tracking my, so I don't do anything aside from marking their locations.
They're probably just containment foam dispensers for if anyone decides to try for a Darwin award by attacking the PRT headquarters.
Although, knowing the gangs in this city, they probably hit this place a lot. Between the druggy Merchants, the literal nazis in the Empire 88, and Lung's Azn Bad Boys, the heroes have a lot on their plate. There's probably a lot of times where there just isn't enough manpower to properly defend this place.
The sound of a horn, and a flash of red light startles me out of my internal musings, and I drop a hand to the blaster at my hip.
"It's a warning so the Wards have time to put their masks on before their visitor enters." Armsmaster says, apparently oblivious to the fact that I had walked here on autopilot.
How far did we just walk, and which way did we come from? I'll figure it out.
The timer runs out, and Armsmaster pushes the door open. I follow in behind him.
The room we entered was not what I expected. I was thinking there would be a weight bench, training dummies, and various weapons arrayed on the walls. Instead, there's a nice leather couch and a number of recliners that are all facing a rather large flatscreen TV that has a gaming system and DVD player hooked up to it.
Way to ruin my image of hero life Wards.
Speaking of, there are four costumed figures in the room aside from Armsmaster and myself. One is a boy in a white costume and mask with clocks painted all over him. Another is a blonde girl who appears to be a few years younger than me wearing a green skirt and visor. The third is a boy in a red bodysuit and helmet. The last is a boy with brown hair wearing red colored tinkertech armor.
"Wards." Armsmaster greets stiffly. "Meet Mandalore. Mandalore, this is Clockblocker, Vista, Aegis, and Kid Win. I trust you can keep each other company. I have to meet with the director." He pulls an about face and leaves me to the wolves.
"Hi, I'm Vista!" The girl in green says. "We heard about a mystery hero who brought down Lung, but we didn't have any actual information. Are you joining the Wards?"
"Uh…"
"Is that a jetpack?!" The red armored boy exclaims as he runs over. He moves behind me, causing me to stiffen, and starts poking and prodding my jetpack. "How does it work? I've tried to get one running but I can't get enough lift."
"Uh…"
"Nice armor man." The clock covered boy says. "You look like a space marine in the special forces. The Spacial Forces!"
The three of them slowly start converging around me, and my body starts locking up.
I don't like this! I don't like this! I don't like this!
The boy in the red bodysuit laughs. "Come on guys, give him a chance to breathe. We'll have plenty of time to pester him for questions later." He walks forward and holds a hand out. "Sorry about them, we're all just excited. Like Vista said, we heard you fought Lung, and our imagination's have been going crazy since. I'm Aegis. Nice to meet you."
The others back off somewhat sheepishly, and I take a few seconds to just breathe.
They're not malicious, they're just curious. Give it a chance Taylor.
I hold my hand out and take Aegis's hand. "Mandalore."
"Sorry about that, your tech just distracted me. I'm Kid Win." The boy who was fawning over my jetpack says.
"It's alright." I say. "I'm just not very good with people. Social situations aren't really my thing."
"And Armsmaster just dropped you in here by yourself with a group of teenagers who've been placing bets on what you're like since yesterday evening." The clock covered kid says with a smile in his voice. The space around him bends in a nausea inducing way, and he keels over holding his side.
"Don't tell her about the bets Clock." Vista says as she retracts her elbow. She smiles up at me. "Sorry. Like Aegis said, we've been curious about what you're like."
"And you've been placing bets." I deadpan.
"Yep!" Clockblocker says, now recovered from Vista's elbow strike. "A bet that I won. Told you he was a tinker, no way Armsmaster would've invited him up to his lab otherwise."
I run his statement back through my head a few times, before letting out an indignant, "He?"
The four Wards freeze, and slowly look me up and down.
I huff in irritation. I might not have the biggest chest, but I never thought I was boyishly flat.
There's a brief moment of stunned silence before Vista starts cackling.
"I win!" She happily proclaims. "Told you she was a girl!"
That's what she takes from that? Really?
I'm about to turn around and leave when the girl runs forward and wraps me in a hug. She looks up at me with pleading eyes. "Please join the Wards! I'm surrounded by boys and I can't take it any longer!"
"Stalker's a girl Vista." Kid Win says.
Vista glares at him. "Stalker's Stalker. She doesn't count." She looks back up at me with the same pleading expression. "You have to save me from these clowns!"
I caught most of what she said, but it was greatly overshadowed by the fact that she's hugging me. How long has it been since I've gotten a hug? I didn't realize it had been this long. I missed this.
Maybe I can...
My arms start shaking, and I turn to Aegis. "I'd like to leave. Can you show me out?"
Vista lets go of me and backs up with a confused look on her face.
Aegis's smile turns into a frown. "What's wrong? Do you…"
"I'd like to leave." I cut him off forcefully as the shaking intensifies. "Can you please show me out?"
He holds my gaze for a moment, then nods. "Sure. Follow me."
I force myself to exude a mask of calm as Aegis leads me through the halls, and out the front door.
"If you get together sometime…"
"It was nice meeting you." I cut him off, and rocket into the air.
I pay attention to nothing but getting home safely. I focus on that and nothing else. Get home. Be safe. Get home. Be safe.
I land a few blocks away from my lab, turn on my stealth generator, and quickly move towards my lab.
When I finally arrive, my arms are shaking violently. It takes me three tries to get the code right which almost triggers some of my lab's defences. I fall down the ladder and start peeling my armor off.
I get my helmet, gauntlets, and a boot off before I can't take it anymore and I start weeping.
I curl into a ball on my couch and cry. Traitorous thoughts circulating in my head all the while.
You're alone Taylor.
Hopelessly alone.
No one wants you.
Why do you keep trying? It's not like anyone would care if you disappeared.
Oh that's right! You did disappear didn't you? And you weren't even reported missing were you?
That should tell you all you need to know.
I weep for hours before I finally succumb to blissful sleep.
Chapter 3
AgelessReaper
A Custom Title
I wake up with cramped muscles and stiff joints. Sleeping in my armor didn't do me any favors, but I don't have the energy to do anything other than lie still right now.
My stomach clenches, and I realize I didn't eat anything last night. I groan softly and roll over.
As long as I've got my armor on I might as well use it.
I hold up my arm and aim for a box on the floor under one of my workbenches. I hit a button on the side of my gauntlet, and a sharp spike attached to a metal cable fires from my wrist. The spike embeds itself in the box, and I activate the recall function. The motor makes a high pitched whining sound as it activates, and it starts to drag the box over.
Being made of cardboard, the box wasn't designed to withstand a tinkertech wrist rocket, so most of its contents spill out, and the box itself falls apart around the spike halfway across the room. It doesn't matter though. The spike managed to skewer one of the power bars inside and bring it the rest of the way back to me.
I pull the bar off the spike and begin to chew on it.
So last night sucked. Wait, was it night? What time is it?
I tilt my head to get a view of my wall clock, and see it's a quarter past noon. I groan again and sink back into the couch. Chewing my power bar all the while.
What the heck happened to me? Everything was fine, everything was great, and then I lost it over a hug?
I shuffle my body around to get more comfortable, but freeze when I feel the silver balls on my bandolier press into my chest.
I went to sleep with thermal detonators strapped to my chest.
I rotate my head to look over my shoulder, and see that my jetpack is still secured to its place on my back.
I went to sleep with a giant missile strapped to my back.
Now awake enough to create coherent thoughts, I slowly sit up, and begin taking off the rest of my equipment. Once I have everything off and safely stowed, I pull on some work clothes and head over to my material corner.
I need to get my mind off of last night, and the best way to do that is to tinker.
I pull random pieces of scrap metal and frayed wiring from the pile and get to work. While I go through the familiar motions of breaking things apart to make them usable in my tech, I can't help it as my mind wanders.
Everything was going fantastic. Dragon figured out how to make the Bacta Tank, I was going to get all the business aspects of it squared away and start to be able to eat something other than energy bars and ramen, and I was going to meet the Wards and maybe make a friend or two. Then I break down as soon as they start talking. I didn't even last ten minutes!
Frustrated, I pick up a nearby wrench and throw it into the opposite wall. It leaves a small scuff in the stone, and rebounds off with a loud clanging sound. I stare at where it came to rest on the ground for a moment, then I close my eyes and breathe.
Taking out your frustrations on your tools isn't going to fix anything, Taylor. All it's going to do is make more work when you inevitably break something.
I open my eyes and get back to work.
Maybe I'm just not meant to be a people person? If Dragon can really spread the Bacta Tank around enough I should get a fair amount of money off of my cut. Maybe I can just build a secret underground lair after a couple years worth of sales and never go around other people again? Toybox has that weird dimensional headquarters right? Maybe I could set up something like that.
No. No, if I hide in a bunker the rest of my life I won't be able to be a hero. I can't help anyone if I'm isolated from the world.
With a frustrated sigh, I throw my tools down and drop my face into my hands. I start to massage my temples with my fingers and just sit for a moment.
I need to apologize to the Wards. Would they even be willing to talk to me again? I freaked out and bailed on them. Vista probably thinks I hate her, and Aegis probably thinks I'm a bitch from how I took off on him. I didn't get a good read on Clockblocker, but I think I might be able to make a believable apology to Kid Win. He was interested in my jetpack right? If I help him make one that should fix stuff.
The white lights illuminating my base suddenly go red, and a quiet alarm lets out three short beeps.
I groan, and pull myself out of my chair. I grab my helmet and a blaster and climb up the ladder.
Why did I make it so everything goes red when my perimeter sensor gets tripped? Oh yeah, I thought it was cool, and it was. The first time it happened. I got so excited, put all my gear on, and came up weapons ready only to find a trio of birds snooping around.
It was cool the second time too, up until I realized it was a squirrel, and not a group of gangsters. Honestly I should just disable the stupid thing. I picked this location because no one comes here, so why do I have sensors set up to detect intruders that I know aren't going to show?
Whatever small animal is screwing around here this time better be able to move fast or I might decide to take out some aggression on it. I'm in a really bad mood right now.
I pull my helmet on with one hand, and slowly climb up the ladder with another. The hud lights up just as I open the hatch, and sure enough, no humans. Shocking!
I scan for lifesigns in general, and see a couple of squirrels scurrying across the ground a little ways away from me.
After heaving out an irritated sigh, I head back down the ladder and close up the hatch.
I really need to fix that alarm so it doesn't buzz at me every five seconds.
Grabbing some tools from my workbench, I walk over to do just that, but I stop when I hear the phone ring.
I stare at it for a moment, and it rings again.
As much as I really don't want to socialize right now, that's either Dragon or Armsmaster, so I can't just ignore it.
With a sigh, I throw down my tools and head over to the phone.
"Hello?" I say when I pick it up.
"Mandalore!" Dragon's cheery voice greets me. "How are you doing today?"
"Fine I guess, what's up?"
There's a moment of silence on the line.
"Mandalore, are you alright? You sound off." Dragon says with concern in her voice.
Deflect! Deflect!
"Sorry, I didn't get to sleep until early this morning, so I just woke up." Good deflection. It even has the benefit of being true!
"Ah!" Dragon's cheer is back. "I can understand that. Armsmaster has even developed stimulants so he can operate on very little sleep in order to tinker more."
"Uh… yep. Tinkering. So why were you calling?"
"I wanted to update you on my progress with the Bacta Tank. I have a written summary of events I was going to send you, but there were some things I wanted to cover over the phone."
She wouldn't call unless something went wrong. Of course something went wrong, this is the other shoe dropping. "What's the problem?"
"Problem?" She asks, sounding confused. "Oh! No problem! I can see how you came to that conclusion, but it's actually good news."
I take a deep breath before responding.
Chill out Taylor. Everything's fine. "So what's the good news?"
"Well, once Panacea's endorsement became official, people understandably started tripping over each other to be involved with the Bacta Tank."
That doesn't sound right. "I thought you said we still had to do human trials?"
She chuckles lightly. "We do, and I am almost ready with the first tanks which will be used expressly for that purpose, but those trials are only to assuage the concerns of a vocal minority. Mainly people who are for one reason or another prejudiced against tinkertech, the wider reception of the device has been exceptional."
Unexpected, but not bad. "People aren't worried about the bacteria spreading?"
"Mandalore, I think you are focusing on the wrong aspect of the tank. Yes, it uses biologic tinkertech, but Panacea has already cleared it as safe. Now, put yourself in the shoes of someone who did not create the tank, and isn't worried about being the target of scrutiny because of some of the pieces required to create it. A tinker just created a machine that can repair almost any damage, and fight back against, or outright kill almost all diseases. Not only is the machine a miracle of medicine, but it is able to be reproduced. I am so swarmed with pre-orders that I won't be able to fill them all for months, and I am still receiving more requests even as we speak."
My jaw hangs open as I dumbly hold the phone up to my ear.
I knew the tank was good, but I was sure people would run screaming from the idea of sleeping in tinkertech fluid until it was proven to be safe. The idea that people are falling over themselves to get at it this soon is a bit hard to wrap my head around.
"Uh… that's good right?" I ask after a moment.
Dragon chuckles once more. "Yes, Mandalore. It is very good."
"But isn't there some kind of limit that the Protectorate puts on tinkertech so it doesn't break the economy or something?" I remember reading that somewhere while I was doing research.
"They do, but I am a Guild tinker, and have developed a trustworthy reputation when it comes to mass production. With both myself and Panacea vouching for you, most parties are more than willing to try the tank."
Dragon vouched for me? That's… I didn't expect that.
"Thank you Dragon." I say sincerely.
"It was my pleasure Mandalore. Now, did you have any preference on where we should distribute the tanks first."
Thinking about it, I wanted to build one or two here, but if Dragon can reproduce them, then why stop there?
"I wanted to build some at Brockton General, but other than that I'd say spread them around so as many people as possible can have access to them."
"I'm of the same mind." Dragon says, sounding pleased. "I'll make sure Brockton Bay gets the first tank as it is your city of origin, then I'll begin spreading them to the areas most in need of them."
"That sounds good." A small smile spreads across my lips at that.
My tanks are going to help people. They're going to save lives. I did that! I did that!
"I will send you the finer details in writing, but while I have you over the phone, what form would you like your share to be in?"
I blank at the question. "What?"
"How would you like to receive your share of the payment?"
"We already made money?" I ask, shocked.
"Yes, I'll send you the specifics later, but suffice to say you get a large percentage of each tank's profits. I can give you money, tinker materials, or a combination of both depending on your preference."
Tinker stuff sounds nice, but so does being able to afford Fugly Bob's.
"How much do I have right now?"
"At present you only have access to fifty-thousand dollars." Dragon says sheepishly. "I'm sorry it's so low, but I'm prioritizing getting the tank accepted, if you would rather prioritize profits I would be willing to negotiate with you."
Being too busy blue screening, I neglect to answer.
Fifty-thousand dollars?! In a day?! How?! Wait, "That's low?!" I practically scream into the receiver. "How is that low?!"
"Um…" Dragon seems taken aback. "Mandalore, you made what is essentially a miracle cure for just about every medical related issue on the planet. The equipment in hospitals can cost anywhere from a couple hundred dollars, to hundreds of thousands of dollars. All of which is rendered effectively obsolete by the Bacta Tank. If you wanted to, you could put the price on individual units in the tens of millions and still have people and organizations out-bidding one another."
I just… what?
"Can I have a second?" I ask numbly.
"Of course, take however long you need."
I set the phone down without hanging it up, and slowly sit down on my couch.
I could be a millionaire. Easily. I didn't expect anything near that, l just wanted to be able to spruce up my lab a little, but I could buy half the city with the kinds of money that would bring in.
Do I really want that though? The answer's pretty obvious, I don't. I don't really need money for anything outside of food and tinker gear. What I do want is to help people, and if we can help more people by keeping the cost low, I'd rather we do that.
Besides, it's not like fifty-thousand dollars is a small amount of money or anything. That's more than some people's yearly salaries, and Dragon was able to make that in a day. And that's just my cut! How much did she make that that's just my cut?!
Having come to a decision, I stand back up and retrieve the phone.
"Dragon?"
"I'm here Manadalore."
"Sorry about that, I just got completely blindsided. In hindsight, it's kind of obvious people would be interested, but I guess I just thought it would take longer."
"No need to apologize." She says kindly. "I can see how that would be quite the shock. Do you have anything you want to say about the selling price of the units?"
"Yes." I say. "When I started this I wanted to help people, and I still do. Fifty-thousand dollars is more than I ever expected, I'll be able to eat for a very long time off of just that. Could you keep the price as low as possible so more people have access to the tanks?"
"It would be my genuine pleasure." Dragon says happily. "Though, are you aware that it would likely cut into your own profits?"
"Yes, and I don't mind. The only expenses I have right now are my food bill and my tinkertech equipment, so I'm not too worried about money." I don't even have to worry about power because of the generator I built, and with the money from the tank I can make a much better one.
"Would you like me to put something aside for your family? I don't need any particular details about your civilian identity, and I would be more than happy to."
The high feeling I got from the news fades a little as my stomach sinks. "No, I'm on my own." Maybe I shouldn't have said it that way?
"I don't understand, did you not say you were Wards age?"
"Can we not talk about that please?"
There's a noticeable pause before Dragon relents. "Very well, but if you ever need to talk do not hesitate to call me. If there's anything I can do to help you you need only ask."
"Ok."
"Back to business, what form would you like your share to be in?"
I really want materials, and fifty-thousand dollars is way too much for me to spend. It would be nice to have some cash on hand though.
"Could I take ten-thousand in cash, and have the rest be various tinker materials? There's some stuff I've been wanting to get my hands on for a while, but haven't had the chance."
"Of course. I can set up an account for the ten-thousand, and deliver the materials to Armsmaster so that you could pick them up from him. Would that be agreeable?"
"Yeah, that sounds good."
We talk about what materials I want, and how much of each. Some of them are pretty expensive, but luckily my budget is high, and Dragon says she'll just take any overage out of any future profits.
Before long I have a wide smile on my face as I look over the list we've put together. There are several incredibly rare minerals and other exotic supplies I never thought I'd be able to get my hands on, and while I didn't order any large amounts of any one thing, I still came pretty close to hitting fifty-thousand dollars worth of materials. Tinkertech is expensive to make! I'm not worried though, now that I'm not concerned about getting a kill order, it's pretty obvious the Bacta Tank will keep selling.
I look up as Dragon finishes rattling off an account number.
"That holds the other ten-thousand for you to pick up at your convenience, and do not worry about your civilian identity. This is not the first time I have done business like this, and I assure you that you will have no trouble using the account."
"Thanks Dragon."
"You are welcome Mandalore. I am needed elsewhere, so I apologize for ending our discussion so suddenly, but I have to go."
I wave her off even though she can't see it. "Don't worry, I get it. Thanks again!"
"You're welcome. Goodbye." There's a soft *click* as she hangs up.
I put the phone down, and let myself laugh softly.
I really needed some good news, and that? That was good news.
Feeling almost giddy, I pull on some civvy clothes. Nothing spectacular, just a t-shirt, zip-up hoodie, and some beat up jeans, but I don't need to dress super fancy right now.
Back when I just started getting everything together, I told myself I would treat myself to Fugly Bob's when I finally went out as a hero. Between meeting with Armsmaster and the Bacta Tank stuff, I haven't gotten a chance to go out yet, but I deserve it after bagging Lung.
I may be ten-thousand dollars richer than I was when Fugly Bob's was my 'treat', but a promise is a promise. I want my greasy cheeseburger with extra grease damn it!
Going out as Taylor I may be, but that doesn't mean I'm going unarmed. I grab one of my smaller blasters and set it in the holster I stitched into the inside of my hoodie. I also grab one of my smaller energy shields and stick it on my wrist, using my sleeve to hide it. The last two items I grab are my stealth field generator and my lightsaber. The stealth field generator just looks like a belt, so I don't even have to make an effort to hide that, and the lightsaber has a pocket in the other side of my hoodie. The hoodie is too big for me, and poofy to boot, so the shape created by both the blaster and saber is minimal to nonexistent.
Too much protection when I'm just going to eat junk food? Bite me. I'm a tinker, and I like my toys.
I put the contacts I made in, without my helmet to adjust my vision I'll need them, and started climbing the ladder.
Once out of my lab, I lock everything down, and activate my stealth field generator. I may be out of costume, but if someone notices a girl around my height around here they might get suspicious. Or they might just be looking to prey on the lone teenager, you never know in Brockton.
I walk almost six blocks under stealth until I'm in a busier part of the city, then duck into an alley to uncloak. Now visible, I emerge from the alley, and head to a bus stop. Without my jetpack, it's the best way to get around.
Nothing of note happens while I'm waiting for the bus, or during the ride itself. There were a couple empire guys posturing, and leering at people, but nothing came of it.
Getting off at my stop, I begin walking the remaining block or so to the bank. I need to pull some money out of the account Dragon set up before I can get my burger.
A few crossed streets and a set of glass doors later, and I'm in the bank. Looking around, I'm a little disheartened by the number of people. Seems like I got here during a rush.
I quickly shuffle over to the least crowded of three crowded lines and settle in to wait.
Just deal with the crowd for half an hour, then you can get take out and eat your burger in your lab.
The minutes tick by slowly. After almost fifteen minutes of waiting, it seems like I'm further from the counter than where I started, causing me to become the slightest bit irritated. I notice the other people in line are passing the time by messing around on their phones, but I didn't bring mine, and I wouldn't take it out even if I had. The thing is obviously tinkertech.
Lacking a phone, I start looking around the lobby to occupy my time. There's an overweight security guard sitting in a cheap folding chair near the glass door who's lazily scanning over the area, there are a few plants in the corners of the room, and a few on the teller's desks. The patrons are uninteresting, just people going about their lives. There's a few in suits, one woman carrying a young child, a construction worker who hasn't changed out of his hi-vis, and oh my god that's Panacea!
I quickly turn around so she won't recognize me, then have to stop myself from face palming.
She never saw your face Taylor! She didn't even see your hair because of the helmet, she won't recognize you.
I glance back over at her, and see her in civvies.
It's a little surreal seeing the world's greatest healer just standing in line at a bank, but I guess heroes are people too. The Wards' room wasn't what I expected either, so maybe I should stop fantasizing about the life of a hero, and just roll with it.
I look back over at the security guard, but my eyes slide off him to watch through the window as the sun is slowly swallowed by thick black clouds.
What?
The next moment the doors are thrown wide open and three familiar figures stride through them.
"Hello Brockton Central! This is a robbery. Please gather near the far wall and get down on the floor in an orderly fashion. Do so and nobody will get hurt. Don't anybody try to be a hero okay?" The blonde villain I met the other night says with a smug grin on her face. Tattletale I think her name was.
Grue, the biker guy, and Regent, the porcelain doll guy, walk up behind her to back her up.
The people in the bank start to panic, and shakily move to the far wall to follow the villain's orders.
I keep my head down and follow them.
Can I take these guys? If I had my equipment I probably could, but I'd catch the hostages in the radius of any of my more substantial weapons. As I am, I could maybe stun the three of them, but I would need them to be distracted first.
My thoughts come to a halt as two more humanoid figures, as well as three monsters enter the bank behind Tattletale. Bitch and her monster things move to stand beside the rest of the Undersiders. A villain I haven't met yet wearing a ringmaster costume and holding a sledgehammer follows after her, and begins to look over the hostages as they get down on the ground.
Welp, there goes my chance. No way I can stun the five of them before they retaliate, and I don't even know if my blaster will work on Bitch's beasts.
I lower myself to the ground with the rest of the patrons.
"Circus and Grue, watch the hostages." Tattletale says, then she Bitch, and Regent hurry into the backrooms of the bank.
"So long as no one tries anything, you'll all be home before you know it. Don't make us hurt you." Circus says in a voice I can't decipher. Grus stands menacingly behind him...her? It's not important right now.
A tense few minutes pass as Grue and Circus stare down at us while their friends presumably grab as much money as they physically can. Grue turns to look out one of the windows, and curses under his breath.
"Shit. Circus, watch them." He jogs into the back room.
I tilt my head in the direction he looked, but all I can see is a large black cloud blocking the windows.
Must be his power, so he makes clouds and can see through them? Good to know.
Grue comes back into the lobby with Tattletale at his heels.
"You said three or four! That is not three or four! That is every single Ward in the city!" He fumes at her.
She looks out the window, and I watch the clouds part slightly, but can't see through the windows because of my place on the floor.
"It's not just them." Tattletale says. "There's someone on the roof, someone from New Wave. Glory Girl."
Circus looks over her/his shoulder at the two of them. "Why the hell is Glory Hole here? You said this job was gonna be easy!"
Tattletale shakes her head. "She shouldn't be, not unless…" She looks over the hostages, and her eyes come to rest on one person in particular.
I follow her gaze, and see her staring at Amy Dallon.
"Well hello Ms. Panacea. Not sure how I missed you, but it's a good thing you're here." She smiles at Amy, and Amy flinches slightly.
I clench my fists to keep myself from reacting.
"How is the fact that we're holding Panacea hostage a good thing?" Grue all but growls.
Tattletale meets his gaze easily. "Bitch'll be able to cut loose with the healer here, and we'll need her to if we want out of here."
Regent emerges from the back. "Money's loaded up, what're we doing?"
They and Bitch move off and start whispering to each other.
I take the chance to get a better grasp of the situation. The hostages are either trembling slightly or hyper focused, but none of them seem like they're going to try anything. Panacea is glaring up at the villains from where she's laid down on the floor, but from what I know of her power she has little to no offensive capabilities. At most she could knock one of them unconscious.
As for me, I'm pretty useless right now. I'm not fast enough to stun them all, and my lightsaber is too lethal to do anything other than eviscerate them. My best option is to just stay put and wait for the Wards to handle things.
The villains break their huddle, and Tattletale walks over towards myself and the other hostages. "Okay everybody, here's what's going to happen, everyone who I touch on the shoulder stand up and walk slowly over to the door. We're going to open it, and you're going to walk out. Once you get clear of the fog, lay down on the ground and wait for the Wards to rescue you."
The villain begins walking around the group of hostages, and taps almost all of them on the shoulder. I don't get tapped, and neither does Panacea. The two of us and four others are all that are left behind. Those who were tapped, slowly move over to the door and tensely wait for the doors to open.
"We're good Grue." Tattletale calls to the other Undersider.
"Alright people, walk through the fog, then lay down once you're out of it. Don't run. You won't be able to see anything and you'll probably hurt yourself." He opens the doors and the hostages begin disappearing into the blackness.
"Now we get to have some fun." Circus says and twirls her/his sledgehammer around.
"Wait!" Tattletale calls out from her place by one of the windows. "Bitch, Clockblocker and Aegis swapped costumes. Make sure you get the right one."
Bitch nods, and whistles. Her and her monsters charge out the doors while the fog parts to give them a clear path. Circus and Regent close behind her.
Grue steps into the threshold of the door, and begins looking through his fog. He makes a gesture every now and again, and his clouds shift. Something catches his eye to the right, and he steps fully into the fog and disappears.
That fog of his is an incredible force multiplier if he's the only one who can see through it. He can block off anyone he wants, and let his allies free at a moment's notice. I need to alter my hud to let me fight blind when I get a chance.
Tattletale spins to look at us. "You lot just stay put. We'll be gone soon, so just hang out a little longer." She walks over to Panacea. "Would you mind coming with me?"
Panacea glares up at her. "Yes I would."
Tattletale smirks. "Don't worry. Nothing will happen…"
The wall behind me explodes inward and a streak of white flies over my prone form.
"Where is my sister?" Glory Girl growls as she scans the room.
Moving quickly, Tattletale pulls Panacea to her feet and puts a gun to her head. Since when did she have that?
"Arms straight out healer. You try to touch me and I shoot you." Tattletale says quickly.
Both Dallon sisters freeze. Panacea's eyes go wide, and she slowly puts her hands out in front of her.
Shit! This is not good. I need to do something. Realizing that Tattletale is completely focused on Glory Girl, I begin to slowly slide myself out of her sightline.
"Let. Her. Go!" Glory Girl says with even more venom than her first words.
Tattletale tilts her head at the floating hero. "I'm gonna have to say no. I let her go, and you might break me. Here's a better plan. You go over there and lock yourself in the vault, once I'm well enough away from here, I'll let your sister go."
I manage to get one of the teller's desks between me and Tattletale, and move into a crouch. Now out of everyone's view, I turn on my stealth field generator. I start rotating around behind her, and am thankful to notice everyone is too focused on each other to wonder where I went.
"Or," Glory Girls says and begins to float forward. "I could just take you out right now. There's no way you'd be willing to kill Panacea."
Tattletale nods. "I won't kill her." She shifts the gun from Panacea's head to her shoulder. "She can't heal herself though, so this will really suck for her. If that doesn't convince you, I'll have to play dirty."
"What's more dirty than putting a gun to my head?!" Panacea yells.
"So glad you asked." Tattletale chirps. "I happen to be a mind reader, and I picked up a thing or two from you Ms. Dallon. Now tell your sister to get in the vault or I'll air all your dirty laundry to your loving sister."
Panacea pales drastically, but other than that she doesn't react.
"Telepathy is impossible. You're lying." Glory Girl says, but she has stopped advancing.
"Your sister doesn't think I'm lying, now be a good little hero and get in the vault."
I pause for a brief second to gauge the situation. I'm now standing just a few feet behind Tattletale, but I'm scared to try anything. If I hit her with a stunner from my blaster, her body will lock up and she'll pull the trigger on her gun. The same might happen if I hit her over the head. Priority one is to get the gun aimed away from Panacea, from there I can engage her in hand to hand.
I'll become uncloaked though, my stealth field generator doesn't work when I'm moving around too rapidly. It works while I run because my movements are predictable, but in a fight everything is too random for it to keep up. I'm still trying to fix that issue.
I shake my head, and start creeping forward.
If I uncloak, I uncloak. I can't let anything happen to Amy, she deserves a lot better than this after all the people she's helped.
"Last chance Glory Hole. In the vault." Tattletale says in a much harder tone than earlier.
"Vicky." Panacea sobs. When did she start crying? "Just do what she says."
I already didn't like Tattletale, but she just made a cute girl cry. Any reservations I had about taking her down just disappeared.
"Ames, it's alright. No matter what she says…"
I take my chance and knock Tattletale's gun arm away before shoving Amy away from the villain.
The healer stumbles a little, but I refocus on Tattletale.
The villain's eyes are wide behind her mask as I become visible. "Shit." She manages to get out before I punch her in the gut.
She doubles over, and I move to capitalize only for Glory Girl to shove me aside and slam Tattletale up against the far wall.
"You made my sister cry bitch!" She screams.
Tattletale somehow managed to keep hold of her gun, and started to turn it towards Glory Girl.
Several things happen at once, Panacea, having regained her balance, looks between me and Glory Girl, Glory Girl swats Tattletale's gun to the side, and my eyes widen as I realize what's about to happen.
Not having any time to be gentle, I charge across the foot of space separating me from Panacea and roughly pull her into my arms. Placing her between me and the gun. I hear the gun go off, and see a bright blue field quickly surround me. In the same instant, I feel a heavy force impact my back as if I just got hit by Cricus's sledgehammer. The impact was greatly lessened by my shield, but I was off balance, so it's still enough to send me, and therefore Panacea, to the ground.
We collapse into a heap on the floor. I roll over with a groan, and roll my sleeve back to check on my shield generator. I designed it to be easily hidden under my sleeve, so it's nowhere near as strong as the ones I have made for my armor. A quick scan with my eyes shows it to be in working order, and I look up to see Glory Girl running her hands over her sister, looking for a bullet wound.
"Get off Vicky! She took the shot!" Panacea moves past her sister, and reaches out for my hand.
The action is so unexpected she's able to grab me before I can pull back.
Her eyebrows furrowed together, and she looked up at me in confusion. "Did you not get…" She trails off and her eyes go wide.
"Panacea wasn't enough? I had to miss Mandalore?" Tattletale's voice is quiet, but in the dead silence of the bank it carries.
I turn towards her and snarl, causing her to shrink in on herself.
The bitch just outed me!
I reach up and pull my blaster from my hoodie.
Tattletale's eyes go wide and she throws her hands into the air. "I surrender! I surrender! I surren...gck" I cut her off with two stun bolts. Then fire a third and fourth for good measure.
The only sound I hear for a few moments is my own frustrated breathing.
"...Did you kill her?"
I turn around and see Panacea staring down at Tattletale's unconscious body.
"No." I say in offense. "She'll just be unconscious for a while." She may have pissed me off, but I'm not going to kill her.
I reach a hand up to rub my forehead and freeze.
No mask. Tattletale just outed me. Shit.
Why is it that whenever something good happens to me something else happens that manages to instantly ruin it?
Moving quickly, I reach up and pull my hoodie over my face.
Between the cameras in this place, it's a bank so of course there are cameras, and the Dallon sisters, my identity is pretty much an open book by now, but I still feel better with my face covered.
I briefly considered activating my stealth field generator and getting out of here, but I didn't do anything wrong. I actually helped take down a villain, so I should stay for a while right? I have no idea what to do right now.
Panacea walks forward and roughly grabs Tattletale's arm. After a moment, she drops it back to the ground. "She'll be fine." She says with… was that regret?
She turns to face me, and smiles. She wipes the remaining moisture from her eyes and says, "Thank you. You got me away from the crazy bitch, and arguably saved my life. There's no telling where that bullet would've hit me."
I shrink down on myself under her attention. "It was my fault she shot at you to begin with. If I hadn't jumped her, she wouldn't have pulled the trigger."
"No."
I turn to find Glory Girl looking at the ground. "That was my fault. You had her, if I had stayed back you would've disarmed her. I nearly got my sister killed." She says the last part softly, and slowly turns to look up at Panacea. "I'm sorry Ames."
Panacea hurries over to her and pulls her into a hug. "It's ok Vicky. I'm fine, just think next time please?"
The two of them hug it out, and I'm left standing awkwardly on the side.
This feels personal, I should go.
I start walking away, then stop as I remember I just got outed. "Um…" I break in. The sisters break apart and turn their attention towards me. "I'm glad you guys are ok, but could you not spread around what I look like? I know it's kind of a lost cause with the cameras in this place, but could you not fan the flame?"
"What?" Glory Girl says confused. Her eyes widened a moment later. "Oh, I'm so sorry I didn't realize you didn't have a mask! Don't worry, we won't tell anyone, and the PRT should be able to stop the camera feed from ending up on PHO."
"Really?" I try to keep my hopes down, things are never that simple for me.
Glory Girl bobs her head up and down. "Yeah! Don't worry about it!"
Oh my god she is the best! What would I do without her? She's…
I shake my head. "Thanks, but could you stop the aura thing?"
The weird feeling recedes, and I'm finally able to relax.
I guess my identity isn't shot after all.
"Sorry!" Glory Girl says. "I forgot you didn't react well to it. Woah, it just sunk in that you're really you."
What's that supposed to mean?
My question must have shown on my face, because Glory Girl started waving apologetically. "Sorry, it's just you had this whole presence about you in the armor ya know? Also I kinda thought you were a guy." She finishes hurriedly.
My shoulders sag in defeat.
Is it really so hard to believe I'm a girl? The armor is even designed to fit a woman! The proportions would be way different if I were a guy.
I cease my gumbling as Grue backs out of the fog into the bank. "Tats!" He yells without looking back. "We need to go!" He turns around, and freezes.
Between Tattletale's unconscious body, a strange girl in a hoodie with a strange gun, and most importantly a glaring Glory Girl, I can't say I blame him.
Glory Girl charges with a snarl, and he jumps back into the fog. Glory Girl follows right after him, and they both disappear from view. I can't even hear them in there.
I move to follow after the superheroine, but stop to look at Amy.
I can't just leave her here. What if one of the other villains walks out of the fog and catches her alone?
Decision made, I awkwardly shuffle over to her. "Uh… are you ok? I didn't hurt you when I fell on you right?"
She takes in a shaky breath. "I'm fine, and thanks. Really. I can't heal myself, so that would've been really bad."
Uh… what am I supposed to say to that? Should I tell her it's ok? No! That's always bad! Right? Uh… healer, Bacta Tanks!
"Hopefully that won't be an issue for too much longer." I say. "Dragon figured out how to duplicate my Bacta Tanks, and Brockton Bay is supposed to get the first few."
Panacea's gaze snaps back to me. "What?"
Should I be telling her this?
Yeah, I should. She's one of the biggest reasons this was possible.
I do a quick scan of the bank to make sure we're alone before elaborating. "After you cleared the bacteria I made, Dragon and Armsmaster got to work trying to replicate everything, and they cracked it. Insanely fast too. Dragon thinks everything will be ready to go in about a week."
"You're giving some to Brockton Bay?" Panacea asks softly.
"Yep. Well, not giving them. We need to charge something in order to keep producing them, but I told Dragon to keep the price tag as low as possible, the more people who have access to them the better ya know?" Oh god, she doesn't think I'm trying to steal her job does she? "Not that you don't do a fantastic job!" I hurriedly add. "Maybe this'll lighten the load and give you more break time though?"
She's looking down at the ground and not moving. That's a bad thing right? Why did I stress her out when we're already in a high stress situation?! What is wrong with me?!
"Thank you." She says softly.
I must have heard that wrong. "What?"
I tense up as I'm jumped by one-hundred-fifteen pounds of cute brunette.
"Thank you." She says as she hugs me.
Don't freak out, Taylor! You're over this! It's just a hug!
"Uh… you're welcome. I wasn't in any danger though, my shield blocked the bullet."
She lets out a joyful laugh and pulls away. "Not that, but thanks for both."
This isn't about the bullet? Then what's it about? Why are people so hard?!
"You're welcome Panacea."
She looks up at me and shakes her head. "Amy. You took a bullet for me, I think you can call me by my name."
I hesitate, but eventually get over it. She's already seen my face, and she said she wouldn't out me.
"I'm Taylor."
She smiles widely at me. "It's good to meet you Taylor."
She has a nice smile.
Something moves in my peripheral, and I look out the window to see the fog beginning to clear.
Oh right, villain attack. High stress situation. Get your head in the game Taylor!
I move between Amy and the door to cover her with my shield, and look over to the corner of the room where the hostages Tattletale kept in the bank were. They're all gone. They probably disappeared in the commotion. Either through the fog, or more likely through the gaping hole in the wall Glory Girl made.
A quick glance towards Tattletale shows her still out cold. She could be faking though…
I look back at Amy. "Do you think she's faking?"
She follows my gaze, and breaks out into an evil grin. "Best not to chance it."
I like this girl.
I raise my blaster and put another stunner into Tattletale. The bolt hits and Tattletale rolls over slightly, but she doesn't give any indication that she was awake. Like Amy said, best not to risk it.
I may need to keep an eye on myself. I don't want to develop a vicious streak, but just once is fine.
The fog has cleared by the time I turn away from Tattletale, and I see all of the villains down for the count. All of the Wards, Glory Girl, and someone I don't recognize in a blue costume are present. Some of them are limping, and Aegis looks like he got turned into a chew toy.
I look around for Bitch's giant monsters, but just see three rapidly decomposing masses of flesh and fur with what look to be small dogs inside them.
That's a sight I never thought I would see.
"Will you be ok if I take off?" I ask Amy. "I'd prefer not to hang around without my armor." That and I'm not ready to apologize to the Wards quite yet. I haven't had enough time to plan for that meeting.
She looks at me and nods. "I'll be fine now that the villains are taken care of. Go ahead."
I turn to go, but stop halfway. I look back at Amy and think of the gun going off.
If I hadn't been here, she might be dead, and that was likely an accident. What happens when someone tries to kill her? Her power isn't good for combat, or she'd have used it.
What can I do about that though? I can't be there every second of the day to take bullets for her! Besides, her sister is invulnerable, she has protection.
Protection that almost got her killed. A traitorous part of me says.
Ok, well what can I do about it? It's not like I can just give her my shield!
…
I pull my sleeve back and look at the device.
I mean, I have a bucket full of them, so what's giving one to the best healer in the world? She's nice, and I don't want her dead.
God this is going to seem so weird.
Before I can convince myself to back out I tug the device off my forearm and hold it out to her, intentionally not meeting her eyes.
She tilts her head in confusion, and hesitantly takes it.
"It's small enough to go under your sleeve, and don't worry about me. I have spares. The button on the side turns it on all the time, but only use that in really bad situations. It drains the battery too much. You can recharge it using a USB. " They really are universal.
She does a nice fish impression as her mouth opens and closes for a moment. Eventually, she simply asks, "Why?"
I swallow heavily and say, "You can't heal yourself. I don't want you to get hurt before the Bacta Tanks arrive."
Before she can see my face turn into a tomato, I fiddle with my belt and turn on my stealth field. I run as fast as I can without the stealth will failing out through the hole in the wall, and don't stop until I'm several blocks away.
I try not to focus on Amy or the villain attack for the busride and subsequent stealth walk home.
Only when I'm safely locked inside my base do I realize I neither pulled money out, nor treated myself to that grease burger.
Had anyone been within a block of my lab, they probably would've heard the *clonk* made by my head hitting my workbench.
My stomach clenches, and I realize I didn't eat anything last night. I groan softly and roll over.
As long as I've got my armor on I might as well use it.
I hold up my arm and aim for a box on the floor under one of my workbenches. I hit a button on the side of my gauntlet, and a sharp spike attached to a metal cable fires from my wrist. The spike embeds itself in the box, and I activate the recall function. The motor makes a high pitched whining sound as it activates, and it starts to drag the box over.
Being made of cardboard, the box wasn't designed to withstand a tinkertech wrist rocket, so most of its contents spill out, and the box itself falls apart around the spike halfway across the room. It doesn't matter though. The spike managed to skewer one of the power bars inside and bring it the rest of the way back to me.
I pull the bar off the spike and begin to chew on it.
So last night sucked. Wait, was it night? What time is it?
I tilt my head to get a view of my wall clock, and see it's a quarter past noon. I groan again and sink back into the couch. Chewing my power bar all the while.
What the heck happened to me? Everything was fine, everything was great, and then I lost it over a hug?
I shuffle my body around to get more comfortable, but freeze when I feel the silver balls on my bandolier press into my chest.
I went to sleep with thermal detonators strapped to my chest.
I rotate my head to look over my shoulder, and see that my jetpack is still secured to its place on my back.
I went to sleep with a giant missile strapped to my back.
Now awake enough to create coherent thoughts, I slowly sit up, and begin taking off the rest of my equipment. Once I have everything off and safely stowed, I pull on some work clothes and head over to my material corner.
I need to get my mind off of last night, and the best way to do that is to tinker.
I pull random pieces of scrap metal and frayed wiring from the pile and get to work. While I go through the familiar motions of breaking things apart to make them usable in my tech, I can't help it as my mind wanders.
Everything was going fantastic. Dragon figured out how to make the Bacta Tank, I was going to get all the business aspects of it squared away and start to be able to eat something other than energy bars and ramen, and I was going to meet the Wards and maybe make a friend or two. Then I break down as soon as they start talking. I didn't even last ten minutes!
Frustrated, I pick up a nearby wrench and throw it into the opposite wall. It leaves a small scuff in the stone, and rebounds off with a loud clanging sound. I stare at where it came to rest on the ground for a moment, then I close my eyes and breathe.
Taking out your frustrations on your tools isn't going to fix anything, Taylor. All it's going to do is make more work when you inevitably break something.
I open my eyes and get back to work.
Maybe I'm just not meant to be a people person? If Dragon can really spread the Bacta Tank around enough I should get a fair amount of money off of my cut. Maybe I can just build a secret underground lair after a couple years worth of sales and never go around other people again? Toybox has that weird dimensional headquarters right? Maybe I could set up something like that.
No. No, if I hide in a bunker the rest of my life I won't be able to be a hero. I can't help anyone if I'm isolated from the world.
With a frustrated sigh, I throw my tools down and drop my face into my hands. I start to massage my temples with my fingers and just sit for a moment.
I need to apologize to the Wards. Would they even be willing to talk to me again? I freaked out and bailed on them. Vista probably thinks I hate her, and Aegis probably thinks I'm a bitch from how I took off on him. I didn't get a good read on Clockblocker, but I think I might be able to make a believable apology to Kid Win. He was interested in my jetpack right? If I help him make one that should fix stuff.
The white lights illuminating my base suddenly go red, and a quiet alarm lets out three short beeps.
I groan, and pull myself out of my chair. I grab my helmet and a blaster and climb up the ladder.
Why did I make it so everything goes red when my perimeter sensor gets tripped? Oh yeah, I thought it was cool, and it was. The first time it happened. I got so excited, put all my gear on, and came up weapons ready only to find a trio of birds snooping around.
It was cool the second time too, up until I realized it was a squirrel, and not a group of gangsters. Honestly I should just disable the stupid thing. I picked this location because no one comes here, so why do I have sensors set up to detect intruders that I know aren't going to show?
Whatever small animal is screwing around here this time better be able to move fast or I might decide to take out some aggression on it. I'm in a really bad mood right now.
I pull my helmet on with one hand, and slowly climb up the ladder with another. The hud lights up just as I open the hatch, and sure enough, no humans. Shocking!
I scan for lifesigns in general, and see a couple of squirrels scurrying across the ground a little ways away from me.
After heaving out an irritated sigh, I head back down the ladder and close up the hatch.
I really need to fix that alarm so it doesn't buzz at me every five seconds.
Grabbing some tools from my workbench, I walk over to do just that, but I stop when I hear the phone ring.
I stare at it for a moment, and it rings again.
As much as I really don't want to socialize right now, that's either Dragon or Armsmaster, so I can't just ignore it.
With a sigh, I throw down my tools and head over to the phone.
"Hello?" I say when I pick it up.
"Mandalore!" Dragon's cheery voice greets me. "How are you doing today?"
"Fine I guess, what's up?"
There's a moment of silence on the line.
"Mandalore, are you alright? You sound off." Dragon says with concern in her voice.
Deflect! Deflect!
"Sorry, I didn't get to sleep until early this morning, so I just woke up." Good deflection. It even has the benefit of being true!
"Ah!" Dragon's cheer is back. "I can understand that. Armsmaster has even developed stimulants so he can operate on very little sleep in order to tinker more."
"Uh… yep. Tinkering. So why were you calling?"
"I wanted to update you on my progress with the Bacta Tank. I have a written summary of events I was going to send you, but there were some things I wanted to cover over the phone."
She wouldn't call unless something went wrong. Of course something went wrong, this is the other shoe dropping. "What's the problem?"
"Problem?" She asks, sounding confused. "Oh! No problem! I can see how you came to that conclusion, but it's actually good news."
I take a deep breath before responding.
Chill out Taylor. Everything's fine. "So what's the good news?"
"Well, once Panacea's endorsement became official, people understandably started tripping over each other to be involved with the Bacta Tank."
That doesn't sound right. "I thought you said we still had to do human trials?"
She chuckles lightly. "We do, and I am almost ready with the first tanks which will be used expressly for that purpose, but those trials are only to assuage the concerns of a vocal minority. Mainly people who are for one reason or another prejudiced against tinkertech, the wider reception of the device has been exceptional."
Unexpected, but not bad. "People aren't worried about the bacteria spreading?"
"Mandalore, I think you are focusing on the wrong aspect of the tank. Yes, it uses biologic tinkertech, but Panacea has already cleared it as safe. Now, put yourself in the shoes of someone who did not create the tank, and isn't worried about being the target of scrutiny because of some of the pieces required to create it. A tinker just created a machine that can repair almost any damage, and fight back against, or outright kill almost all diseases. Not only is the machine a miracle of medicine, but it is able to be reproduced. I am so swarmed with pre-orders that I won't be able to fill them all for months, and I am still receiving more requests even as we speak."
My jaw hangs open as I dumbly hold the phone up to my ear.
I knew the tank was good, but I was sure people would run screaming from the idea of sleeping in tinkertech fluid until it was proven to be safe. The idea that people are falling over themselves to get at it this soon is a bit hard to wrap my head around.
"Uh… that's good right?" I ask after a moment.
Dragon chuckles once more. "Yes, Mandalore. It is very good."
"But isn't there some kind of limit that the Protectorate puts on tinkertech so it doesn't break the economy or something?" I remember reading that somewhere while I was doing research.
"They do, but I am a Guild tinker, and have developed a trustworthy reputation when it comes to mass production. With both myself and Panacea vouching for you, most parties are more than willing to try the tank."
Dragon vouched for me? That's… I didn't expect that.
"Thank you Dragon." I say sincerely.
"It was my pleasure Mandalore. Now, did you have any preference on where we should distribute the tanks first."
Thinking about it, I wanted to build one or two here, but if Dragon can reproduce them, then why stop there?
"I wanted to build some at Brockton General, but other than that I'd say spread them around so as many people as possible can have access to them."
"I'm of the same mind." Dragon says, sounding pleased. "I'll make sure Brockton Bay gets the first tank as it is your city of origin, then I'll begin spreading them to the areas most in need of them."
"That sounds good." A small smile spreads across my lips at that.
My tanks are going to help people. They're going to save lives. I did that! I did that!
"I will send you the finer details in writing, but while I have you over the phone, what form would you like your share to be in?"
I blank at the question. "What?"
"How would you like to receive your share of the payment?"
"We already made money?" I ask, shocked.
"Yes, I'll send you the specifics later, but suffice to say you get a large percentage of each tank's profits. I can give you money, tinker materials, or a combination of both depending on your preference."
Tinker stuff sounds nice, but so does being able to afford Fugly Bob's.
"How much do I have right now?"
"At present you only have access to fifty-thousand dollars." Dragon says sheepishly. "I'm sorry it's so low, but I'm prioritizing getting the tank accepted, if you would rather prioritize profits I would be willing to negotiate with you."
Being too busy blue screening, I neglect to answer.
Fifty-thousand dollars?! In a day?! How?! Wait, "That's low?!" I practically scream into the receiver. "How is that low?!"
"Um…" Dragon seems taken aback. "Mandalore, you made what is essentially a miracle cure for just about every medical related issue on the planet. The equipment in hospitals can cost anywhere from a couple hundred dollars, to hundreds of thousands of dollars. All of which is rendered effectively obsolete by the Bacta Tank. If you wanted to, you could put the price on individual units in the tens of millions and still have people and organizations out-bidding one another."
I just… what?
"Can I have a second?" I ask numbly.
"Of course, take however long you need."
I set the phone down without hanging it up, and slowly sit down on my couch.
I could be a millionaire. Easily. I didn't expect anything near that, l just wanted to be able to spruce up my lab a little, but I could buy half the city with the kinds of money that would bring in.
Do I really want that though? The answer's pretty obvious, I don't. I don't really need money for anything outside of food and tinker gear. What I do want is to help people, and if we can help more people by keeping the cost low, I'd rather we do that.
Besides, it's not like fifty-thousand dollars is a small amount of money or anything. That's more than some people's yearly salaries, and Dragon was able to make that in a day. And that's just my cut! How much did she make that that's just my cut?!
Having come to a decision, I stand back up and retrieve the phone.
"Dragon?"
"I'm here Manadalore."
"Sorry about that, I just got completely blindsided. In hindsight, it's kind of obvious people would be interested, but I guess I just thought it would take longer."
"No need to apologize." She says kindly. "I can see how that would be quite the shock. Do you have anything you want to say about the selling price of the units?"
"Yes." I say. "When I started this I wanted to help people, and I still do. Fifty-thousand dollars is more than I ever expected, I'll be able to eat for a very long time off of just that. Could you keep the price as low as possible so more people have access to the tanks?"
"It would be my genuine pleasure." Dragon says happily. "Though, are you aware that it would likely cut into your own profits?"
"Yes, and I don't mind. The only expenses I have right now are my food bill and my tinkertech equipment, so I'm not too worried about money." I don't even have to worry about power because of the generator I built, and with the money from the tank I can make a much better one.
"Would you like me to put something aside for your family? I don't need any particular details about your civilian identity, and I would be more than happy to."
The high feeling I got from the news fades a little as my stomach sinks. "No, I'm on my own." Maybe I shouldn't have said it that way?
"I don't understand, did you not say you were Wards age?"
"Can we not talk about that please?"
There's a noticeable pause before Dragon relents. "Very well, but if you ever need to talk do not hesitate to call me. If there's anything I can do to help you you need only ask."
"Ok."
"Back to business, what form would you like your share to be in?"
I really want materials, and fifty-thousand dollars is way too much for me to spend. It would be nice to have some cash on hand though.
"Could I take ten-thousand in cash, and have the rest be various tinker materials? There's some stuff I've been wanting to get my hands on for a while, but haven't had the chance."
"Of course. I can set up an account for the ten-thousand, and deliver the materials to Armsmaster so that you could pick them up from him. Would that be agreeable?"
"Yeah, that sounds good."
We talk about what materials I want, and how much of each. Some of them are pretty expensive, but luckily my budget is high, and Dragon says she'll just take any overage out of any future profits.
Before long I have a wide smile on my face as I look over the list we've put together. There are several incredibly rare minerals and other exotic supplies I never thought I'd be able to get my hands on, and while I didn't order any large amounts of any one thing, I still came pretty close to hitting fifty-thousand dollars worth of materials. Tinkertech is expensive to make! I'm not worried though, now that I'm not concerned about getting a kill order, it's pretty obvious the Bacta Tank will keep selling.
I look up as Dragon finishes rattling off an account number.
"That holds the other ten-thousand for you to pick up at your convenience, and do not worry about your civilian identity. This is not the first time I have done business like this, and I assure you that you will have no trouble using the account."
"Thanks Dragon."
"You are welcome Mandalore. I am needed elsewhere, so I apologize for ending our discussion so suddenly, but I have to go."
I wave her off even though she can't see it. "Don't worry, I get it. Thanks again!"
"You're welcome. Goodbye." There's a soft *click* as she hangs up.
I put the phone down, and let myself laugh softly.
I really needed some good news, and that? That was good news.
Feeling almost giddy, I pull on some civvy clothes. Nothing spectacular, just a t-shirt, zip-up hoodie, and some beat up jeans, but I don't need to dress super fancy right now.
Back when I just started getting everything together, I told myself I would treat myself to Fugly Bob's when I finally went out as a hero. Between meeting with Armsmaster and the Bacta Tank stuff, I haven't gotten a chance to go out yet, but I deserve it after bagging Lung.
I may be ten-thousand dollars richer than I was when Fugly Bob's was my 'treat', but a promise is a promise. I want my greasy cheeseburger with extra grease damn it!
Going out as Taylor I may be, but that doesn't mean I'm going unarmed. I grab one of my smaller blasters and set it in the holster I stitched into the inside of my hoodie. I also grab one of my smaller energy shields and stick it on my wrist, using my sleeve to hide it. The last two items I grab are my stealth field generator and my lightsaber. The stealth field generator just looks like a belt, so I don't even have to make an effort to hide that, and the lightsaber has a pocket in the other side of my hoodie. The hoodie is too big for me, and poofy to boot, so the shape created by both the blaster and saber is minimal to nonexistent.
Too much protection when I'm just going to eat junk food? Bite me. I'm a tinker, and I like my toys.
I put the contacts I made in, without my helmet to adjust my vision I'll need them, and started climbing the ladder.
Once out of my lab, I lock everything down, and activate my stealth field generator. I may be out of costume, but if someone notices a girl around my height around here they might get suspicious. Or they might just be looking to prey on the lone teenager, you never know in Brockton.
I walk almost six blocks under stealth until I'm in a busier part of the city, then duck into an alley to uncloak. Now visible, I emerge from the alley, and head to a bus stop. Without my jetpack, it's the best way to get around.
Nothing of note happens while I'm waiting for the bus, or during the ride itself. There were a couple empire guys posturing, and leering at people, but nothing came of it.
Getting off at my stop, I begin walking the remaining block or so to the bank. I need to pull some money out of the account Dragon set up before I can get my burger.
A few crossed streets and a set of glass doors later, and I'm in the bank. Looking around, I'm a little disheartened by the number of people. Seems like I got here during a rush.
I quickly shuffle over to the least crowded of three crowded lines and settle in to wait.
Just deal with the crowd for half an hour, then you can get take out and eat your burger in your lab.
The minutes tick by slowly. After almost fifteen minutes of waiting, it seems like I'm further from the counter than where I started, causing me to become the slightest bit irritated. I notice the other people in line are passing the time by messing around on their phones, but I didn't bring mine, and I wouldn't take it out even if I had. The thing is obviously tinkertech.
Lacking a phone, I start looking around the lobby to occupy my time. There's an overweight security guard sitting in a cheap folding chair near the glass door who's lazily scanning over the area, there are a few plants in the corners of the room, and a few on the teller's desks. The patrons are uninteresting, just people going about their lives. There's a few in suits, one woman carrying a young child, a construction worker who hasn't changed out of his hi-vis, and oh my god that's Panacea!
I quickly turn around so she won't recognize me, then have to stop myself from face palming.
She never saw your face Taylor! She didn't even see your hair because of the helmet, she won't recognize you.
I glance back over at her, and see her in civvies.
It's a little surreal seeing the world's greatest healer just standing in line at a bank, but I guess heroes are people too. The Wards' room wasn't what I expected either, so maybe I should stop fantasizing about the life of a hero, and just roll with it.
I look back over at the security guard, but my eyes slide off him to watch through the window as the sun is slowly swallowed by thick black clouds.
What?
The next moment the doors are thrown wide open and three familiar figures stride through them.
"Hello Brockton Central! This is a robbery. Please gather near the far wall and get down on the floor in an orderly fashion. Do so and nobody will get hurt. Don't anybody try to be a hero okay?" The blonde villain I met the other night says with a smug grin on her face. Tattletale I think her name was.
Grue, the biker guy, and Regent, the porcelain doll guy, walk up behind her to back her up.
The people in the bank start to panic, and shakily move to the far wall to follow the villain's orders.
I keep my head down and follow them.
Can I take these guys? If I had my equipment I probably could, but I'd catch the hostages in the radius of any of my more substantial weapons. As I am, I could maybe stun the three of them, but I would need them to be distracted first.
My thoughts come to a halt as two more humanoid figures, as well as three monsters enter the bank behind Tattletale. Bitch and her monster things move to stand beside the rest of the Undersiders. A villain I haven't met yet wearing a ringmaster costume and holding a sledgehammer follows after her, and begins to look over the hostages as they get down on the ground.
Welp, there goes my chance. No way I can stun the five of them before they retaliate, and I don't even know if my blaster will work on Bitch's beasts.
I lower myself to the ground with the rest of the patrons.
"Circus and Grue, watch the hostages." Tattletale says, then she Bitch, and Regent hurry into the backrooms of the bank.
"So long as no one tries anything, you'll all be home before you know it. Don't make us hurt you." Circus says in a voice I can't decipher. Grus stands menacingly behind him...her? It's not important right now.
A tense few minutes pass as Grue and Circus stare down at us while their friends presumably grab as much money as they physically can. Grue turns to look out one of the windows, and curses under his breath.
"Shit. Circus, watch them." He jogs into the back room.
I tilt my head in the direction he looked, but all I can see is a large black cloud blocking the windows.
Must be his power, so he makes clouds and can see through them? Good to know.
Grue comes back into the lobby with Tattletale at his heels.
"You said three or four! That is not three or four! That is every single Ward in the city!" He fumes at her.
She looks out the window, and I watch the clouds part slightly, but can't see through the windows because of my place on the floor.
"It's not just them." Tattletale says. "There's someone on the roof, someone from New Wave. Glory Girl."
Circus looks over her/his shoulder at the two of them. "Why the hell is Glory Hole here? You said this job was gonna be easy!"
Tattletale shakes her head. "She shouldn't be, not unless…" She looks over the hostages, and her eyes come to rest on one person in particular.
I follow her gaze, and see her staring at Amy Dallon.
"Well hello Ms. Panacea. Not sure how I missed you, but it's a good thing you're here." She smiles at Amy, and Amy flinches slightly.
I clench my fists to keep myself from reacting.
"How is the fact that we're holding Panacea hostage a good thing?" Grue all but growls.
Tattletale meets his gaze easily. "Bitch'll be able to cut loose with the healer here, and we'll need her to if we want out of here."
Regent emerges from the back. "Money's loaded up, what're we doing?"
They and Bitch move off and start whispering to each other.
I take the chance to get a better grasp of the situation. The hostages are either trembling slightly or hyper focused, but none of them seem like they're going to try anything. Panacea is glaring up at the villains from where she's laid down on the floor, but from what I know of her power she has little to no offensive capabilities. At most she could knock one of them unconscious.
As for me, I'm pretty useless right now. I'm not fast enough to stun them all, and my lightsaber is too lethal to do anything other than eviscerate them. My best option is to just stay put and wait for the Wards to handle things.
The villains break their huddle, and Tattletale walks over towards myself and the other hostages. "Okay everybody, here's what's going to happen, everyone who I touch on the shoulder stand up and walk slowly over to the door. We're going to open it, and you're going to walk out. Once you get clear of the fog, lay down on the ground and wait for the Wards to rescue you."
The villain begins walking around the group of hostages, and taps almost all of them on the shoulder. I don't get tapped, and neither does Panacea. The two of us and four others are all that are left behind. Those who were tapped, slowly move over to the door and tensely wait for the doors to open.
"We're good Grue." Tattletale calls to the other Undersider.
"Alright people, walk through the fog, then lay down once you're out of it. Don't run. You won't be able to see anything and you'll probably hurt yourself." He opens the doors and the hostages begin disappearing into the blackness.
"Now we get to have some fun." Circus says and twirls her/his sledgehammer around.
"Wait!" Tattletale calls out from her place by one of the windows. "Bitch, Clockblocker and Aegis swapped costumes. Make sure you get the right one."
Bitch nods, and whistles. Her and her monsters charge out the doors while the fog parts to give them a clear path. Circus and Regent close behind her.
Grue steps into the threshold of the door, and begins looking through his fog. He makes a gesture every now and again, and his clouds shift. Something catches his eye to the right, and he steps fully into the fog and disappears.
That fog of his is an incredible force multiplier if he's the only one who can see through it. He can block off anyone he wants, and let his allies free at a moment's notice. I need to alter my hud to let me fight blind when I get a chance.
Tattletale spins to look at us. "You lot just stay put. We'll be gone soon, so just hang out a little longer." She walks over to Panacea. "Would you mind coming with me?"
Panacea glares up at her. "Yes I would."
Tattletale smirks. "Don't worry. Nothing will happen…"
The wall behind me explodes inward and a streak of white flies over my prone form.
"Where is my sister?" Glory Girl growls as she scans the room.
Moving quickly, Tattletale pulls Panacea to her feet and puts a gun to her head. Since when did she have that?
"Arms straight out healer. You try to touch me and I shoot you." Tattletale says quickly.
Both Dallon sisters freeze. Panacea's eyes go wide, and she slowly puts her hands out in front of her.
Shit! This is not good. I need to do something. Realizing that Tattletale is completely focused on Glory Girl, I begin to slowly slide myself out of her sightline.
"Let. Her. Go!" Glory Girl says with even more venom than her first words.
Tattletale tilts her head at the floating hero. "I'm gonna have to say no. I let her go, and you might break me. Here's a better plan. You go over there and lock yourself in the vault, once I'm well enough away from here, I'll let your sister go."
I manage to get one of the teller's desks between me and Tattletale, and move into a crouch. Now out of everyone's view, I turn on my stealth field generator. I start rotating around behind her, and am thankful to notice everyone is too focused on each other to wonder where I went.
"Or," Glory Girls says and begins to float forward. "I could just take you out right now. There's no way you'd be willing to kill Panacea."
Tattletale nods. "I won't kill her." She shifts the gun from Panacea's head to her shoulder. "She can't heal herself though, so this will really suck for her. If that doesn't convince you, I'll have to play dirty."
"What's more dirty than putting a gun to my head?!" Panacea yells.
"So glad you asked." Tattletale chirps. "I happen to be a mind reader, and I picked up a thing or two from you Ms. Dallon. Now tell your sister to get in the vault or I'll air all your dirty laundry to your loving sister."
Panacea pales drastically, but other than that she doesn't react.
"Telepathy is impossible. You're lying." Glory Girl says, but she has stopped advancing.
"Your sister doesn't think I'm lying, now be a good little hero and get in the vault."
I pause for a brief second to gauge the situation. I'm now standing just a few feet behind Tattletale, but I'm scared to try anything. If I hit her with a stunner from my blaster, her body will lock up and she'll pull the trigger on her gun. The same might happen if I hit her over the head. Priority one is to get the gun aimed away from Panacea, from there I can engage her in hand to hand.
I'll become uncloaked though, my stealth field generator doesn't work when I'm moving around too rapidly. It works while I run because my movements are predictable, but in a fight everything is too random for it to keep up. I'm still trying to fix that issue.
I shake my head, and start creeping forward.
If I uncloak, I uncloak. I can't let anything happen to Amy, she deserves a lot better than this after all the people she's helped.
"Last chance Glory Hole. In the vault." Tattletale says in a much harder tone than earlier.
"Vicky." Panacea sobs. When did she start crying? "Just do what she says."
I already didn't like Tattletale, but she just made a cute girl cry. Any reservations I had about taking her down just disappeared.
"Ames, it's alright. No matter what she says…"
I take my chance and knock Tattletale's gun arm away before shoving Amy away from the villain.
The healer stumbles a little, but I refocus on Tattletale.
The villain's eyes are wide behind her mask as I become visible. "Shit." She manages to get out before I punch her in the gut.
She doubles over, and I move to capitalize only for Glory Girl to shove me aside and slam Tattletale up against the far wall.
"You made my sister cry bitch!" She screams.
Tattletale somehow managed to keep hold of her gun, and started to turn it towards Glory Girl.
Several things happen at once, Panacea, having regained her balance, looks between me and Glory Girl, Glory Girl swats Tattletale's gun to the side, and my eyes widen as I realize what's about to happen.
Not having any time to be gentle, I charge across the foot of space separating me from Panacea and roughly pull her into my arms. Placing her between me and the gun. I hear the gun go off, and see a bright blue field quickly surround me. In the same instant, I feel a heavy force impact my back as if I just got hit by Cricus's sledgehammer. The impact was greatly lessened by my shield, but I was off balance, so it's still enough to send me, and therefore Panacea, to the ground.
We collapse into a heap on the floor. I roll over with a groan, and roll my sleeve back to check on my shield generator. I designed it to be easily hidden under my sleeve, so it's nowhere near as strong as the ones I have made for my armor. A quick scan with my eyes shows it to be in working order, and I look up to see Glory Girl running her hands over her sister, looking for a bullet wound.
"Get off Vicky! She took the shot!" Panacea moves past her sister, and reaches out for my hand.
The action is so unexpected she's able to grab me before I can pull back.
Her eyebrows furrowed together, and she looked up at me in confusion. "Did you not get…" She trails off and her eyes go wide.
"Panacea wasn't enough? I had to miss Mandalore?" Tattletale's voice is quiet, but in the dead silence of the bank it carries.
I turn towards her and snarl, causing her to shrink in on herself.
The bitch just outed me!
I reach up and pull my blaster from my hoodie.
Tattletale's eyes go wide and she throws her hands into the air. "I surrender! I surrender! I surren...gck" I cut her off with two stun bolts. Then fire a third and fourth for good measure.
The only sound I hear for a few moments is my own frustrated breathing.
"...Did you kill her?"
I turn around and see Panacea staring down at Tattletale's unconscious body.
"No." I say in offense. "She'll just be unconscious for a while." She may have pissed me off, but I'm not going to kill her.
I reach a hand up to rub my forehead and freeze.
No mask. Tattletale just outed me. Shit.
Why is it that whenever something good happens to me something else happens that manages to instantly ruin it?
Moving quickly, I reach up and pull my hoodie over my face.
Between the cameras in this place, it's a bank so of course there are cameras, and the Dallon sisters, my identity is pretty much an open book by now, but I still feel better with my face covered.
I briefly considered activating my stealth field generator and getting out of here, but I didn't do anything wrong. I actually helped take down a villain, so I should stay for a while right? I have no idea what to do right now.
Panacea walks forward and roughly grabs Tattletale's arm. After a moment, she drops it back to the ground. "She'll be fine." She says with… was that regret?
She turns to face me, and smiles. She wipes the remaining moisture from her eyes and says, "Thank you. You got me away from the crazy bitch, and arguably saved my life. There's no telling where that bullet would've hit me."
I shrink down on myself under her attention. "It was my fault she shot at you to begin with. If I hadn't jumped her, she wouldn't have pulled the trigger."
"No."
I turn to find Glory Girl looking at the ground. "That was my fault. You had her, if I had stayed back you would've disarmed her. I nearly got my sister killed." She says the last part softly, and slowly turns to look up at Panacea. "I'm sorry Ames."
Panacea hurries over to her and pulls her into a hug. "It's ok Vicky. I'm fine, just think next time please?"
The two of them hug it out, and I'm left standing awkwardly on the side.
This feels personal, I should go.
I start walking away, then stop as I remember I just got outed. "Um…" I break in. The sisters break apart and turn their attention towards me. "I'm glad you guys are ok, but could you not spread around what I look like? I know it's kind of a lost cause with the cameras in this place, but could you not fan the flame?"
"What?" Glory Girl says confused. Her eyes widened a moment later. "Oh, I'm so sorry I didn't realize you didn't have a mask! Don't worry, we won't tell anyone, and the PRT should be able to stop the camera feed from ending up on PHO."
"Really?" I try to keep my hopes down, things are never that simple for me.
Glory Girl bobs her head up and down. "Yeah! Don't worry about it!"
Oh my god she is the best! What would I do without her? She's…
I shake my head. "Thanks, but could you stop the aura thing?"
The weird feeling recedes, and I'm finally able to relax.
I guess my identity isn't shot after all.
"Sorry!" Glory Girl says. "I forgot you didn't react well to it. Woah, it just sunk in that you're really you."
What's that supposed to mean?
My question must have shown on my face, because Glory Girl started waving apologetically. "Sorry, it's just you had this whole presence about you in the armor ya know? Also I kinda thought you were a guy." She finishes hurriedly.
My shoulders sag in defeat.
Is it really so hard to believe I'm a girl? The armor is even designed to fit a woman! The proportions would be way different if I were a guy.
I cease my gumbling as Grue backs out of the fog into the bank. "Tats!" He yells without looking back. "We need to go!" He turns around, and freezes.
Between Tattletale's unconscious body, a strange girl in a hoodie with a strange gun, and most importantly a glaring Glory Girl, I can't say I blame him.
Glory Girl charges with a snarl, and he jumps back into the fog. Glory Girl follows right after him, and they both disappear from view. I can't even hear them in there.
I move to follow after the superheroine, but stop to look at Amy.
I can't just leave her here. What if one of the other villains walks out of the fog and catches her alone?
Decision made, I awkwardly shuffle over to her. "Uh… are you ok? I didn't hurt you when I fell on you right?"
She takes in a shaky breath. "I'm fine, and thanks. Really. I can't heal myself, so that would've been really bad."
Uh… what am I supposed to say to that? Should I tell her it's ok? No! That's always bad! Right? Uh… healer, Bacta Tanks!
"Hopefully that won't be an issue for too much longer." I say. "Dragon figured out how to duplicate my Bacta Tanks, and Brockton Bay is supposed to get the first few."
Panacea's gaze snaps back to me. "What?"
Should I be telling her this?
Yeah, I should. She's one of the biggest reasons this was possible.
I do a quick scan of the bank to make sure we're alone before elaborating. "After you cleared the bacteria I made, Dragon and Armsmaster got to work trying to replicate everything, and they cracked it. Insanely fast too. Dragon thinks everything will be ready to go in about a week."
"You're giving some to Brockton Bay?" Panacea asks softly.
"Yep. Well, not giving them. We need to charge something in order to keep producing them, but I told Dragon to keep the price tag as low as possible, the more people who have access to them the better ya know?" Oh god, she doesn't think I'm trying to steal her job does she? "Not that you don't do a fantastic job!" I hurriedly add. "Maybe this'll lighten the load and give you more break time though?"
She's looking down at the ground and not moving. That's a bad thing right? Why did I stress her out when we're already in a high stress situation?! What is wrong with me?!
"Thank you." She says softly.
I must have heard that wrong. "What?"
I tense up as I'm jumped by one-hundred-fifteen pounds of cute brunette.
"Thank you." She says as she hugs me.
Don't freak out, Taylor! You're over this! It's just a hug!
"Uh… you're welcome. I wasn't in any danger though, my shield blocked the bullet."
She lets out a joyful laugh and pulls away. "Not that, but thanks for both."
This isn't about the bullet? Then what's it about? Why are people so hard?!
"You're welcome Panacea."
She looks up at me and shakes her head. "Amy. You took a bullet for me, I think you can call me by my name."
I hesitate, but eventually get over it. She's already seen my face, and she said she wouldn't out me.
"I'm Taylor."
She smiles widely at me. "It's good to meet you Taylor."
She has a nice smile.
Something moves in my peripheral, and I look out the window to see the fog beginning to clear.
Oh right, villain attack. High stress situation. Get your head in the game Taylor!
I move between Amy and the door to cover her with my shield, and look over to the corner of the room where the hostages Tattletale kept in the bank were. They're all gone. They probably disappeared in the commotion. Either through the fog, or more likely through the gaping hole in the wall Glory Girl made.
A quick glance towards Tattletale shows her still out cold. She could be faking though…
I look back at Amy. "Do you think she's faking?"
She follows my gaze, and breaks out into an evil grin. "Best not to chance it."
I like this girl.
I raise my blaster and put another stunner into Tattletale. The bolt hits and Tattletale rolls over slightly, but she doesn't give any indication that she was awake. Like Amy said, best not to risk it.
I may need to keep an eye on myself. I don't want to develop a vicious streak, but just once is fine.
The fog has cleared by the time I turn away from Tattletale, and I see all of the villains down for the count. All of the Wards, Glory Girl, and someone I don't recognize in a blue costume are present. Some of them are limping, and Aegis looks like he got turned into a chew toy.
I look around for Bitch's giant monsters, but just see three rapidly decomposing masses of flesh and fur with what look to be small dogs inside them.
That's a sight I never thought I would see.
"Will you be ok if I take off?" I ask Amy. "I'd prefer not to hang around without my armor." That and I'm not ready to apologize to the Wards quite yet. I haven't had enough time to plan for that meeting.
She looks at me and nods. "I'll be fine now that the villains are taken care of. Go ahead."
I turn to go, but stop halfway. I look back at Amy and think of the gun going off.
If I hadn't been here, she might be dead, and that was likely an accident. What happens when someone tries to kill her? Her power isn't good for combat, or she'd have used it.
What can I do about that though? I can't be there every second of the day to take bullets for her! Besides, her sister is invulnerable, she has protection.
Protection that almost got her killed. A traitorous part of me says.
Ok, well what can I do about it? It's not like I can just give her my shield!
…
I pull my sleeve back and look at the device.
I mean, I have a bucket full of them, so what's giving one to the best healer in the world? She's nice, and I don't want her dead.
God this is going to seem so weird.
Before I can convince myself to back out I tug the device off my forearm and hold it out to her, intentionally not meeting her eyes.
She tilts her head in confusion, and hesitantly takes it.
"It's small enough to go under your sleeve, and don't worry about me. I have spares. The button on the side turns it on all the time, but only use that in really bad situations. It drains the battery too much. You can recharge it using a USB. " They really are universal.
She does a nice fish impression as her mouth opens and closes for a moment. Eventually, she simply asks, "Why?"
I swallow heavily and say, "You can't heal yourself. I don't want you to get hurt before the Bacta Tanks arrive."
Before she can see my face turn into a tomato, I fiddle with my belt and turn on my stealth field. I run as fast as I can without the stealth will failing out through the hole in the wall, and don't stop until I'm several blocks away.
I try not to focus on Amy or the villain attack for the busride and subsequent stealth walk home.
Only when I'm safely locked inside my base do I realize I neither pulled money out, nor treated myself to that grease burger.
Had anyone been within a block of my lab, they probably would've heard the *clonk* made by my head hitting my workbench.
Interlude: Amy
AgelessReaper
A Custom Title
Mandalore disappears from view, and I'm left staring at the space she just occupied.
No, not Mandalore. Taylor.
I'm glad the bank is empty, because I'm sure my cheeks are heating up.
There's a soft groan behind me from Tattletale's unconscious body.
I glare at her.
You don't count!
The door opens behind me, and I turn to see Vicky looking around in alarm. Her eyes land on me, and the tension bleeds out of her. "You ok Ames?"
I nod. "Mandalore stayed with me. I'm fine."
At the mention of the tinker, Vicky begins looking around the bank again. "Where is she? Is she doing that disappearing trick she used earlier?"
"She left once the darkness faded and we saw the villains taken out. She didn't seem too enthusiastic about sticking around without her costume."
Vicky nods. "Makes sense. Wish I could've got her number before she took off though. It would be nice to patrol together."
I start mentally kicking myself.
Why didn't you ask for her number Amy?! You already saw her face, it's not like it would be a breach of privacy! Why are you so useless?
"What's that?" Vicky asks suddenly.
I follow her gaze down to the small curved plate of tinkertech that I'm clutching with both hands.
"Um… it's uh… the shield that Tay...Mandalore was wearing. She gave it to me before she left." I swallow a large lump in my throat as I finally finish that nightmare of a response.
Vicky tilts her head in confusion. "Why would she give you her shield?"
"Um…she said she didn't want me to get hurt." I finish as I feel my cheeks heating up again.
Vicky does a double take, and floats forward to get a better look at me.
I shrink in on myself under her scrutiny, and my face goes nuclear when she breaks out into a wide grin.
"That explains a lot." She says. "Why didn't you tell me you went for long legged, muscular, black haired beauties?"
"Vicky!" I shriek.
"What?" She says with a shit eating grin. "I'm straight, but even I couldn't help but get a good look at those legs. Yum!"
I fall to my knees and cover my face with my hands.
I'm going to die. That's it, my life's over. Cause of death, lethal amounts of teasing.
The door to the bank opens up again.
A distraction! Let's all pay attention to it!
Gallant peaks his head through the door in his bronze armor. "Um… not to break up whatever this is, but could we get your help Amy? Aegis is pretty beat up, and Vista got caught in one of Kid Win's blasts."
Entering business mode, I stand up and walk over. "How did that happen? Also, make sure someone deals with Tattletale." I motion over toward the prone villainess.
"Regent screwed up Kid's aim, and don't worry, I'll get her." He pulls a pair of restraints from his armor and walks over toward the downed girl.
I open the door, and strap Mandalore's shield to my forearm. Pointedly ignoring the look Vicky sends my way as I do.
Vicky hovers along behind me as I make my way over toward Aegis. Clockblocker is waiting next to him in case he has to freeze him, but other than that he's alone. He does not look good. He's in a sloppy pile on the ground, and he has large puncture marks from Bitch's dogs everywhere.
"Hi Amy. Good to see you, sorry you got held hostage. Can you help him?" Clock says hurriedly.
"It's alright and yes." I move past him towards Aegis.
When I'm within reach of him, he waves me off. "Visah firth. 'M fyym."
"You don't look nor sound fine." I say as I take a glance over at Vista. She's definitely better off, but she doesn't look good. The sleeve of her costume has been burned away, and her arm is covered in burns. Kid Win is spraying something on the wound, and apologizing profusely. "Are you sure?" I ask, looking back at Aegis. He gives a jerky nod, and I move over toward Vista.
"I'm so sorry Vista! I tried to fight it but my arm just wouldn't work! I couldn't even hit the killswitch." Kid Win blabbers over his teammate.
Vista herself is gritting her teeth with teary eyes, but she's not making any sounds of discomfort. "It's ok Kid. We got him, that's all that matters."
I kneel down next to her, and begin to reach out. "Do I have your permission to…"
"Yes!" Vista exclaims. "Yes, please, thank you."
I don't really need to ask the Wards for permission. They've all signed a bunch of papers that Carol put in front of them which clear me to heal them whenever they need it, but asking is a habit I've gotten used to.
I lay my hand on her neck so as not to aggravate the burn and begin to heal her.
She lets out a relieved sigh as my power does its work. Soon, her arm is back to normal.
"That wasn't too excessive, but still be sure to eat a lot for dinner." I say as I stand up.
She looks up to me with a grateful smile. "I will. Thanks Amy."
I nod, and walk back over to Aegis. "I'm just going to get to work."
Clock gives me a jerky nod, and I reach forward to touch Aegis's face.
He is in rough shape. One of the dogs must have grabbed him in their jaws because most of his bones have been crushed, his stomach was ruptured, and most of the muscles in his upper body have been torn.
It takes me much longer to heal Aegis than it did to help Vista, but I manage it.
"Be sure to eat a lot for the next couple days. I had to use a lot to put you back together."
He nods, and gets to his feet with a little help from Clock. "I know the drill, thanks for the help Amy."
The Wards begin to organize themselves, and, like Tattletale said, they're all here.
Kid Win is still apologizing to Vista, something she seems to be getting irritated with. Clock, Aegis, and now Gallant are gathering up the unconscious villains, and restraining them. The new guy, Browbeat, is poking at some holes in his blue costume. Looks like the dogs got him too. The last member, Shadow Stalker, is doing her, 'I'm super cool and better than all of you puny weaklings' thing up on top of a nearby roof. I really don't like her.
Gallant breaks away from Aegis and Clock to come over to me and Vicky. "Thank you both for your help. I doubt we could have stopped them all without Vicky, and thank you Amy for putting us back together."
"You're welcome." I say simply.
Vicky on the other hand pulls him into a hug. "I just couldn't resist helping my favorite ward." She drags out the word 'favorite'.
Subtle Vicky. Real subtle.
Gallant gives her a quick hug back before pulling away. "Would the two of you be able to come down to HQ to give statements?"
I cringe a little at the question. "I'd really like to get home after all this. Could we maybe give them now?"
He studies me for a second, and nods. "Of course. So, from your perspective what happened?"
I give him a quick run through of the events that went on inside the bank. Some of the other Wards gather round now that the PRT have arrived to collect the villains, and they all react very poorly when I mention how Tattletale put a gun to my head.
"It's alright! I'm fine. Mandalore took her down before anything could happen."
"Mandalore's here?!" Vista yells, and begins to look around. After a moment of searching, she turns back to me. "Where'd she go?"
"She left. I say. "Actually, could you maybe get someone to delete the recordings from the bank's cameras?" I ask out of the blue.
Gallant is the first to catch on. "She was in civvies."
I nod. "That's why she took off. She didn't want to hang around without her costume."
"It was her costume? Not...us?" Vista asks hesitantly.
She looks beat down and regretful. Have they met Taylor? I thought she'd only interacted with Armsmaster.
"You guys have met Mandalore?" I ask.
Aegis nods. "She stopped by yesterday. Things seemed to be going well, but she just randomly took off. We thought we scared her off. Did she seem ok at least?"
Taken a little aback, I distractedly answer. "Yeah, she seemed fine. Aside from the whole hostage situation thing anyway."
What set Taylor off that she ditched the Wards? She seemed nice, and level headed. She didn't exactly scream 'I'm social', but neither do I. I wonder what happened?
"What happened after Mandalore stepped in?" Aegis prompts, and I finish giving my report.
Vicky and I exchange goodbyes with the Wards, and she picks me up to fly me home.
We fly in silence, but halfway home Vicky lowers us onto an uninhabited roof.
"Vicky?" I ask. "What's up?"
She sets me down, and swallows heavily. "I um… I'm sorry Ames." Her eyes fall to the ground between us.
"Sorry for what?" I ask confused.
"I almost got you shot Ames!" She looks back up at me and I see tears gathering in her eyes. "If Mandalore hadn't been there you would've been shot. Maybe even killed!"
I let out a long sigh, and walked towards her. She doesn't move, allowing me to wrap her in a hug.
I knew this was coming. Vicky's always been too reckless, but every time I cover for her and tell her to do better, she just blows me off. I knew sooner or later it would click for her, and not in a good way. The good news is I didn't have to die in the process.
Thanks Taylor.
"You need to be more careful Vicky." I say softly. She tenses up against me, but I keep talking before she can get a word in. "You're too strong to fight no holds barred. I love you," More than you know. "but you need to think. Mandalore had Tattletale dead to rights, if you'd let her handle it nothing would have happened. I don't blame you, but you need to do better from now on ok?"
She nods into my shoulder. "Ok."
I hate seeing her like this. It's just so not Vicky. Vicky is cheerful, and fun, and a pain in the ass. She's not mopey.
The things I do for my sister.
"So I guess the cat's out of the bag on me liking girls huh?" I say to lighten the mood.
I can practically feel her grin before she ever speaks.
"And what a girl it was. She's already given you jewelry too! If that's not a sign, I don't know what is!" She pulls back from me, and even though her eyes are still misty, she seems to be cheering up.
"She didn't give me any jewelry, just the shield."
"I know!" She says excitedly. "It's even better than jewelry, it's functional!"
I groan and throw my head back to the sky. "Can we go home please?"
"Fine. Fine, we'll go home, but next time Mandalore gets spotted, you and me are chasing her down."
"Vicky!"
She picks me up and cackles.
With Vicky in a better mood, the flight home is quick, and I'm able to get up to my room without much socializing.
I lock the door behind me, and pull a jar out of one of my drawers. I open it up, and pour some onto my hand.
The impossible bacteria is quickly mapped by my power, and I lose myself in the simple complexity of it. Everything about it is a contradiction that isn't. It makes no sense! It's so cool!
Double checking to make sure the door is locked, I use my power on the gel in my hand. It takes a moment, but before too long I've managed to shape the gel into a solid flower. Then I change the color. From it's natural light blue, to a dark green, to a bright pink, back to blue.
I can't help but giggle as I experiment with my powers. The last time I did something like this, I made a flower prettier for Carol so she would like me more. It had the opposite effect. Since then, I've been too scared to do anything other than heal.
That is until Mandalo… until Taylor showed up with this. It's amazing! And it heals! Carol can't get mad at me for improving a healing bacteria. I really need to thank Taylor for introducing this to me.
Taylor…
I don't have any way to contact her, but Vicky said she'd take me to meet her right?
My face heats up again and I shove my head into a pillow to drown out me squee.
No, not Mandalore. Taylor.
I'm glad the bank is empty, because I'm sure my cheeks are heating up.
There's a soft groan behind me from Tattletale's unconscious body.
I glare at her.
You don't count!
The door opens behind me, and I turn to see Vicky looking around in alarm. Her eyes land on me, and the tension bleeds out of her. "You ok Ames?"
I nod. "Mandalore stayed with me. I'm fine."
At the mention of the tinker, Vicky begins looking around the bank again. "Where is she? Is she doing that disappearing trick she used earlier?"
"She left once the darkness faded and we saw the villains taken out. She didn't seem too enthusiastic about sticking around without her costume."
Vicky nods. "Makes sense. Wish I could've got her number before she took off though. It would be nice to patrol together."
I start mentally kicking myself.
Why didn't you ask for her number Amy?! You already saw her face, it's not like it would be a breach of privacy! Why are you so useless?
"What's that?" Vicky asks suddenly.
I follow her gaze down to the small curved plate of tinkertech that I'm clutching with both hands.
"Um… it's uh… the shield that Tay...Mandalore was wearing. She gave it to me before she left." I swallow a large lump in my throat as I finally finish that nightmare of a response.
Vicky tilts her head in confusion. "Why would she give you her shield?"
"Um…she said she didn't want me to get hurt." I finish as I feel my cheeks heating up again.
Vicky does a double take, and floats forward to get a better look at me.
I shrink in on myself under her scrutiny, and my face goes nuclear when she breaks out into a wide grin.
"That explains a lot." She says. "Why didn't you tell me you went for long legged, muscular, black haired beauties?"
"Vicky!" I shriek.
"What?" She says with a shit eating grin. "I'm straight, but even I couldn't help but get a good look at those legs. Yum!"
I fall to my knees and cover my face with my hands.
I'm going to die. That's it, my life's over. Cause of death, lethal amounts of teasing.
The door to the bank opens up again.
A distraction! Let's all pay attention to it!
Gallant peaks his head through the door in his bronze armor. "Um… not to break up whatever this is, but could we get your help Amy? Aegis is pretty beat up, and Vista got caught in one of Kid Win's blasts."
Entering business mode, I stand up and walk over. "How did that happen? Also, make sure someone deals with Tattletale." I motion over toward the prone villainess.
"Regent screwed up Kid's aim, and don't worry, I'll get her." He pulls a pair of restraints from his armor and walks over toward the downed girl.
I open the door, and strap Mandalore's shield to my forearm. Pointedly ignoring the look Vicky sends my way as I do.
Vicky hovers along behind me as I make my way over toward Aegis. Clockblocker is waiting next to him in case he has to freeze him, but other than that he's alone. He does not look good. He's in a sloppy pile on the ground, and he has large puncture marks from Bitch's dogs everywhere.
"Hi Amy. Good to see you, sorry you got held hostage. Can you help him?" Clock says hurriedly.
"It's alright and yes." I move past him towards Aegis.
When I'm within reach of him, he waves me off. "Visah firth. 'M fyym."
"You don't look nor sound fine." I say as I take a glance over at Vista. She's definitely better off, but she doesn't look good. The sleeve of her costume has been burned away, and her arm is covered in burns. Kid Win is spraying something on the wound, and apologizing profusely. "Are you sure?" I ask, looking back at Aegis. He gives a jerky nod, and I move over toward Vista.
"I'm so sorry Vista! I tried to fight it but my arm just wouldn't work! I couldn't even hit the killswitch." Kid Win blabbers over his teammate.
Vista herself is gritting her teeth with teary eyes, but she's not making any sounds of discomfort. "It's ok Kid. We got him, that's all that matters."
I kneel down next to her, and begin to reach out. "Do I have your permission to…"
"Yes!" Vista exclaims. "Yes, please, thank you."
I don't really need to ask the Wards for permission. They've all signed a bunch of papers that Carol put in front of them which clear me to heal them whenever they need it, but asking is a habit I've gotten used to.
I lay my hand on her neck so as not to aggravate the burn and begin to heal her.
She lets out a relieved sigh as my power does its work. Soon, her arm is back to normal.
"That wasn't too excessive, but still be sure to eat a lot for dinner." I say as I stand up.
She looks up to me with a grateful smile. "I will. Thanks Amy."
I nod, and walk back over to Aegis. "I'm just going to get to work."
Clock gives me a jerky nod, and I reach forward to touch Aegis's face.
He is in rough shape. One of the dogs must have grabbed him in their jaws because most of his bones have been crushed, his stomach was ruptured, and most of the muscles in his upper body have been torn.
It takes me much longer to heal Aegis than it did to help Vista, but I manage it.
"Be sure to eat a lot for the next couple days. I had to use a lot to put you back together."
He nods, and gets to his feet with a little help from Clock. "I know the drill, thanks for the help Amy."
The Wards begin to organize themselves, and, like Tattletale said, they're all here.
Kid Win is still apologizing to Vista, something she seems to be getting irritated with. Clock, Aegis, and now Gallant are gathering up the unconscious villains, and restraining them. The new guy, Browbeat, is poking at some holes in his blue costume. Looks like the dogs got him too. The last member, Shadow Stalker, is doing her, 'I'm super cool and better than all of you puny weaklings' thing up on top of a nearby roof. I really don't like her.
Gallant breaks away from Aegis and Clock to come over to me and Vicky. "Thank you both for your help. I doubt we could have stopped them all without Vicky, and thank you Amy for putting us back together."
"You're welcome." I say simply.
Vicky on the other hand pulls him into a hug. "I just couldn't resist helping my favorite ward." She drags out the word 'favorite'.
Subtle Vicky. Real subtle.
Gallant gives her a quick hug back before pulling away. "Would the two of you be able to come down to HQ to give statements?"
I cringe a little at the question. "I'd really like to get home after all this. Could we maybe give them now?"
He studies me for a second, and nods. "Of course. So, from your perspective what happened?"
I give him a quick run through of the events that went on inside the bank. Some of the other Wards gather round now that the PRT have arrived to collect the villains, and they all react very poorly when I mention how Tattletale put a gun to my head.
"It's alright! I'm fine. Mandalore took her down before anything could happen."
"Mandalore's here?!" Vista yells, and begins to look around. After a moment of searching, she turns back to me. "Where'd she go?"
"She left. I say. "Actually, could you maybe get someone to delete the recordings from the bank's cameras?" I ask out of the blue.
Gallant is the first to catch on. "She was in civvies."
I nod. "That's why she took off. She didn't want to hang around without her costume."
"It was her costume? Not...us?" Vista asks hesitantly.
She looks beat down and regretful. Have they met Taylor? I thought she'd only interacted with Armsmaster.
"You guys have met Mandalore?" I ask.
Aegis nods. "She stopped by yesterday. Things seemed to be going well, but she just randomly took off. We thought we scared her off. Did she seem ok at least?"
Taken a little aback, I distractedly answer. "Yeah, she seemed fine. Aside from the whole hostage situation thing anyway."
What set Taylor off that she ditched the Wards? She seemed nice, and level headed. She didn't exactly scream 'I'm social', but neither do I. I wonder what happened?
"What happened after Mandalore stepped in?" Aegis prompts, and I finish giving my report.
Vicky and I exchange goodbyes with the Wards, and she picks me up to fly me home.
We fly in silence, but halfway home Vicky lowers us onto an uninhabited roof.
"Vicky?" I ask. "What's up?"
She sets me down, and swallows heavily. "I um… I'm sorry Ames." Her eyes fall to the ground between us.
"Sorry for what?" I ask confused.
"I almost got you shot Ames!" She looks back up at me and I see tears gathering in her eyes. "If Mandalore hadn't been there you would've been shot. Maybe even killed!"
I let out a long sigh, and walked towards her. She doesn't move, allowing me to wrap her in a hug.
I knew this was coming. Vicky's always been too reckless, but every time I cover for her and tell her to do better, she just blows me off. I knew sooner or later it would click for her, and not in a good way. The good news is I didn't have to die in the process.
Thanks Taylor.
"You need to be more careful Vicky." I say softly. She tenses up against me, but I keep talking before she can get a word in. "You're too strong to fight no holds barred. I love you," More than you know. "but you need to think. Mandalore had Tattletale dead to rights, if you'd let her handle it nothing would have happened. I don't blame you, but you need to do better from now on ok?"
She nods into my shoulder. "Ok."
I hate seeing her like this. It's just so not Vicky. Vicky is cheerful, and fun, and a pain in the ass. She's not mopey.
The things I do for my sister.
"So I guess the cat's out of the bag on me liking girls huh?" I say to lighten the mood.
I can practically feel her grin before she ever speaks.
"And what a girl it was. She's already given you jewelry too! If that's not a sign, I don't know what is!" She pulls back from me, and even though her eyes are still misty, she seems to be cheering up.
"She didn't give me any jewelry, just the shield."
"I know!" She says excitedly. "It's even better than jewelry, it's functional!"
I groan and throw my head back to the sky. "Can we go home please?"
"Fine. Fine, we'll go home, but next time Mandalore gets spotted, you and me are chasing her down."
"Vicky!"
She picks me up and cackles.
With Vicky in a better mood, the flight home is quick, and I'm able to get up to my room without much socializing.
I lock the door behind me, and pull a jar out of one of my drawers. I open it up, and pour some onto my hand.
The impossible bacteria is quickly mapped by my power, and I lose myself in the simple complexity of it. Everything about it is a contradiction that isn't. It makes no sense! It's so cool!
Double checking to make sure the door is locked, I use my power on the gel in my hand. It takes a moment, but before too long I've managed to shape the gel into a solid flower. Then I change the color. From it's natural light blue, to a dark green, to a bright pink, back to blue.
I can't help but giggle as I experiment with my powers. The last time I did something like this, I made a flower prettier for Carol so she would like me more. It had the opposite effect. Since then, I've been too scared to do anything other than heal.
That is until Mandalo… until Taylor showed up with this. It's amazing! And it heals! Carol can't get mad at me for improving a healing bacteria. I really need to thank Taylor for introducing this to me.
Taylor…
I don't have any way to contact her, but Vicky said she'd take me to meet her right?
My face heats up again and I shove my head into a pillow to drown out me squee.
Chapter 4
AgelessReaper
A Custom Title
A.N. Hi.
Things get kinda dark during a part of this chapter, I kept it within the rules to my knowledge, but let me know if I need to back off. It's tame by my definition, but I'm not the one enforcing the rules.
Anyway, this chapter is only so long because I couldn't find a nice place to end it that didn't feel like a cliffhanger, so don't expect this amount of content each upload.
Also, does anyone have a way to double space without doing it manually? This was painful.
Enjoy!
-Line Break-
As I fly through the Brockton skyline, making a concentrated effort to avoid cameras, I can't help it as my mind wanders a bit.
Yesterday was a rollercoaster. It started out awful, then Dragon called, and it became good. Then I got held hostage by supervillains, then helped stop said supervillains. Then I maybe got outed, and made a fool of myself in front of Amy Dallon.
All of that, and I didn't even get my burger!
I'd say there's no way today could get worse, but I don't want to risk tempting fate right now. Things should go alright today though. Armsmaster called a little while ago to tell me the first shipment from Dragon came in. She wasn't able to get everything together yet, but once more I'm shocked at how efficient she is. The woman is fast.
First she got the Bacta tank cleared in under forty-eight hours, and made me fifty grand to boot, then she shipped out a delivery of tinker materials she heard of yesterday.
I'm starting to wonder if she's this good with everyone, or if I'm getting special treatment. Maybe I impressed her with the Bacta Tank, and she wants to keep me happy in case I make something else like it? I don't know. Whatever the reason, I'm going to take advantage of it.
I slow down as I get closer to the rig, and begin to descend.
Hopefully I can just grab my supplies and go. I'd rather avoid engaging in prolonged conversation if I can help it.
I push open the door and walk up to the front desk.
"Ah, nice to see you again Mandalore." The man behind the desk greets me. "Armsmaster is on his way down to meet you. If you'll have a seat I'm sure he'll be with you…"
The elevator dings, and a man in blue tinkertech armor carrying a large box disembarks.
"...right now." The man behind the desk finishes.
I can't help but smile even though it's covered by my helmet. "Thank you." I say, then start walking to meet Armsmaster.
"Mandalore." He greets, then offers me the large brown shipping box in his arms.
I take it, and give him a nod. "Thanks Armsmaster."
How do I end the conversation without seeming like I'm trying to end the conversation? Should I use the work excuse?
"I'm sure you are wanting to get to work, but could I get a statement from you before you leave?" Armsmaster breaks my train of thought.
Look at that, I didn't even have to make an excuse! He gets it. People are hard. Wait…
"Statement for what?" I ask.
"The Wards informed me, that while they did not see you, you were at the bank when the Undersiders attacked. It would help us if you'd be willing to give your version of events."
I hold back a sigh and nod my head. "Is there anywhere I can put this down while we talk?" I indicate the large crate in my hands.
"You can leave it here." The man behind the desk says. "I'll watch it for you."
I place the box down on his desk with a nod of thanks, and follow Armsmaster into a room with two chairs and white walls.
We both take a seat, and Armsmaster starts fiddling with some controls on his armor.
"If you're ready?"
I nod.
"This is Armsmaster interviewing Mandalore in regards to the incident that took place at Brockton general one day prior. Do you consent to this meeting being recorded?"
"Uh… sure?"
"Thank you, I only have a few questions regarding your involvement yesterday. Panacea said you helped to take down Tattletale?"
I scowl behind my helmet at the mention of the villainess. "Yes. She pulled a gun on Amy and was threatening to shoot her if Glory Girl didn't lock herself in the vault. I snuck up behind her with my stealth field and knocked the gun away. Once her sister was clear, Glory Girl charged in and pinned her up against a wall."
Armsmaster nods. "That matches what the Dallon sisters told us. What happened next?"
"They struggled a bit, and Tattletale's gun went off. I managed to get between Amy and the bullet, and my shield took the shot. After that… Oh crap! Were you guys able to get rid of the footage from the bank's cameras?" I ask, panicked.
Armsmaster nods. "Yes. Once we were informed of the situation we pulled and deleted the footage. I regret we were not as expedient as normal due to how late we learned of the incident, so be cautious in your civilian identity, but all traces of the footage have been destroyed."
Be cautious in my civilian ID? What does that mean?
"Um… so did anyone see my face or not?"
Armsmaster frowns. "I cannot guarantee that we were fast enough to stop any leaks, and for that I apologize. If you need any help from the Protectorate as a result of your actions in the bank, do not hesitate to inform us."
I slump backwards in my chair.
So, 'we maybe, kind of, might have stopped your face from being public knowledge'? That's tremendously helpful. Is it too much to ask for a straight answer?
"Is there any way to know if you were fast enough?"
Armsmaster shakes his head. "Unfortunately there isn't. Dragon and I have done all we can, but we are not sure we were fast enough. Once more, if any issues arise as a result of this we are ready to assist."
I let out a sigh. "Thanks for getting the footage taken down, whatever the case may be. Can we finish up?"
He asks me a few more questions about the events of the bank. Where I went, why I left, nothing I say is met with any judgment. Just a quick nod. The only moment Armsmaster shows emotion is when I mention Tattletale outed me. Apparently he didn't watch the film from the cameras, because that came as a shock to him. He told me he'd look into it, then stopped his recording and walked me back to the front desk.
"Oh! I almost forgot." I reach into a pouch at my waist, and pass him a tablet.
"What's this?" He asks.
"Dragon wanted more blueprints, and I don't really have a good way to send her files. I was wondering if you could maybe pass those along?"
He begins looking over the various technologies on the tablet. "There's quite a lot here." He says after a while.
I shrug. "I figured it was best to give her a lot and hope something sticks."
He hmm's, and looks back down at the tablet. "Agriculture, energy, medicine and more. This is quite diverse." He looks back up at me. "Would you be willing to share what you believe your specialty might be?"
I tense up and swallow a lump in my throat.
"I'd prefer to keep that to myself." I say slowly. "It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that I think I'm wrong."
He looks at me for a long moment, and I remember he has a lie detector in his suit.
I didn't lie though, I'm wrong. I have to be wrong.
Finally, he takes a step back and says, "Very well Mandalore, but please remember, if you need anything Dragon and myself would be willing to assist you."
"Thank you, I'll keep that in mind."
We exchanged a short goodbye, and I flew off with my package in hand.
Even worried about my identity maybe being revealed, I couldn't bottle the excitement as I hurried home.
I've been slowly building my tech from junk for months, and now I finally have quality material. I can't wait to get my hands on this stuff.
I land and quickly stealth my way home. I pull the hatch open, and climb in. I hurriedly tear my armor off and pull on some work clothes. Once everything's stowed, I rush over to a somewhat clean workbench and begin unpacking my new toys.
Ideas fly through my head as I begin sorting everything.
I could start making a speeder out of this stuff! I'd have nowhere to park it though, so sadly that's out. More grenades would be nice, but that seems like a waste of the first good materials I've had since I started. Oh, maybe some higher powered blasters? I've been wanting to make a sniper for quite a while now. I've got it! I can make a...No!
I forcibly halt the thought.
No. I can't make anything like that.
A shiver runs down my spine as the design slowly fades from my head.
I can't build that stuff. I just can't.
Ever since I got my power, I've had ideas for horrible things. Things that would make Nilbog look like Eidolon. Things that are impossible. No tinker has ever had a specialty that diverse and dangerous, so mine has to be something different. It has to be. That's too much power for anyone, let alone a messed up teenage girl. Some of the stuff I've seen can destroy planets. I can't build that.
I need to build something else. Building other stuff makes the bad stuff go away.
I'll make that sniper, I need a long range option that isn't my missile. Everything else I have is melee or mid range. I could also stand to improve my shield and jetpack a bit once that's done. Defense and mobility are arguably more important than offense, and I'll still have some stuff left over when I'm done to use on other projects this way.
I pull my tools out, and get to work.
I lose myself in the work. Pulling things apart, fusing them together, eating a power bar. What? I can eat and work at the same time.
Time gets funny when I work, so all I know when I finish is that it's been hours. I check the clock, and sure enough, it's almost five pm.
When did I get back? Sometime when the sun was visible.
Wow Taylor, that really narrows it down. I really need to start writing down my start times so I know how long I've been out of it.
Looking back at my work table, I can't help but grin. Until this point, I've only made pistols and a couple short range rifles, so the range has been a problem. Sure, the bolt can go an absurd distance even from just the pistol, but aiming is a lot more difficult. This should change that.
The blaster doesn't look all that special, just a black coloring with a long barrel and scope, but it's the first time I've made something like this. My jetpack looks about the same as it did before I started, but I'll be able to get around much faster now. My shield is bulkier, but otherwise still just a curved piece of silver metal. It, too, is stronger. It could probably even take hits from a pissed off Lung now.
My eyes drift back to the sniper, and I pick it up. I look through the scope, and see grey.
I frown, and turn the gun over.
That's not right.
I hold it up to my eye again, and start fiddling with the zoom. I zoom all the way out, and realize what the problem is.
I'm in a 20x30 underground box. Of course I'm not going to be able to test it in here. I'll need to go outside, but it's pretty late right now. I'll test it out tomorrow.
I put the rifle down and begin cleaning up. By clean up, I of course mean shove everything off the center of the table to create more space for working. All told, clean up takes about twenty seconds.
Once clean up is done, I head over to my couch and lie down.
I'll take my newly improved jetpack for a spin tomorrow when I test my rifle, but for now, I'm tired. Tinkering for hours straight will do that to you.
I close my eyes and drift off.
-line break-
I wake up at around nine the next morning, and grab a power bar for breakfast.
I still need to get that greaseburger don't I? I might do it later today if I'm allowed to go shopping in costume.
I strap my armor on, grab my new rifle and strap that on as well, then head out.
Once well enough away from my base, I rocket into the air. I keep the speed controlled as I fly out of the city proper.
While I'm sure people like seeing heroes, they probably don't want to hear the roar of jetpack engines all day long while a tinker tests out her new gear. Plus, I can't really test my rifle in a crowded area.
I pass over the boat graveyard, and head out over the water.
I'm planning on testing the rifle in the boat graveyard, both because of its distance from people and its wide variety of available targets, but for now I want to test my jetpack.
With an anticipatory grin, I turn up the output to full power.
Where before I was coasting along comfortably, now I'm screaming across the sky. Literally. Once the acceleration hits I can't help but yell in glee. I'm going at least four times faster than I was previously. I don't have a speed gauge in my hud, I need to get on that, so I don't know exactly how fast I'm going, but I don't care. It's fast.
I'm hit with the same euphoria I got when I first flew. Miss Militia might be my favorite local hero, but like many other girls my age, Alexandria is my favorite national hero. I had grown up watching videos of her flying through the air, and always wanted to do it myself. When I finally finished my jetpack, I rode the high of flying for days.
That's the feeling I have right now. Unrivaled freedom. It's like I could do anything.
I don't know how long I was rocketing around over the bay, but it was long enough that a large crowd had gathered to watch me. By the time I had noticed them there had to have been around a hundred people, and half of them had their phones out to film me.
The crowd is kind of making me uneasy. It's not that I mind the attention… ok I mind the attention. Is it rude to just fly away without saying anything? Does that break cape etiquette, is there an etiquette for how to deal with people? The protectorate cares about PR, but should I? I'll just give them a wave and leave.
I reluctantly reign in my speed and hover close to my spectators. I bring my right hand up and give them a wave, then blast away before I do something stupid.
That went well right? I didn't fall out of the sky, so I'm counting it as a win.
Moving over towards the boat graveyard, I begin to descend. I land on the roof of one of the larger ships, and take a knee.
Lets see what this baby can do.
I unsecure my rifle and begin to sight in.
Currently, I'm positioned at the southern end of the boat graveyard, and I can clearly see the northern end when I zoom in.
Time to see if I can hit anything.
I lay down on the roof and take up a shooting position I've been practicing with a broom.
Don't judge me! I don't have a sniper rifle before now, and my other rifles aren't long enough.
Anyway, after so long practicing with a broom, it's nice to move up to the real thing. I've been itching to try this ever since I got my power, proper shooting positions were a part of my info dump. My tinker powers are the best tinker powers.
Now in position, I flick the safety I installed off and set the rifle for stun.
I might not be able to see anyone downrange, but my hud has too small a range to pick anyone up, and if I do hit someone I'd rather it be with a stunner.
I sight in on a ship's window across the graveyard, and get my breathing under control.
Once ready, I squeeze the trigger and feel a large amount of kick as the blaster fires. I watch through the scope as the bolt flies right through the window and into the wall behind it.
I grin, and move to another window. I fired again with the same result.
For the next half hour I pick targets and break in my new gun.
She's beautiful if I do say so myself. While I probably won't bring her out as often as my pistols, extreme range is a luxury in a lot of cape fights from what I've researched, I'm glad I now have the option.
Content that I can use the gun without the shot going somewhere I don't want it to, I strap it back on and stand.
Time to head home.
I activate my jetpack and roar into the air once more. I angle toward the area I typically land in, when I see a shape flying towards me from my left.
I let my hands trail down my body until they're resting near my pistols.
All the flyers in Brockton Bay are well known, and a lot of them are villains. I'm not taking any chances.
I slow down a little so whoever it is can catch up, worst case scenario I just use my new speed to run. I'd rather avoid getting into a fight above the city if at all possible.
As the flyer gets closer, I'm able to make out more detail and I relax.
I might not have met her many times, but I have interacted with Glory Girl enough to recognize her. It looks like she's carrying Amy too. Both of them are wearing civvies. Shouldn't the two of them be in school right now?
Actually, by that logic, so should I.
I slow down until I'm moving at a snail's pace, and the New Wave capes quickly catch up.
"Hiya!" Glory Girl says in greeting. "How's it going?"
"Pretty good, I was just testing out some gear. I improved my jetpack a bit, and I wanted to see how fast I could go."
Glory Girl grins at me. "We'll have to race some time." She looks down around her sister at the small crowd gathering below us. "You want to take this to a roof?"
What's the harm? I can socialize for a few minutes. I'm capable of that. There's nothing wrong here. I still haven't answered have I?
"Sure."
Glory Girl smiles, and leads me down to the roof of one of the taller buildings in the area.
We both land, and she lets Panacea down.
"Oh!" Glory Girl suddenly exclaims. "I left my phone behind. Be right back!" She flies off.
"Vicky!" Amy moves after her, but stops and huffs out a sigh. She turns around and gives me a small wave. "Hi."
"Hi."
The conversation grinds to a halt and we just stare at each other awkwardly.
Quick, think of something! Anything! Anything is better than silence!
"Does your sister leave you on roofs with strange tinkers often?"
What the hell was that?! Of course that doesn't happen! How socially inept are you?!
"Uh… no. Not often." She stammers out. "How's your day been?"
"Good. Just testing out my jetpack."
She flinches slightly.
Oh crap, I already said that didn't I? I need something else to talk about, the bank! Ask her if she's ok.
"So how are you doing? After the bank I mean, nothing wrong?"
She perks up. "Nope. Everything's good. I'm doing fine. Are you alright? You were the one who got shot."
"Oh no, I'm fine. The shield took the hit, so I didn't even get scratched."
"That's good."
"Yep."
The awkward silence slowly creeps back in.
Ok, do better this time. Don't say anything stupid, just…
"CanIhaveyournumber?" Amy says in one breath.
"What?" Is my learned reply.
"Can I have your number?" Amy repeats slower. "Sorry, that sounds weird. It's just, I already know who you are, and I was thinking we could maybe hang out sometime? I don't have many friends and you seem cool, so can I have your number?" She deeply inhales once she finishes.
Well I did not expect this when I woke up this morning. I don't really have a reason to say no though, and quite a few to say yes. This is your chance to make a friend, Taylor! Don't mess it up!
"Uh, yeah. Hang on." I pull my tinkertech phone out and pull the number up.
Amy looks at it, and frowns slightly. "You're giving me your work phone?"
What? This is my only phone.
...A fact she has no way of knowing.
"This is the only phone I have. I couldn't really afford a regular one, so I just made one." Why did you tell her that much?
Amy brightens back up. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to dig around for information."
I shake my head. "It's alright. It's kinda weird, so I get it."
We exchange numbers, and I put my phone away.
"So are you free later today?" She asks hesitantly.
"Yeah. All I really needed to do today was test my stuff, and I did that, so I'm free. Why?"
"Um, is it alright if I call you to set something up? We can maybe get coffee, or dinner, or see a movie or something."
Wow, that actually sounds kind of nice. Maybe this friend thing isn't so bad?
"Yeah, I'd like that. What time?"
"Would somewhere around three work?"
"Yeah. Like I said, I don't really have to do anything today."
"Great!"
"Cool."
"Yep."
"Yeah."
…
Is it possible to build something to kill awkward silences?
Luckily, Vicky returns before I dream up any doomsday devices.
"Sorry about that! So, what's up?"
"Not much, Amy and I were just going to get together later today."
"Oh really?" Vicky drags out the words and turns towards her sister with a grin.
Amy shrinks in on herself a bit, and her face starts to heat up. "Um… we should… class."
"Class?" I ask.
Vicky nods. "We're kinda skipping right now. Don't tell anyone." She gives me a conspiratorial wink. She turns back to Amy. "Guess we should get going."
"I'll call you later Tay… Mandalore." Amy says as her sister picks her up.
"See ya Mandalore!" Vicky takes off into the air, leaving me on the roof alone.
Did that really just happen? I could've sworn I just got Amy Dallon's phone number.
After pulling out my phone I can confirm that that did, in fact, just happen.
I really don't know how to react to that.
I guess I'm going out tonight, I'll need to stop by a bank to pull out some of Dragon's money. Hopefully this one won't get attacked by supervillains.
Is it tacky to go to Fugly Bob's for friendly outings?
Amy will know what to do, she's the one who set this up after all.
With that thought, I activate my jetpack and head home.
-line break-
I tap my foot on the ground, and look up at the clock again.
3:07 pm.
Did something come up? Maybe she got held back at school or something. Or she might have come across a car accident and helped people. She's Panacea, that's something she'd do.
Did she forget? She might have forgotten. Maybe there was a car accident and she forgot. It's fine if she forgot because of a car accident. I can't hold that against her.
I start tapping my foot faster as another thought occurs to me.
Maybe the whole thing was a joke? It wouldn't be the first time. Maybe she just…
The phone in my hand lets out a shrill ring, and I answer it immediately.
"Hello?"
"Hi Mandalore, Taylor, Manda… It's Amy."
"You can call me Taylor, Amy."
"Hi Taylor."
"Hi Amy. So what did you want to do?"
"I was thinking we could maybe get something to eat, or maybe watch a movie?"
"We could do both." I prompt.
"Both works." She says quickly. "Movie first?"
"That sounds good. Where do you want me to meet you? It might take me a bit to get there from my lab without my jetpack."
"Oh that's fine, I can wait. You know that theater on Jefferson?"
I quickly put my helmet on and look through the built in GPS. "Yep. I know where it is. You want to meet there?"
"Yeah, I'll have Vicky drop me by the door in about an hour. Will that give you enough time to get there?"
I nod, then almost facepalm when I remember I'm on the phone. "It should be plenty of time. I'll see you there."
"Bye."
"Bye."
I hang up and drop the phone. I lay back heavily into the couch and take a deep breath.
That was a minute-long conversation on the phone, and I'm already on edge. This is going to go great isn't it?
I take another deep breath, then push off the couch. I already have everything that I'm going to take with me, just the same stuff I brought to the bank with the exception of a different shield, so I climb up the hatch and start making my way towards a bus stop.
It takes me the better part of an hour to make it to the theater, mostly because without my hud I got lost, but I manage to make it before Amy, so I count that as a win.
Unlike when I sat by the phone, I didn't have to wait too long before I saw Vicky flying over with Amy in her arms. She landed, and let Amy down.
"Hi!" Vicky says. "We haven't properly met yet, I'm Vicky." She holds a hand out.
What is she doing? She knows I'm Mandalore. Oh, the people around us don't. She's obviously better at the whole capre thing then I am.
"Taylor." I say and shake her hand.
She nods. "Good to meet you. Sorry I have to take off so quick, but I have a date to get to. Be nice to my sister!" She takes off once more, and is gone after a few seconds.
I turn to Amy and wave. "Hi."
"Hi."
Having planned for this eventuality while I was sitting in my lab, I walked up to her, and began ushering us towards the board that shows what's playing.
"Did you have something specific you wanted to see?"
She shakes her head. "I don't really know what's playing. I don't get out too much, so I don't keep up with that kind of thing."
And all my planning just became useless.
"I don't really get out much either. I haven't really gone out with friends for awhile, and I haven't seen a movie for years."
We both look over the listings for a moment.
There's a couple action movies, four separate cape stories, a comedy, and a really cheesy looking romance.
I got enough action against Lung, and my life has become a cape story. I also doubt Amy brought me here to watch a crappy romance movie.
"Comedy?" I ask.
She nods. "That works."
We paid for our tickets, I made a run to the bank right after I got out of my armor, and head inside.
"Are we supposed to get popcorn?" I ask Amy. "Isn't that a thing you do at the movies?"
She smiles and nods. "You really haven't seen a movie have you?"
I shrug. "We went to a couple before mom died, but haven't been since."
Amy's smile disappears. "Sorry." She says softly.
I shake my head. "It's ok. It's been years since she died, I won't say I'm over it, but I moved on."
She nods, and we continue on in silence.
We get our popcorn, then head into our showing.
Two hours later, and we're walking out of the theater. The mood is much lighter and we're both chuckling.
The movie was decent, but nothing to write home about. In fact it was pretty mediocre. I only really started laughing when Amy and I started quietly making fun of the characters. We kept that up for the rest of the showing, and it became a lot more fun. We'd randomly burst out laughing during a serious part, and get a lot of funny looks, but that only made it better.
The two of us stop on the sidewalk and face one-another, both of us sporting smiles.
"So dinner?" Amy prompts.
I scratch the back of my head. "This might sound weird, but can we go to Fugly Bob's?"
Amy raises an eyebrow. "That's fine. Any particular reason you want to go there?"
"Uh…" I take a quick glance around, and, noticing the people, gesture for Amy to follow me.
She does so with a curious expression
"Back when I was just starting to get my stuff together," I begin now that we're alone on the sidewalk. "I kind of promised myself that I'd treat myself to Fugly Bob's when I finally went out. Between Lung, meeting with Armsmaster, the Bacta Tank, and the robbery, I haven't really gotten the chance to yet."
She raises another eyebrow. "You were going to 'treat yourself' to Fugly Bob's?"
I frown at her. "I was on a budget. That only changed recently when the Bacta Tank took off. I'm still not rich by any means, but I can afford more than power bars and ramen."
Amy's expression turns apologetic. "I'm sorry. That was kind of messed up of me."
I wave her off. "It's fine. I wasn't really in the best place at the time, but things are looking better now."
We walk a few more blocks in companionable silence until we reach Fugly Bob's, and order some grease burgers with extra grease.
Yes! Finally!
Amy takes a bite, and makes a face. "Mine tastes like grease. What's yours taste like?"
I take a large bite, and hum contentedly. "Progress." I say in a regal voice, before taking another bite.
Amy snorts and shakes her head. "You might want to check your burger. I think a Merchant might've slipped you something."
We giggle, and continue to eat our respective meals.
"So," Amy begins. "What do you do for fun?"
I raise an eyebrow. "That came out of left field."
She grins slyly. "If you'd rather talk about the progress burger, I could probably check it for illicit substances." She begins to reach towards my burger, but I shield it with my body much to her amusement.
My greaseburger! I earned this!
"I'll take that as a no. So, hobbies?" She asks again.
I put down my burger and think for a moment.
What do I do for fun? I haven't really had a hobby for awhile now. I still have those books I brought from the house, so I guess that counts.
"I like to read. That and the other thing." I say the last part quieter.
Amy rolls her eyes. "That doesn't count."
"Fine then, What do you do for fun?" I turn her own question against her.
She opens her mouth, then closes it. She thinks for a moment, then says, "I like to read, I guess. That and heal people."
I give her a deadpan stare. "Healing doesn't count."
She opens her mouth, and once more stops herself. She stares down at the table for a second before looking up at me. "I just realized I don't have fun."
I cough as I inhale some of the tea I was drinking. I hack for a while longer before Amy takes pity on me, and grabs my hand. My airway clears and I'm able to breathe easy again.
"Thanks." I say seriously. "You didn't have to do that, I would've been fine."
She looks taken aback. "Why wouldn't I? You were right in front of me."
I shrug. "Well you just said you don't have fun. I don't either if the other thing doesn't count, so if we're both here to have fun you shouldn't do your other thing either."
Wow that sounded stupid out loud. And everything was going so well.
I open my mouth to apologize for the stupid statement, but Amy seems thoughtful.
"Thanks." She says.
"Um, you're welcome, but thanks for what?"
She smiles at me. "That's the first time someone's told me I don't have to use my power. I guess I've just gotten used to being Panacea."
I tilt my head in confusion. "People expect you to use your power? What about Vicky and your parents? Don't they back you up?"
Her smile turns into a scowl. "Vicky doesn't say anything one way or the other, but Carol pushes me to heal as much as possible, and I honestly wonder if Mark even notices most of the time."
Woah, I did not mean to step on that landmine. Gotta find a way to backpedal so I…
"What about you?" She asks.
"What do you mean?"
"I know you said your mom passed, but what about your dad? How's he with the other thing?"
My stomach sinks, and my smile fades.
How much should I say? I don't really want to go into detail, but I pried into her personal life, so I owe her a little.
"I'm living on my own." I say quietly. "My dad's… I don't even know anymore."
Amy's eyes widen, and she reaches out to take my hand. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pressed."
I shake my head. "I did first, it's alright. How about we just move on?"
She nods, and we eat in silence for a bit.
The silence begins to be uncomfortable, and I search for a topic.
What about the Bacta Tanks? There's not really anyone near our table, which is why we were so open about 'the other thing', so we could talk about that, but that's work stuff. Oh, I know.
Taking a quick glance to ensure no one's sat near us, I say, "What did you do with that bacta fluid I gave you?"
Her eyes widen a bit, before she controls herself. "Um… would you believe me if I said I just like looking at it?"
"Huh?" I say. That wasn't what I was expecting.
"Yeah, my power maps out biological organisms, and when I looked at the bacta it was unlike anything I've ever seen before. I take it out sometimes just to let my power look at it."
I tilt my head at her. "I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't that."
She giggles. "Well, sorry I don't live up to your expectations."
I chuckle, and we both finish eating pretty quickly. We get the bill squared away, and head outside. The sun's starting to go down, causing the sky to turn into a cool grey.
"Did the progress burger live up to the expectation?" Amy asks as we walk.
I smile. "Yep. I don't think I could have picked a better way to celebrate." I reach my arms above my head and stretch out my muscles. I relax again and turn back towards Amy to find her staring at me. Her cheeks have a light dusting of red.
"Amy?" I ask.
She shakes her head, and looks up at me. "I'm fine. Can you walk me over to the park off Second? That's where Vicky's picking me up."
I nod, and the two of us walk in the direction of the park. We reach it before too long, and sit down on a bench to wait for Glory Girl.
"I had a lot of fun tonight." Amy says suddenly.
I look over at her and smile. "Me too. Thanks for inviting me out, I'd probably have tinkered and went to bed otherwise."
She smiles back. "You're welcome."
She reaches over and grabs my hand, and holds my gaze.
She has pretty eyes. Before I can stop myself, I find myself leaning closer. Amy moves the same, and I slowly start to close…
"Hey you two." A cheery blonde says as she comes in for a landing. "Enjoying yourselves?" She asks with a wide grin.
Amy and I jump apart. I feel my cheeks heating up, and stare straight ahead.
Where the hell did that come from Taylor? Get a hold of yourself.
Vicky laughs, and walks towards Amy. "Didn't mean to interrupt anything, but we need to get home Ames."
Amy nods robotically, and stands up. "Thanks for coming out tonight Taylor."
I nod at her. "Thanks for inviting me."
Vicky's grin widens. "Aw, aren't you two…"
*BOOM*
A bright flash of orange accompanies the sound and Amy and I are thrown to the ground. My shield activates in response to something, then quickly shuts itself off.
I groggily rise to my feet, and realize I pulled out my blaster at some point.
Someone shoves my shoulder, and I see three Vicky's shaking me. A group of Amy's stand behind her.
"...oo ok?" Vicky practically shouts.
I wave her off as she comes into focus. "I'm good. What happened?"
She shakes her head. "I don't know!"
"Vicky…" Amy says quietly.
Vicky and I look over at her, and see her staring at what was once a nearby building. There's a large spherical hole just missing.
Another explosion draws our attention from the east, and we see a flash of green. Another from the north, this time a flash of blue.
"What the hell is going on?" I say to no one in particular.
"Vicky. Hospital." Amy says clipped.
Vicky nods, and picks her up. She turns to me with a look of concern. "Will you be alright."
I nod. "I have my shield, and we're relatively close to my lab. I'll armor up, then get out there."
Vicky nods, and a rainbow colored explosion draws all three of our attention.
Vicky starts to rise, and Amy quickly says, "Stay safe!"
"You too!" I manage to get out before Vicky pours on the speed.
Ok, things just went from great to hellscape in now. I need to get my gear.
I take off at a dead sprint in the direction of my lab, luckily I'm fairly close considering how big the city is. As I run, more and more explosions signal the detonation of more and more bombs.
What is happening?
A loud explosion followed by a white flash from my left once more knocks me to the ground.
I get up, and am about to keep running when I hear screaming from the direction of the explosion.
After hesitating a brief second, I turn and run towards the building.
The brick wall was blown out by the explosion, so I ran through the hole and took a look around.
I stop in horror as I take in the scene.
There are four intact bodies, and an indistinguishable number of melted corpses. The air is thick with the stench of burning flesh. It looks like the bomb was storing something akin to napalm, and unleashed it in every direction. Those closest to the blast were melted into slag before they could blink. The only reason there are four people still intact is because the ones closer to the epicenter took the brunt of the damage. Of the four intact bodies, only one is still alive. A middle aged man whose lower half has been melted away.
I run forward, and begin looking over him.
"It's ok, just breathe." I blabber. I am not qualified for this.
The man just keeps screaming, but his screams are slowly growing weaker.
"No. Nononononono." I look around for anything I can use to help him, but there's nothing around but melted mush.
The man's eyes find mine, and he reaches out for me. I grasp his hand and squeeze it tight as the light slowly fades from his eyes. The screams die in his throat, and his grip goes slack.
I release him and stumble backwards. I walk out through the hole in the wall in a daze. I move to take another step, but I fall to my hands and knees and vomit the entire contents of my stomach.
I stay like that for a long time. The only thing that breaks me from my mindless zoning is the sound of another distant explosion.
I look over towards where I heard the explosion, then back at the scene I just left. I wipe my mouth and stand. I clench my fists, and begin walking back towards my lab.
Whoever did this is going to fucking pay.
I slowly pick up the pace until I'm in an all out sprint.
Even running as fast as I can, it takes far too long to make it back. I counted seven other explosions in the time it took me to make it back here.
I hastily input the code and throw the hatch open. I ignore the ladder, instead just falling inside. I roll with the fall and come up near my armor. I tear my civvies off, and begin to pull my armor on. My contacts get ripped out of my eyes as my helmet comes on, and I begin marching out of my lab.
I slam the hatch closed behind me as an afterthought, and rocket into the air.
I hover for a moment, waiting.
An explosion sounds from behind me, and I rocket in that direction. I land near ground zero,and my heart falls at the sight.
A large group of people has been fused into the ground, the walls, and each other. It looks like they were all randomly teleported, and the majority of them lost their heads or a large part of their torsos. There's only one who is still breathing. A woman whose legs have both been fused with the ground above the knee.
I move up and sit down next to her.
"Ma'am, can you hear me?"
She looks up at me with wide, fear filled, eyes and jerkily nods.
"My name is Mandalore, I'm a hero. I can't get you out of here without seriously injuring you. I'm going to get the PRT and then we can…"
I hear ticking behind me, and snap around.
There's a small square black of blue material with a red blinking light on it.
Bomb!
The woman notices too and begins to scream and claw at the ground.
I have to get her out of here fast!
Only seeing one option, I put a finger in her mouth length wise.
"Bite down!" I say, and she does so immediately.
In one swift movement I pull my lightsaber out and cut through her legs. She bites down hard on my fingers, but my armor makes it so I feel nothing.
Not wasting any time, I deactivate my lightsaber, pick up the woman, and rocket out of the building.
I make it clear just as the explosion is triggered. I don't look behind me, instead carrying the now screaming woman towards the hospital.
From the sky, it's apparent they're swarmed. There are screaming people in the street, and medical personnel running in between them.
I land in the nearest open space, and a man in scrubs runs up to me.
"I'll take her." He says, and I pass her over.
I take one more look around the victims, then fly back into the sky.
-line break-
The rest of the night I did the same thing. I would fly to the site of an explosion, and bring anyone who survived to the hospital. Any people who couldn't be moved I would make sure were safe, and wait with them until the paramedics showed up.
I passed Vicky and a few other heroes a couple times, but when we saw each other we kind of had an unspoken agreement to split up and cover more area, so that's what I did. Vicky would fly one way, Assault and Battery would run another, Velocity would run a third direction, and I would fly off in a fourth.
Every bomb site I found was filled with screaming people and dead bodies. I did my best, but couldn't help feeling like it wasn't enough.
I felt so useless.
I was playing clean up, I couldn't do anything for the people who were already dead, and I had to step over their corpses to get anyone who was still alive out.
I saw people turned to glass, people melted, people turned inside out, people turned to ice, and more.
The only good news is the explosions themselves stopped soon after starting, all told the PRT determined there were forty-two bombs that went off.
I did everything I could, but eventually my body stopped cooperating. I jammed stims into my leg, but they only helped for so long. It got to the point where one of the nurses I was delivering survivors to literally slapped me in the helmet so I would pay attention to her. She told me if I came back she'd strap me to a bed and force me to sleep. I tried to argue, but she just walked away.
After realizing that the sun was coming up, I decided to take her advice. I flew straight back to my lab, stealth forgotten, and fell in. I pulled my armor and clothes off, and turned the Bacta Tank on.
I wasn't injured during my search and rescue, but that doesn't mean I couldn't go for a luxury bath right now.
I put the mask on, and stepped in.
The liquid wasn't even up to my chest before I fell asleep.
-line break-
A soft flushing sound pulls me from my sleep.
I blink my eyes, and realize the tank is purging itself. I ride the liquid down until I'm sitting on the bottom of the tank, and just stare blankly ahead.
It seems like every preconception I had about being a hero is being systematically torn to shreds. Logically I knew there were horrible villains out there, you can't research capes and not come across monsters like the Slaughterhouse 9. I guess I just didn't expect I'd ever have to face something like that.
I lean back against the tank and press my hands into my forehead.
I cut a woman's legs off last night. I didn't even stop to think about it, because the alternative was letting her die. Am I a monster? I took away someone's ability to walk and It doesn't even bother me. What kind of hero am I?
A shrill ringing from outside the tank draws my attention. My phone is ringing from it's pouch in my armor.
Only three people have my number, and all of them are in the middle of this. I can't ignore that.
I force myself to my feet and tear the Bacta mask off. I push the sliding door open, and walk over to my armor to answer my phone.
"Hello?"
"Mandalore." Armsmaster's voice greets me. "I heard you were taking part in search and rescue last night, are you well?"
What kind of question is that?
"I'm as well as can be expected." I respond a little heatedly.
"I apologize, I was not attempting to be inconsiderate, but I need to know if you are fit for action. The Protectorate is hosting a meeting with the local heroes to coordinate against Bakuda, and I would like for you to come if you are able."
Bakuda. The ABB's new bomb tinker. Bomb tinker. She did this. She did this.
"Where are we meeting?" I ask much more calmly than before.
"We are gathering at the PRT HQ, please be here within the hour." There's a click as he hangs up.
I put my phone back in my armor's pouch, and started pulling it on.
There's a thin layer of dust and grime from last night, but I don't care. We need to stop Bakuda from doing this again, so I need to get to that meeting.
I leave my sniper, but bring my blasters and lightsaber.
More out of habit than desire, I stealth away from my base before flying full speed towards the PRT headquarters.
As I fly, I'm surprised to see so many people out this morning. The streets aren't as busy as they usually are, but they're not empty either. I would've thought that a homicidal bomb tinker would have sacred people enough to stay home, but apparently I'd be wrong.
Thanks to my new speed, my flight is short, and before long I'm walking through the doors.
The woman behind the front desk looks up at me. "Mandalore?"
I nod. "I was told to meet here, is there somewhere I should go?"
She nods, and gestures down a hallway. "Take the elevator up to the third floor, then take a right. There's a conference room at the end of the hall."
"Thank you." I follow her instructions and board the elevator. I hang a right once I disembark, and begin to overhear a conversation.
"...priority is securing the city. We do not have Bakuda's location, and cannot act until we do."
I pull open the door, and the conversation halts.
Standing around a conference table are Protectorate members Armsmaster, Miss Militia, Assault, Battery, as well as New Wave members Lady Photon, Brandish, Flashbang, and Shielder.
"Mandalore, thank you for joining us." Armsmaster greets.
"Sorry I'm late." I say as I awkwardly shuffle to the edge of the room.
"It's alright, as I was just saying our first priority is keeping the city safe. We don't know where Bakuda is hiding, and attacking her in her lab could create more problems than it solves."
"Why is she doing this?" I ask the question that's been bothering me since I woke up. "Does she want you to let Lung go?"
Miss Militia shakes her head. "She released a video early this morning claiming she now ran the ABB. We believe she is trying to make a name for herself."
The psycho is blowing up the city for street cred?
I take a breath, and turn back to Armsmaster. "So how do we keep the city safe."
He turns to a screen behind him that lights up with a map of the city. He begins pointing to different parts of it, and says, "These are the areas most affected by Bakuda's bombs, we need to show a heavy presence in downtown. The boardwalk was only hit by a single bomb, and there were minimal casualties from it. I believe it would be best if we break into smaller teams with members of New Wave alongside the Protectorate and Wards, it will present a united front against this threat."
I look around the room, and see everyone bobbing their heads up and down.
That's it? We're getting together so we can walk around in groups? What about actually doing something?
"Um… I get that I'm new here, but what exactly will this do?" I ask the room.
Lady Photon, a blonde woman in a white costume with no mask, turns to me. "We need to let the citizens know we're here to protect them, or else morale will crumble."
"Ok, I get that, but what about Bakuda? Are we just going to let her run free?"
Brandish, Lady Photon's sister and Amy's mom, scoffs. "Did you not hear Armsmaster? We don't know where she is, and attacking a tinker in her lab is a bad idea. We can't do anything until she comes out into the open."
I look between the heroes in the room, and see everyone looking at me.
Are they really just going to sit around and wait for the next attack? We need to do something now.
I turn back to Armsmaster. "Is there anything we can do?"
Armsmaster shakes his head. "Until we have her location, or she shows herself, we cannot do anything to stop Bakuda. The best we can do is ensure we have heroes in the area in case she strikes again."
I begin to tune out the meeting as I try to figure out a way to find Bakuda.
Short of flying around the entire city to map it with my hud there's not much I can do. I'd need something to track before I can even start to search. Well, she's a tinker right? Both Armsmaster and I have computers in our labs, albeit mine is rudimentary, but Bakuda should have a pretty decent one with the ABB's resources. I could maybe build a better rig and try to slice into her own rig.
"Mandalore?"
I look up at Armsmaster.
"Would you be willing to patrol with some of the wards?"
I think about it, then nod. "Yes." A bomb tinker is more important than my social issues. "And Armsmaster? Did you get that second shipment from Dragon yet?"
Assault breaks out into a grin. "Is Halbeard getting special deliveries from Dragon?"
Battery rams her elbow into his side and glares at him.
Armsmaster ignores the two of them and nods at me. "I brought it with me when you said you would join us, is there any particular reason you are asking?"
I nod. "I might have a way to track down Bakuda, but I need to build it first. I should have enough materials in my lab, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I'll get to work on it as soon as I'm done with my patrol."
"Good. Now, let's discuss the patrol teams."
The Protectorate and New Wave heroes spend the next several minutes breaking themselves into groups. I didn't pay attention to every team, only my own. I got grouped up with Gallant, Glory Girl, Clockblocker, and Vista, and we're supposed to patrol the boardwalk. We'll patrol first, then the rest of the Wards and Shielder will take over for us. Apparently none of the adults want the Wards to patrol in their usual small groups what with the threat of an angry bomb tinker attacking at a moment's notice, so they're making sure all the younger heroes have a lot of backup.
The meeting ends once the teams are finalized, and we all start to make our way out of the room.
"Mandalore? A moment please?" Armsmaster says.
I hang back while the others leave.
"How close is your lab." He looks to the ceiling for a moment, then looks back at me. "Apologies, I do not need to know its location, I was merely wondering if you would have time to ferry your supplies there before your patrol begins."
I shake my head. "I could probably make it if I flew straight there, but I'd rather not leave smoke trails leading to my base."
He nods. "Very well then, I will keep the package in my lab until such a time as you require it."
I tilt my head. "I thought you said you brought it here?"
He nods. "I have a smaller secondary lab within the building in case I need to tinker while my position requires I be here."
That makes sense I guess.
"Is that it?" I ask.
He shakes his head. "Dragon wanted to speak with you while you were present, if you would follow me."
I fall into step behind him as he leaves the room. We wind through a few halls, and come to a tinkertech door similar to the one leading to his lab on the rig. Sure enough, he places the thumb of
his armor down on a pad, and the door opens.
Giving the lab a quick once over as we walk in, I can tell this is definitely not where he spends most of his time. There's not nearly as much equipment, and there's a wrench sitting on one of his workbenches. From what I saw of his other lab, that is a major irregularity. There's also a large brown box sat on the ground near the door that I assume to be my delivery from Dragon.
Armsmaster gives the room a once over as well, and quickly picks the wrench up, before walking it to a specific drawer. He turns to me and says, "I apologize for the mess, it has been a week since I was last here." then walks over to a computer.
Did he seriously just apologize for a wrench? My lab is hard to walk around in in certain places, a wrench is nothing.
Armsmaster types away at a keyboard, and a large screen on the wall. Dragon's avatar appears a moment later
"Hello Mandalore." She greets.
"Hey Dragon, you wanted to see me?"
She nods, and turns to Armsmaster. "Thanks for bringing her."
He nods. "You're welcome. I am needed in a meeting with the director. Would you please let Mandalore out when you are done, Dragon?"
Dragon nods, and Armsmaster leaves the room.
Huh, he must trust me if he's leaving me alone in his lab. Or he trusts Dragon who likely has access to all of its security features. I'm guessing it's probably the latter.
"So what's up Dragon?"
"I wanted to let you know that I have completed a number of Bacta Tanks, and production is already underway on a great many more."
That was fast, but I'm beginning to think speed is this woman's middle name.
"That's good, but I'm having trouble thinking that was all." I prompt.
She nods. "Given the current situation in Brockton Bay, I will be sending five of the completed tanks over. In fact, they are already in transit. They should arrive very soon."
My mood brightens a little at the news.
"That's great, Dragon. We need them."
"I was told that Bakuda's bombs were a serious threat, so I decided to respond. I heard from Armsmaster that the hospital reported you were participating in search and rescue both during and after the attack. How are you doing?"
"I'm fine." I answer a little too quickly.
Dragon sighs. "Mandalore, you can talk to me. I would like to help."
I stare at her digital face, and despite the fact that it is digital, I can see the truth behind her words. It could be an act, but no. That doesn't fit the image I have of Dragon after talking to her.
If anyone can understand, it's probably her.
I slowly sit down in one of Armsmaster's chairs and look at the ground.
"I cut a woman's legs off." I say softly. "She'd been caught in some kind of phasing or teleportation grenade, and her legs were fused into the ground. I was thinking of ways to get her out when another bomb started beeping. I didn't even hesitate, I just cut, and I don't even feel bad about it. I maimed a woman and it didn't even bother me. I just left her at the hospital and flew off."
Dragon's silent for a long moment.
Guess I am a monster.
"Do you know what the Guild does?" She suddenly asks.
I don't trust my voice, so I just nod my head. There's a lot of information about the Guild online.
"Then it shouldn't be a surprise to you that I've faced the Slaughterhouse 9 on more than one occasion." She continues. "One of Jack Slash's favorite tactics is to place you in a situation where you have to make a choice. Where you can either save your friend, or save a school full of children. I've made decisions like that too many times, and I always regret not doing things differently."
I shake my head. "That's the 9 though, this is just a crazy bomb tinker."
"A crazy bomb tinker who would already have a kill order if Watchdog wasn't certain she has some sort of deadman's switch in place." Dragon replies.
I turn to look up at her. "Should you be telling me this?"
"Yes. Because if I have gauged the situation correctly, you want to go after Bakuda. I think you'd prefer to have backup, but I think you'd still try even without it."
"What makes you say that?" I ask. She's not wrong, but I'm not going to say that.
"Because I've been in the same situation you have. So has Armsmaster, and Miss Militia, and every single hero that I personally know. It's not easy, but you need to focus on the good you did. How many people did you save last night? How many people did you help?"
"How many people died?!" I stand up and shout. "I was useless. All I could do was hold a man's hand as he melted in front of me! Why should I pat myself on the back when I couldn't help him?!" I demand.
Dragon frowns, and looks me in the eye. "What would have happened if you weren't there?" I go to respond, but she keeps talking. "I can name at least one person who would be dead without your intervention. Her name is Christine Davis, she lost her husband during a gang altercation three years ago, leaving her the sole caretaker of her two children. Both boys. Both younger than thirteen. She works two jobs while going to night school, all so she can provide for her kids. She was caught in one of Bakuda's bombs last night. The way she described it, it shifted things through one-another. She ended up stuck in the ground unable to move. Just as another bomb was about to kill her, to leave her children without a mother, a hero arrived, and freed her. She and over one-hundred other people have all posted the same three words on PHO. Do you know what those words are?"
I stay silent, and swallow a lump in my throat.
"Thank you Mandalore." Dragon says. "From what I was able to determine, you saved the lives of over fifty people last night, and facilitated the rescue of almost a hundred more."
I hear the door open behind me, and turn around to find a large mechanical suit of armor in the doorway. It has red and black coloring, and the symbol of the world's greatest tinker on its chest.
The screen behind me goes dark, and the Dragon Suit walks forward.
"You were not useless Mandalore." Dragon says. "Nothing that happened was your fault. You were caught in an impossible situation, and you saved a life. Many lives. Be proud of that."
It becomes difficult to breathe, so I reach up with a trembling hand and unclasp my helmet. My hair falls free, and I throw my helmet away. My secondary mask is stifling, so I pull it off and throw it down next to my helmet.
I try to fight the tears, but they come regardless. I fall against a wall and start crying.
Far more gently than I would have thought possible, two large mechanical arms pull me into a hug.
I throw my arms around the metal chassis and start sobbing into Dragon's shoulder.
She holds me, and lets me work out my feelings.
A few minutes pass, and I've started to get myself under control.
"You're not useless." Dragon stresses. "You've already helped more people than you know, and you'll continue to do so. Don't self-destruct because of this, you're stronger than that Mandalore."
"Taylor." I say softly. "You can call me Taylor."
Even though there are no human features on the faceplate, I swear Dragon is smiling at me.
"Then you can call me Tessa. It's good to meet you Taylor."
I inhale a shuddering breath, and step back, wiping the tears from my eyes as I do. "Thanks Tessa. I didn't know I needed that." And I really didn't. Everything seems so much clearer now.
"Of course Taylor. If you ever need anything, all you have to do is ask."
I slowly pull my mask and helmet back on, and use the time to collect myself.
I saved people last night. I kept two kids from being without their mom. I did that.
I take a deep breath, and turn towards Dragon.
"Thank you Dragon. Really."
She nods at me. "Of course Mandalore." She easily slips back into using my cape name.
I shake my head, and take another breath. "I'm good."
"I'm glad to hear it, but please, promise me you won't go after Bakuda alone. If you find a way to track her down, let us help you. Don't throw yourself at her blindly. I don't want to see you hurt because you decided to fight her alone."
I nod my head. "I won't go after her by myself." Now that I'm thinking a little clearer, I can see how stupid that would be. I'll need backup to take her down.
Her suit's head nods at me. "Thank you Mandalore."
The door opens behind her, and she holds an arm out. "Shall we?"
I nod, and the two of us leave the room.
"So," I start in an attempt to occupy my mind with conversation. "what warranted you bringing a suit here? Are you here to help with Bakuda?"
"That is one of the more notable reasons. I used this suit and a few others to accompany the shipment of Bacta Tanks to the bank, villains have already attempted to steal both the designs, and the tanks themselves, so I decided to see to this delivery personally. As we speak they are being set up in the hospital."
That's good.
"I am also here to negotiate with Tattletale." She continues.
I frown behind my helmet. "What's she trying to pull?"
"I cannot tell you everything, but suffice to say her former employment situation was not exactly voluntary. While she will not get away scott free, she is trying to work out a deal with the Guild to improve her situation."
"What about her teammates?" I ask.
"None of them have done anything unforgivable as far as we have been able to determine, so the Protectorate is working with them. I am not sure what will happen to them."
I'm not exactly a fan of the Undersiders after the bank, but so long as they stop being jerks I guess I can live with that. I'm less enthusiastic about Tattletale getting free, but if Dragon keeps an eye on her I guess I can live with it.
Doesn't mean she's not a bitch though.
We reach the lobby and I can see my patrol group gathered together through one of the windows. Looks like they're waiting for me.
"This is where we part ways, Mandalore. I have to meet with the director to discuss what it is I'll be doing here."
I look up at her and nod. "Thanks again Dragon."
"You are welcome." With that, she turns around and heads back toward the elevator.
I look over the Wards and Vicky, and take a deep breath.
I still need to apologize for running out on them don't I? After last night that doesn't seem nearly as daunting.
I walk out the doors, and their conversation comes to a halt as they all see me.
"Sorry to hold you up." I say. "Dragon wanted a word with me."
"That's fine." Vicky says. "We were just chatting, you ready?"
I nod, and turn to the Wards. "Um… sorry I ran out on you guys last time. I've never been that good with people, and I just needed space." Was that a good apology? It sounded alright. Right?
"So I...we didn't scare you off?" Vista asks hesitantly.
I shake my head. "No, it wasn't you guys. Are we good?"
"Yeah! We're good! Put her there." Clockblocker says and holds his hand out to me.
I give it a shake, and am mildly surprised to find everyone in the same position they were a moment ago.
"You didn't freeze me?" I ask.
He lets out a groan while the other two Wards start laughing. "The rest of the Wards thought it would be funny to say on PHO that shaking my hand will get you frozen. I may be a prankster, but I have style. Reusing the same trick over and over would be pathetic."
"Something around here's definitely pathetic." Gallant, the kid in the bronze tinkertech armor says as he walks forward. "We haven't properly met. I'm Gallant, it's good to meet you Mandalore."
He holds out a hand, and I give it a shake. "Mandalore, and likewise."
"Yay! We're all friends! Now let's go, I want to get to the boardwalk before the sun sets." Vicky says.
"How're we getting there?" I ask. I don't see a van anywhere, so I would assume the plan is to use Vista's power.
Sure enough, it's Vista that answers. "I can take everyone who can't fly, or we could all walk there together if you guys are alright with it?"
I go to respond in the positive, but Vicky beats me to it.
"Nope. Mandalore and I need to see who the fastest flyer is, we'll meet you there!" She begins to literally drag me into the air, and I have to fire my jetpack before she can pull my arm out of its socket.
"Uh… I'll see you guys at that old bookstore!" I manage to get out before Vicky's pulled me too far.
The Wards all seem pretty amused at the antics, then space folds around them, and they're suddenly a block away.
"Soooooo, ready to get destroyed, Mandalore?"
I tilt my head at her. "I'm sorry, could you say that again? I couldn't hear you over the sound of my incredibly powerful jetpack." I turn it up to full power, and start rocketing through the sky.
Hey! I bantered, and I didn't mess it up! Go Taylor!
A figure shows up on my hud, and I see Glory Girl beginning to slowly lose ground on me.
Holy crap! I'm actually faster than Glory Girl!
I keep up the speed, and arrive at the old bookstore almost half a minute before Vicky arrives.
"Dang Mandalore, you've got some speed. I'm still stronger than you though!" She says with a good natured grin.
I open my mouth to respond, but am interrupted.
"Hey!"
Vicky and I turn to see the Wards all standing on the ground. Clockblocker is holding his wrist up and looking at one of the clocks on his costume, Gallant just seems amused, and Vista's tapping her foot.
"What took you guys so long?" Vista calls up.
I share a look with Vicky, and she grins.
"We got caught in traffic." She says as we both lower ourselves down. "There was a flock of gulls that were clogging up the passing lane."
"That's strange." Clockblocker says. "Typically you don't see gulls."
The other Wards start groaning, and it takes me a second to get the pun.
Everyone calms down, and Gallant speaks up. "Let's get going."
We all fall in behind him as he starts walking.
After the bombing spree last night, there's not quite as many people on the boardwalk as one would expect, but there's still a large crowd of people.
"It's good to see people out." Vicky says. "We can't let a villain stop us from living."
Gallant nods. "Brocktonites are tough, and we'll get Bakuda. It's just a matter of time."
We walk a little further in silence, before Vista turns to me. "What all can you build?" She asks excitedly. "Kid seemed to think your specialty was something related to personal equipment, but I think there's more to it. Can you build anything bigger?"
The rest of the Wards all seem interested as well.
I swallow heavily, but calm myself down.
She's just curious Taylor, and you can answer without giving anything away.
I nod. "I already told Assault I could build a speeder if I had the right materials. It's basically a floating motorcycle that can move much faster."
Clockblocker stares at me. "You can build a hoverbike?"
I nod. "Assault reacted the same way."
"Please let me have one!" He begs.
I shake my head. "Sorry, if I built one it would be for me, and that's probably not going to happen because I have nowhere to park the thing. It's kind of hard to maintain a secret identity when you have a giant piece of floating tinkertech on your front lawn."
"That's why you should give it to me! I can park it where Armsmaster keeps his bike, and I'll even let you ride it occasionally!"
I stare at him for a few steps. I can't make out any of his features because of his full face mask, but I'm willing to bet he's grinning.
Space folds unnaturally and a small gloved hand slaps Clockblocker upside the head. "Stop being an idiot Clock." Vista says tiredly. "We're working right now."
He turns to her. "Oh, so Clock shouldn't joke around while he's on the clock? Got it."
Vista groans, and the five of us continue on.
We keep talking about bland things like the weather and the people on the boardwalk more to pass the time than anything else.
Vicky ended up dragging us closer to the various stores so she could window shop. She kept talking about how it would be great if her boyfriend bought her a bunch of the stuff, and Clock and Vista snickered quietly.
I didn't get whatever the joke was, but I didn't mind too much. Vicky drawing attention away meant I didn't have to talk as much.
Sadly the silence was short lived as a pair of teenage girls shyly shuffled over to us. I was thinking they maybe had a problem they were hesitant to ask for our help with, but I was very wrong.
"Can we get a picture with you?" The one in the lead asked.
Gallant smiled widely at them and said, "Of course." He motioned them over, and the Wards and Vicky started arranging themselves so they could fit into a selfie with the two teens.
Feeling very out of place, I started to edge away to give them space, but Vicky had other ideas.
"Where are you going?" She asked as she started dragging me back toward the group. "You need to do your civic duty and participate in the art of photography!"
I tried to whisper some protests, but the two girls shifted around to let me in the picture. Not knowing what else to do, I just went along with it.
The girls got their picture, thanked us, and walked off, but they opened the floodgates.
All of a sudden the various people on the boardwalk started swarming us asking for pictures and autographs.
Once again I was supremely glad I decided to go with a full helmet, because I was wide eyed and slack jawed for the entire encounter.
People I had never even seen before that day were walking up to me specifically and asking me to sign notebooks and shirts. It was all surreal, and felt very off.
I'm not a social person, and I'm definitely not good with people, so seeing a horde of cape geeks fawning over me was just weird.
Thankfully, after a lot of signatures and pictures, the crowd began to disperse. Before too long, it was just me, Vicky, and the Wards again.
"Does that happen often?" I ask dumbly in the wake of the last stragglers.
Gallant nods. "Typically they come in small groups, but I think they were excited to see a new hero around."
New hero? Me. He's talking about me.
"But I haven't done that much." I say.
Vicky gives me a deadpan stare. "Haven't done that much? Ames told me about those tanks you made, that alone would be enough, but you were also out during the bombings, and if PHO is to be believed, you helped Armsmaster bring in Lung. Add onto that the fact no one has seen you just walking around, and of course people are going to go crazy for a chance to meet you."
When she puts it like that, it almost makes sense. I've been intentionally avoiding people, so no one has really seen me outside of when I'm 'working'. The only other time I was outside was when I was testing my newly improved jetpack, and I pulled a crowd from that didn't I?
"She's right Mandalore." Gallant says. "You've done good work, and people haven't missed it. I'm kind of surprised you weren't aware they would react like this."
I turn to him. "I did say I'm not good with people right?"
"Could've fooled me." Vicky says slyly.
I tilt my head at her. "What do you mean?"
"Nothing!" She chirps, and starts floating back along our patrol route.
I look at the Wards for help, and they look just as confused as I do.
We move on, and continue our patrol.
The Wards, Vicky, and I idly chat about the various stores, and a few more groups of people walk up to ask for our autographs and pictures, but other than that the rest of our patrol is uneventful.
Gallant gets some orders through an earpiece, and we head back to the PRT headquarters.
We get back, and Gallant holds his hand out to me again. "It was good to meet you Mandalore, and I'm glad you decided to come with us."
I shake his hand and say, "Thanks for having me. If you get any word about Bakuda can you let me know?"
He nods. "Do you have a phone number we could use?"
I trade numbers with the present Wards, and am turning to go when Vicky stops me.
"I was about to swing by the hospital to grab Amy. She stayed over there last night because of the bombings, so she needs a break. Want to come?"
I stop and think about it for a moment.
I'd like to see Amy, and if we're at the hospital anyway I can check in on the Bacta Tanks that Dragon brought with her.
I give Vicky a nod. "I'll come."
She gives me a wide smile. "Great!" She turns back to the Wards, and waves. "See you guys later!" She begins flying off, and I turn my jetpack on.
I float a little ways off the ground, and wave at the Wards. "It was nice seeing you again, and meeting you Gallant."
"Bye Mandalore! If you ever want to join up there'll be a spot for you!" Vista calls up kindly. "Please!" She begs overenthusiastically. "I'm all alone here!"
I chuckle, and Gallant and Clock both say their goodbyes.
With that, I join Vicky where she's waiting a little above me, and we fly towards the hospital.
"So," Vicky starts as we move towards the hospital. "how'd it go last night? Before the bombs went off, it seemed like you guys were having a good time."
"We were. Or, I think we were. I was." Amy seemed to enjoy herself didn't she?
"That's good. Do you think you'd be willing to do it again?"
"Why? Did Amy say something?" I can't stop myself from asking.
Vicky just grins at me and slyly says, "Maybe." She picks up the pace a little, and I adjust to keep up.
We don't talk for the rest of the flight over, and land in front of the hospital.
It just occurred to me, am I allowed to just walk around here? They're probably still dealing with bombing victims, so should I just wait outside?
I tell Vicky about my concerns, and she raises an eyebrow at me.
"Didn't Dragon just bring a bunch of your tanks here? I think I hear mom and aunt Sarah say something about that. I'd say that gives you a little leeway. We'll stop by where they're setting everything up so you can look over 'em."
I think it over and nod.
We both walk in, and walk up to the front desk. The attendant is on the phone, and just waves the two of us by.
I follow after Vicky as she winds her way through the halls like she lives here.
With how often she picks her sister up, it's no surprise that she knows the place so well.
After a short trip on an elevator, the two of us walk into a sitting area where Amy is sat with a large cup of coffee.
"Hey Ames!" Vicky calls as we walk in.
Amy looks up, and her eyes widen slightly when she sees me.
I give her a small wave. "Hi Amy. How are you doing?"
She stands up a little slowly and says, "Tired. How about you? Did you get caught in any of the bombs last night?"
I take that to be her covertly asking if I made it to my lab safely.
I shake my head. "No, I was fine."
"That's good." She takes a long sip of her coffee, and blinks her eyes.
"Have you slept?" I ask after looking her over.
She shrugs. "I got about five hours in, but then I had to get back to work. There were too many urgent cases."
"Hopefully you'll be able to take a break now. Dragon just came to the city with some of the Bacta Tanks. They're supposed to be being set up right now."
Amy nods. "Yeah, I know where they are. You want to go check them out?"
I nod. "Yeah, but go ahead and stay here. I'm sure someone else can show me where they are."
She shakes her head. "It's fine. I need to walk around or I'm going to pass out."
I hesitate briefly, then ask, "Do you want something to help you stay awake for a while? I've got a stim I could give you."
She starts leading us down a hall and throws me a questioning look. "Stim?"
I pull one out and show it to her. "It's basically suped up adrenaline without the side effects."
Vicky looks over my shoulder at it, then raises an eyebrow at me. "Are you trying to addict my sister to weird tinker drugs?"
I quickly shake my head. "No. They only get addictive if you use them in insane quantities. Even three a day isn't enough to do damage, I had to do a lot of work to make them that safe."
Vicky just starts chuckling. "I'm messing with ya, but have you got that stuff cleared yet."
I shake my head. "I only really intended to use them on myself, and I haven't had anything bad happen from using them."
I shrink in on myself a bit, and move to put the stim away. "Nevermind. It's stupid."
Before I can put it away, Amy plucks the stim out of my hand and looks at it.
"Screw it." She says and the needle shoots out. She looks at me. "Leg?"
I nod.
She jams the stim into her leg, and there's a soft hiss as it administers itself.
Amy's eyes go wide and she sighs. "Oh my god that's good." She turns to me now much more awake. "Thanks. Come on, I'll take you to the tanks."
"You're welcome. It'll wear off in thirty minutes to an hour, so try to be in bed by then."
She waves me off, and begins to lead the two of us through the halls.
We take another trip in the elevator, and walk through the halls until we come to a room with a bunch of people in scrubs, as well as a Dragon Suit.
"Hey Dr. Smith." Amy greets as we enter, and a shorter man with greying hair turns to face us. "This is Mandalore," She motions to me. "she's the original designer of these things."
"Hi." I say in greeting. "I was coming to see if you guys wanted help assembling them, but it looks like Dragon's got it handled."
"Actually Mandalore, I would appreciate some help. It's slow going with just myself." Dragon speaks up.
"Uh… ok then, I can help."
I move forward, and am stopped as the shorter Dr., Dr. Smith Amy said, grabs my hand and starts shaking it.
"Thank you Mandalore." He says. "You have no idea how significant this is. I doubt the world will ever be able to repay you for this."
That's a bit dramatic isn't it?
"Um… you're welcome. Glad I could help. I'm just gonna go help set them up now."
I move forward, and the various inhabitants of the room get out of my way.
With both Dragon and myself working in tandem, it only takes around fifteen minutes to get all the tanks operational, and the moment we do, five injured people are wheeled in on hospital beds and gently helped into the tanks.
"Thank you for the assistance Mandalore." Dragon says. "I need to get back to the rig, but it was nice working alongside you."
"Yeah, you too Dragon. This was kind of fun." How many tinkers can say they got to work with Dragon?
Dragon leaves, and I walk back over to Amy and Vicky.
"What are you guys still doing here?" I ask.
Amy shrugs. "They asked me to stay until the tanks were hooked up, and after the stim I didn't see a reason to say no."
"You should get home soon." I caution once more. "That thing will wear off pretty quick here."
She raises an eyebrow at me. "You sound like a nagging nurse."
I huff. "Well excuse me for making sure you don't crash while you're driving or something."
"Aw."
The two of us look over at Vicky. She has her hands clasped together and she's looking at us with a bright expression.
"You two are like an old married couple. It's so adorable!"
Once more, I thank past Taylor for making my helmet. A luxury Amy doesn't possess, meaning her own blush is apparent to anyone who looks for it.
"It was good to see you Taylor." Amy quickly says and starts dragging a cackling Vicky behind her.
"Bye Amy." I say dumbly, and begin walking the other direction. It takes five whole turns to realize I have no idea where I'm going. I track down Dr. Smith and he lets me out on the roof, letting me fly away.
I make a quick stop by the PRT HQ to grab Dragon's package, an affair that takes all of five minutes thanks to Armsmaster being in the lobby, then fly back home.
After a brief stealth walk, I've disarmed and I'm sitting at one of my workbenches with a variety of metal and wiring in front of me.
Bakuda hasn't attacked since last night, but that just means she'll have had time to prepare when she strikes next. I need to find her before then.
I get to work building all the equipment I'll need to track down a homicidal bomb tinker.
Things get kinda dark during a part of this chapter, I kept it within the rules to my knowledge, but let me know if I need to back off. It's tame by my definition, but I'm not the one enforcing the rules.
Anyway, this chapter is only so long because I couldn't find a nice place to end it that didn't feel like a cliffhanger, so don't expect this amount of content each upload.
Also, does anyone have a way to double space without doing it manually? This was painful.
Enjoy!
-Line Break-
As I fly through the Brockton skyline, making a concentrated effort to avoid cameras, I can't help it as my mind wanders a bit.
Yesterday was a rollercoaster. It started out awful, then Dragon called, and it became good. Then I got held hostage by supervillains, then helped stop said supervillains. Then I maybe got outed, and made a fool of myself in front of Amy Dallon.
All of that, and I didn't even get my burger!
I'd say there's no way today could get worse, but I don't want to risk tempting fate right now. Things should go alright today though. Armsmaster called a little while ago to tell me the first shipment from Dragon came in. She wasn't able to get everything together yet, but once more I'm shocked at how efficient she is. The woman is fast.
First she got the Bacta tank cleared in under forty-eight hours, and made me fifty grand to boot, then she shipped out a delivery of tinker materials she heard of yesterday.
I'm starting to wonder if she's this good with everyone, or if I'm getting special treatment. Maybe I impressed her with the Bacta Tank, and she wants to keep me happy in case I make something else like it? I don't know. Whatever the reason, I'm going to take advantage of it.
I slow down as I get closer to the rig, and begin to descend.
Hopefully I can just grab my supplies and go. I'd rather avoid engaging in prolonged conversation if I can help it.
I push open the door and walk up to the front desk.
"Ah, nice to see you again Mandalore." The man behind the desk greets me. "Armsmaster is on his way down to meet you. If you'll have a seat I'm sure he'll be with you…"
The elevator dings, and a man in blue tinkertech armor carrying a large box disembarks.
"...right now." The man behind the desk finishes.
I can't help but smile even though it's covered by my helmet. "Thank you." I say, then start walking to meet Armsmaster.
"Mandalore." He greets, then offers me the large brown shipping box in his arms.
I take it, and give him a nod. "Thanks Armsmaster."
How do I end the conversation without seeming like I'm trying to end the conversation? Should I use the work excuse?
"I'm sure you are wanting to get to work, but could I get a statement from you before you leave?" Armsmaster breaks my train of thought.
Look at that, I didn't even have to make an excuse! He gets it. People are hard. Wait…
"Statement for what?" I ask.
"The Wards informed me, that while they did not see you, you were at the bank when the Undersiders attacked. It would help us if you'd be willing to give your version of events."
I hold back a sigh and nod my head. "Is there anywhere I can put this down while we talk?" I indicate the large crate in my hands.
"You can leave it here." The man behind the desk says. "I'll watch it for you."
I place the box down on his desk with a nod of thanks, and follow Armsmaster into a room with two chairs and white walls.
We both take a seat, and Armsmaster starts fiddling with some controls on his armor.
"If you're ready?"
I nod.
"This is Armsmaster interviewing Mandalore in regards to the incident that took place at Brockton general one day prior. Do you consent to this meeting being recorded?"
"Uh… sure?"
"Thank you, I only have a few questions regarding your involvement yesterday. Panacea said you helped to take down Tattletale?"
I scowl behind my helmet at the mention of the villainess. "Yes. She pulled a gun on Amy and was threatening to shoot her if Glory Girl didn't lock herself in the vault. I snuck up behind her with my stealth field and knocked the gun away. Once her sister was clear, Glory Girl charged in and pinned her up against a wall."
Armsmaster nods. "That matches what the Dallon sisters told us. What happened next?"
"They struggled a bit, and Tattletale's gun went off. I managed to get between Amy and the bullet, and my shield took the shot. After that… Oh crap! Were you guys able to get rid of the footage from the bank's cameras?" I ask, panicked.
Armsmaster nods. "Yes. Once we were informed of the situation we pulled and deleted the footage. I regret we were not as expedient as normal due to how late we learned of the incident, so be cautious in your civilian identity, but all traces of the footage have been destroyed."
Be cautious in my civilian ID? What does that mean?
"Um… so did anyone see my face or not?"
Armsmaster frowns. "I cannot guarantee that we were fast enough to stop any leaks, and for that I apologize. If you need any help from the Protectorate as a result of your actions in the bank, do not hesitate to inform us."
I slump backwards in my chair.
So, 'we maybe, kind of, might have stopped your face from being public knowledge'? That's tremendously helpful. Is it too much to ask for a straight answer?
"Is there any way to know if you were fast enough?"
Armsmaster shakes his head. "Unfortunately there isn't. Dragon and I have done all we can, but we are not sure we were fast enough. Once more, if any issues arise as a result of this we are ready to assist."
I let out a sigh. "Thanks for getting the footage taken down, whatever the case may be. Can we finish up?"
He asks me a few more questions about the events of the bank. Where I went, why I left, nothing I say is met with any judgment. Just a quick nod. The only moment Armsmaster shows emotion is when I mention Tattletale outed me. Apparently he didn't watch the film from the cameras, because that came as a shock to him. He told me he'd look into it, then stopped his recording and walked me back to the front desk.
"Oh! I almost forgot." I reach into a pouch at my waist, and pass him a tablet.
"What's this?" He asks.
"Dragon wanted more blueprints, and I don't really have a good way to send her files. I was wondering if you could maybe pass those along?"
He begins looking over the various technologies on the tablet. "There's quite a lot here." He says after a while.
I shrug. "I figured it was best to give her a lot and hope something sticks."
He hmm's, and looks back down at the tablet. "Agriculture, energy, medicine and more. This is quite diverse." He looks back up at me. "Would you be willing to share what you believe your specialty might be?"
I tense up and swallow a lump in my throat.
"I'd prefer to keep that to myself." I say slowly. "It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that I think I'm wrong."
He looks at me for a long moment, and I remember he has a lie detector in his suit.
I didn't lie though, I'm wrong. I have to be wrong.
Finally, he takes a step back and says, "Very well Mandalore, but please remember, if you need anything Dragon and myself would be willing to assist you."
"Thank you, I'll keep that in mind."
We exchanged a short goodbye, and I flew off with my package in hand.
Even worried about my identity maybe being revealed, I couldn't bottle the excitement as I hurried home.
I've been slowly building my tech from junk for months, and now I finally have quality material. I can't wait to get my hands on this stuff.
I land and quickly stealth my way home. I pull the hatch open, and climb in. I hurriedly tear my armor off and pull on some work clothes. Once everything's stowed, I rush over to a somewhat clean workbench and begin unpacking my new toys.
Ideas fly through my head as I begin sorting everything.
I could start making a speeder out of this stuff! I'd have nowhere to park it though, so sadly that's out. More grenades would be nice, but that seems like a waste of the first good materials I've had since I started. Oh, maybe some higher powered blasters? I've been wanting to make a sniper for quite a while now. I've got it! I can make a...No!
I forcibly halt the thought.
No. I can't make anything like that.
A shiver runs down my spine as the design slowly fades from my head.
I can't build that stuff. I just can't.
Ever since I got my power, I've had ideas for horrible things. Things that would make Nilbog look like Eidolon. Things that are impossible. No tinker has ever had a specialty that diverse and dangerous, so mine has to be something different. It has to be. That's too much power for anyone, let alone a messed up teenage girl. Some of the stuff I've seen can destroy planets. I can't build that.
I need to build something else. Building other stuff makes the bad stuff go away.
I'll make that sniper, I need a long range option that isn't my missile. Everything else I have is melee or mid range. I could also stand to improve my shield and jetpack a bit once that's done. Defense and mobility are arguably more important than offense, and I'll still have some stuff left over when I'm done to use on other projects this way.
I pull my tools out, and get to work.
I lose myself in the work. Pulling things apart, fusing them together, eating a power bar. What? I can eat and work at the same time.
Time gets funny when I work, so all I know when I finish is that it's been hours. I check the clock, and sure enough, it's almost five pm.
When did I get back? Sometime when the sun was visible.
Wow Taylor, that really narrows it down. I really need to start writing down my start times so I know how long I've been out of it.
Looking back at my work table, I can't help but grin. Until this point, I've only made pistols and a couple short range rifles, so the range has been a problem. Sure, the bolt can go an absurd distance even from just the pistol, but aiming is a lot more difficult. This should change that.
The blaster doesn't look all that special, just a black coloring with a long barrel and scope, but it's the first time I've made something like this. My jetpack looks about the same as it did before I started, but I'll be able to get around much faster now. My shield is bulkier, but otherwise still just a curved piece of silver metal. It, too, is stronger. It could probably even take hits from a pissed off Lung now.
My eyes drift back to the sniper, and I pick it up. I look through the scope, and see grey.
I frown, and turn the gun over.
That's not right.
I hold it up to my eye again, and start fiddling with the zoom. I zoom all the way out, and realize what the problem is.
I'm in a 20x30 underground box. Of course I'm not going to be able to test it in here. I'll need to go outside, but it's pretty late right now. I'll test it out tomorrow.
I put the rifle down and begin cleaning up. By clean up, I of course mean shove everything off the center of the table to create more space for working. All told, clean up takes about twenty seconds.
Once clean up is done, I head over to my couch and lie down.
I'll take my newly improved jetpack for a spin tomorrow when I test my rifle, but for now, I'm tired. Tinkering for hours straight will do that to you.
I close my eyes and drift off.
-line break-
I wake up at around nine the next morning, and grab a power bar for breakfast.
I still need to get that greaseburger don't I? I might do it later today if I'm allowed to go shopping in costume.
I strap my armor on, grab my new rifle and strap that on as well, then head out.
Once well enough away from my base, I rocket into the air. I keep the speed controlled as I fly out of the city proper.
While I'm sure people like seeing heroes, they probably don't want to hear the roar of jetpack engines all day long while a tinker tests out her new gear. Plus, I can't really test my rifle in a crowded area.
I pass over the boat graveyard, and head out over the water.
I'm planning on testing the rifle in the boat graveyard, both because of its distance from people and its wide variety of available targets, but for now I want to test my jetpack.
With an anticipatory grin, I turn up the output to full power.
Where before I was coasting along comfortably, now I'm screaming across the sky. Literally. Once the acceleration hits I can't help but yell in glee. I'm going at least four times faster than I was previously. I don't have a speed gauge in my hud, I need to get on that, so I don't know exactly how fast I'm going, but I don't care. It's fast.
I'm hit with the same euphoria I got when I first flew. Miss Militia might be my favorite local hero, but like many other girls my age, Alexandria is my favorite national hero. I had grown up watching videos of her flying through the air, and always wanted to do it myself. When I finally finished my jetpack, I rode the high of flying for days.
That's the feeling I have right now. Unrivaled freedom. It's like I could do anything.
I don't know how long I was rocketing around over the bay, but it was long enough that a large crowd had gathered to watch me. By the time I had noticed them there had to have been around a hundred people, and half of them had their phones out to film me.
The crowd is kind of making me uneasy. It's not that I mind the attention… ok I mind the attention. Is it rude to just fly away without saying anything? Does that break cape etiquette, is there an etiquette for how to deal with people? The protectorate cares about PR, but should I? I'll just give them a wave and leave.
I reluctantly reign in my speed and hover close to my spectators. I bring my right hand up and give them a wave, then blast away before I do something stupid.
That went well right? I didn't fall out of the sky, so I'm counting it as a win.
Moving over towards the boat graveyard, I begin to descend. I land on the roof of one of the larger ships, and take a knee.
Lets see what this baby can do.
I unsecure my rifle and begin to sight in.
Currently, I'm positioned at the southern end of the boat graveyard, and I can clearly see the northern end when I zoom in.
Time to see if I can hit anything.
I lay down on the roof and take up a shooting position I've been practicing with a broom.
Don't judge me! I don't have a sniper rifle before now, and my other rifles aren't long enough.
Anyway, after so long practicing with a broom, it's nice to move up to the real thing. I've been itching to try this ever since I got my power, proper shooting positions were a part of my info dump. My tinker powers are the best tinker powers.
Now in position, I flick the safety I installed off and set the rifle for stun.
I might not be able to see anyone downrange, but my hud has too small a range to pick anyone up, and if I do hit someone I'd rather it be with a stunner.
I sight in on a ship's window across the graveyard, and get my breathing under control.
Once ready, I squeeze the trigger and feel a large amount of kick as the blaster fires. I watch through the scope as the bolt flies right through the window and into the wall behind it.
I grin, and move to another window. I fired again with the same result.
For the next half hour I pick targets and break in my new gun.
She's beautiful if I do say so myself. While I probably won't bring her out as often as my pistols, extreme range is a luxury in a lot of cape fights from what I've researched, I'm glad I now have the option.
Content that I can use the gun without the shot going somewhere I don't want it to, I strap it back on and stand.
Time to head home.
I activate my jetpack and roar into the air once more. I angle toward the area I typically land in, when I see a shape flying towards me from my left.
I let my hands trail down my body until they're resting near my pistols.
All the flyers in Brockton Bay are well known, and a lot of them are villains. I'm not taking any chances.
I slow down a little so whoever it is can catch up, worst case scenario I just use my new speed to run. I'd rather avoid getting into a fight above the city if at all possible.
As the flyer gets closer, I'm able to make out more detail and I relax.
I might not have met her many times, but I have interacted with Glory Girl enough to recognize her. It looks like she's carrying Amy too. Both of them are wearing civvies. Shouldn't the two of them be in school right now?
Actually, by that logic, so should I.
I slow down until I'm moving at a snail's pace, and the New Wave capes quickly catch up.
"Hiya!" Glory Girl says in greeting. "How's it going?"
"Pretty good, I was just testing out some gear. I improved my jetpack a bit, and I wanted to see how fast I could go."
Glory Girl grins at me. "We'll have to race some time." She looks down around her sister at the small crowd gathering below us. "You want to take this to a roof?"
What's the harm? I can socialize for a few minutes. I'm capable of that. There's nothing wrong here. I still haven't answered have I?
"Sure."
Glory Girl smiles, and leads me down to the roof of one of the taller buildings in the area.
We both land, and she lets Panacea down.
"Oh!" Glory Girl suddenly exclaims. "I left my phone behind. Be right back!" She flies off.
"Vicky!" Amy moves after her, but stops and huffs out a sigh. She turns around and gives me a small wave. "Hi."
"Hi."
The conversation grinds to a halt and we just stare at each other awkwardly.
Quick, think of something! Anything! Anything is better than silence!
"Does your sister leave you on roofs with strange tinkers often?"
What the hell was that?! Of course that doesn't happen! How socially inept are you?!
"Uh… no. Not often." She stammers out. "How's your day been?"
"Good. Just testing out my jetpack."
She flinches slightly.
Oh crap, I already said that didn't I? I need something else to talk about, the bank! Ask her if she's ok.
"So how are you doing? After the bank I mean, nothing wrong?"
She perks up. "Nope. Everything's good. I'm doing fine. Are you alright? You were the one who got shot."
"Oh no, I'm fine. The shield took the hit, so I didn't even get scratched."
"That's good."
"Yep."
The awkward silence slowly creeps back in.
Ok, do better this time. Don't say anything stupid, just…
"CanIhaveyournumber?" Amy says in one breath.
"What?" Is my learned reply.
"Can I have your number?" Amy repeats slower. "Sorry, that sounds weird. It's just, I already know who you are, and I was thinking we could maybe hang out sometime? I don't have many friends and you seem cool, so can I have your number?" She deeply inhales once she finishes.
Well I did not expect this when I woke up this morning. I don't really have a reason to say no though, and quite a few to say yes. This is your chance to make a friend, Taylor! Don't mess it up!
"Uh, yeah. Hang on." I pull my tinkertech phone out and pull the number up.
Amy looks at it, and frowns slightly. "You're giving me your work phone?"
What? This is my only phone.
...A fact she has no way of knowing.
"This is the only phone I have. I couldn't really afford a regular one, so I just made one." Why did you tell her that much?
Amy brightens back up. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to dig around for information."
I shake my head. "It's alright. It's kinda weird, so I get it."
We exchange numbers, and I put my phone away.
"So are you free later today?" She asks hesitantly.
"Yeah. All I really needed to do today was test my stuff, and I did that, so I'm free. Why?"
"Um, is it alright if I call you to set something up? We can maybe get coffee, or dinner, or see a movie or something."
Wow, that actually sounds kind of nice. Maybe this friend thing isn't so bad?
"Yeah, I'd like that. What time?"
"Would somewhere around three work?"
"Yeah. Like I said, I don't really have to do anything today."
"Great!"
"Cool."
"Yep."
"Yeah."
…
Is it possible to build something to kill awkward silences?
Luckily, Vicky returns before I dream up any doomsday devices.
"Sorry about that! So, what's up?"
"Not much, Amy and I were just going to get together later today."
"Oh really?" Vicky drags out the words and turns towards her sister with a grin.
Amy shrinks in on herself a bit, and her face starts to heat up. "Um… we should… class."
"Class?" I ask.
Vicky nods. "We're kinda skipping right now. Don't tell anyone." She gives me a conspiratorial wink. She turns back to Amy. "Guess we should get going."
"I'll call you later Tay… Mandalore." Amy says as her sister picks her up.
"See ya Mandalore!" Vicky takes off into the air, leaving me on the roof alone.
Did that really just happen? I could've sworn I just got Amy Dallon's phone number.
After pulling out my phone I can confirm that that did, in fact, just happen.
I really don't know how to react to that.
I guess I'm going out tonight, I'll need to stop by a bank to pull out some of Dragon's money. Hopefully this one won't get attacked by supervillains.
Is it tacky to go to Fugly Bob's for friendly outings?
Amy will know what to do, she's the one who set this up after all.
With that thought, I activate my jetpack and head home.
-line break-
I tap my foot on the ground, and look up at the clock again.
3:07 pm.
Did something come up? Maybe she got held back at school or something. Or she might have come across a car accident and helped people. She's Panacea, that's something she'd do.
Did she forget? She might have forgotten. Maybe there was a car accident and she forgot. It's fine if she forgot because of a car accident. I can't hold that against her.
I start tapping my foot faster as another thought occurs to me.
Maybe the whole thing was a joke? It wouldn't be the first time. Maybe she just…
The phone in my hand lets out a shrill ring, and I answer it immediately.
"Hello?"
"Hi Mandalore, Taylor, Manda… It's Amy."
"You can call me Taylor, Amy."
"Hi Taylor."
"Hi Amy. So what did you want to do?"
"I was thinking we could maybe get something to eat, or maybe watch a movie?"
"We could do both." I prompt.
"Both works." She says quickly. "Movie first?"
"That sounds good. Where do you want me to meet you? It might take me a bit to get there from my lab without my jetpack."
"Oh that's fine, I can wait. You know that theater on Jefferson?"
I quickly put my helmet on and look through the built in GPS. "Yep. I know where it is. You want to meet there?"
"Yeah, I'll have Vicky drop me by the door in about an hour. Will that give you enough time to get there?"
I nod, then almost facepalm when I remember I'm on the phone. "It should be plenty of time. I'll see you there."
"Bye."
"Bye."
I hang up and drop the phone. I lay back heavily into the couch and take a deep breath.
That was a minute-long conversation on the phone, and I'm already on edge. This is going to go great isn't it?
I take another deep breath, then push off the couch. I already have everything that I'm going to take with me, just the same stuff I brought to the bank with the exception of a different shield, so I climb up the hatch and start making my way towards a bus stop.
It takes me the better part of an hour to make it to the theater, mostly because without my hud I got lost, but I manage to make it before Amy, so I count that as a win.
Unlike when I sat by the phone, I didn't have to wait too long before I saw Vicky flying over with Amy in her arms. She landed, and let Amy down.
"Hi!" Vicky says. "We haven't properly met yet, I'm Vicky." She holds a hand out.
What is she doing? She knows I'm Mandalore. Oh, the people around us don't. She's obviously better at the whole capre thing then I am.
"Taylor." I say and shake her hand.
She nods. "Good to meet you. Sorry I have to take off so quick, but I have a date to get to. Be nice to my sister!" She takes off once more, and is gone after a few seconds.
I turn to Amy and wave. "Hi."
"Hi."
Having planned for this eventuality while I was sitting in my lab, I walked up to her, and began ushering us towards the board that shows what's playing.
"Did you have something specific you wanted to see?"
She shakes her head. "I don't really know what's playing. I don't get out too much, so I don't keep up with that kind of thing."
And all my planning just became useless.
"I don't really get out much either. I haven't really gone out with friends for awhile, and I haven't seen a movie for years."
We both look over the listings for a moment.
There's a couple action movies, four separate cape stories, a comedy, and a really cheesy looking romance.
I got enough action against Lung, and my life has become a cape story. I also doubt Amy brought me here to watch a crappy romance movie.
"Comedy?" I ask.
She nods. "That works."
We paid for our tickets, I made a run to the bank right after I got out of my armor, and head inside.
"Are we supposed to get popcorn?" I ask Amy. "Isn't that a thing you do at the movies?"
She smiles and nods. "You really haven't seen a movie have you?"
I shrug. "We went to a couple before mom died, but haven't been since."
Amy's smile disappears. "Sorry." She says softly.
I shake my head. "It's ok. It's been years since she died, I won't say I'm over it, but I moved on."
She nods, and we continue on in silence.
We get our popcorn, then head into our showing.
Two hours later, and we're walking out of the theater. The mood is much lighter and we're both chuckling.
The movie was decent, but nothing to write home about. In fact it was pretty mediocre. I only really started laughing when Amy and I started quietly making fun of the characters. We kept that up for the rest of the showing, and it became a lot more fun. We'd randomly burst out laughing during a serious part, and get a lot of funny looks, but that only made it better.
The two of us stop on the sidewalk and face one-another, both of us sporting smiles.
"So dinner?" Amy prompts.
I scratch the back of my head. "This might sound weird, but can we go to Fugly Bob's?"
Amy raises an eyebrow. "That's fine. Any particular reason you want to go there?"
"Uh…" I take a quick glance around, and, noticing the people, gesture for Amy to follow me.
She does so with a curious expression
"Back when I was just starting to get my stuff together," I begin now that we're alone on the sidewalk. "I kind of promised myself that I'd treat myself to Fugly Bob's when I finally went out. Between Lung, meeting with Armsmaster, the Bacta Tank, and the robbery, I haven't really gotten the chance to yet."
She raises another eyebrow. "You were going to 'treat yourself' to Fugly Bob's?"
I frown at her. "I was on a budget. That only changed recently when the Bacta Tank took off. I'm still not rich by any means, but I can afford more than power bars and ramen."
Amy's expression turns apologetic. "I'm sorry. That was kind of messed up of me."
I wave her off. "It's fine. I wasn't really in the best place at the time, but things are looking better now."
We walk a few more blocks in companionable silence until we reach Fugly Bob's, and order some grease burgers with extra grease.
Yes! Finally!
Amy takes a bite, and makes a face. "Mine tastes like grease. What's yours taste like?"
I take a large bite, and hum contentedly. "Progress." I say in a regal voice, before taking another bite.
Amy snorts and shakes her head. "You might want to check your burger. I think a Merchant might've slipped you something."
We giggle, and continue to eat our respective meals.
"So," Amy begins. "What do you do for fun?"
I raise an eyebrow. "That came out of left field."
She grins slyly. "If you'd rather talk about the progress burger, I could probably check it for illicit substances." She begins to reach towards my burger, but I shield it with my body much to her amusement.
My greaseburger! I earned this!
"I'll take that as a no. So, hobbies?" She asks again.
I put down my burger and think for a moment.
What do I do for fun? I haven't really had a hobby for awhile now. I still have those books I brought from the house, so I guess that counts.
"I like to read. That and the other thing." I say the last part quieter.
Amy rolls her eyes. "That doesn't count."
"Fine then, What do you do for fun?" I turn her own question against her.
She opens her mouth, then closes it. She thinks for a moment, then says, "I like to read, I guess. That and heal people."
I give her a deadpan stare. "Healing doesn't count."
She opens her mouth, and once more stops herself. She stares down at the table for a second before looking up at me. "I just realized I don't have fun."
I cough as I inhale some of the tea I was drinking. I hack for a while longer before Amy takes pity on me, and grabs my hand. My airway clears and I'm able to breathe easy again.
"Thanks." I say seriously. "You didn't have to do that, I would've been fine."
She looks taken aback. "Why wouldn't I? You were right in front of me."
I shrug. "Well you just said you don't have fun. I don't either if the other thing doesn't count, so if we're both here to have fun you shouldn't do your other thing either."
Wow that sounded stupid out loud. And everything was going so well.
I open my mouth to apologize for the stupid statement, but Amy seems thoughtful.
"Thanks." She says.
"Um, you're welcome, but thanks for what?"
She smiles at me. "That's the first time someone's told me I don't have to use my power. I guess I've just gotten used to being Panacea."
I tilt my head in confusion. "People expect you to use your power? What about Vicky and your parents? Don't they back you up?"
Her smile turns into a scowl. "Vicky doesn't say anything one way or the other, but Carol pushes me to heal as much as possible, and I honestly wonder if Mark even notices most of the time."
Woah, I did not mean to step on that landmine. Gotta find a way to backpedal so I…
"What about you?" She asks.
"What do you mean?"
"I know you said your mom passed, but what about your dad? How's he with the other thing?"
My stomach sinks, and my smile fades.
How much should I say? I don't really want to go into detail, but I pried into her personal life, so I owe her a little.
"I'm living on my own." I say quietly. "My dad's… I don't even know anymore."
Amy's eyes widen, and she reaches out to take my hand. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pressed."
I shake my head. "I did first, it's alright. How about we just move on?"
She nods, and we eat in silence for a bit.
The silence begins to be uncomfortable, and I search for a topic.
What about the Bacta Tanks? There's not really anyone near our table, which is why we were so open about 'the other thing', so we could talk about that, but that's work stuff. Oh, I know.
Taking a quick glance to ensure no one's sat near us, I say, "What did you do with that bacta fluid I gave you?"
Her eyes widen a bit, before she controls herself. "Um… would you believe me if I said I just like looking at it?"
"Huh?" I say. That wasn't what I was expecting.
"Yeah, my power maps out biological organisms, and when I looked at the bacta it was unlike anything I've ever seen before. I take it out sometimes just to let my power look at it."
I tilt my head at her. "I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't that."
She giggles. "Well, sorry I don't live up to your expectations."
I chuckle, and we both finish eating pretty quickly. We get the bill squared away, and head outside. The sun's starting to go down, causing the sky to turn into a cool grey.
"Did the progress burger live up to the expectation?" Amy asks as we walk.
I smile. "Yep. I don't think I could have picked a better way to celebrate." I reach my arms above my head and stretch out my muscles. I relax again and turn back towards Amy to find her staring at me. Her cheeks have a light dusting of red.
"Amy?" I ask.
She shakes her head, and looks up at me. "I'm fine. Can you walk me over to the park off Second? That's where Vicky's picking me up."
I nod, and the two of us walk in the direction of the park. We reach it before too long, and sit down on a bench to wait for Glory Girl.
"I had a lot of fun tonight." Amy says suddenly.
I look over at her and smile. "Me too. Thanks for inviting me out, I'd probably have tinkered and went to bed otherwise."
She smiles back. "You're welcome."
She reaches over and grabs my hand, and holds my gaze.
She has pretty eyes. Before I can stop myself, I find myself leaning closer. Amy moves the same, and I slowly start to close…
"Hey you two." A cheery blonde says as she comes in for a landing. "Enjoying yourselves?" She asks with a wide grin.
Amy and I jump apart. I feel my cheeks heating up, and stare straight ahead.
Where the hell did that come from Taylor? Get a hold of yourself.
Vicky laughs, and walks towards Amy. "Didn't mean to interrupt anything, but we need to get home Ames."
Amy nods robotically, and stands up. "Thanks for coming out tonight Taylor."
I nod at her. "Thanks for inviting me."
Vicky's grin widens. "Aw, aren't you two…"
*BOOM*
A bright flash of orange accompanies the sound and Amy and I are thrown to the ground. My shield activates in response to something, then quickly shuts itself off.
I groggily rise to my feet, and realize I pulled out my blaster at some point.
Someone shoves my shoulder, and I see three Vicky's shaking me. A group of Amy's stand behind her.
"...oo ok?" Vicky practically shouts.
I wave her off as she comes into focus. "I'm good. What happened?"
She shakes her head. "I don't know!"
"Vicky…" Amy says quietly.
Vicky and I look over at her, and see her staring at what was once a nearby building. There's a large spherical hole just missing.
Another explosion draws our attention from the east, and we see a flash of green. Another from the north, this time a flash of blue.
"What the hell is going on?" I say to no one in particular.
"Vicky. Hospital." Amy says clipped.
Vicky nods, and picks her up. She turns to me with a look of concern. "Will you be alright."
I nod. "I have my shield, and we're relatively close to my lab. I'll armor up, then get out there."
Vicky nods, and a rainbow colored explosion draws all three of our attention.
Vicky starts to rise, and Amy quickly says, "Stay safe!"
"You too!" I manage to get out before Vicky pours on the speed.
Ok, things just went from great to hellscape in now. I need to get my gear.
I take off at a dead sprint in the direction of my lab, luckily I'm fairly close considering how big the city is. As I run, more and more explosions signal the detonation of more and more bombs.
What is happening?
A loud explosion followed by a white flash from my left once more knocks me to the ground.
I get up, and am about to keep running when I hear screaming from the direction of the explosion.
After hesitating a brief second, I turn and run towards the building.
The brick wall was blown out by the explosion, so I ran through the hole and took a look around.
I stop in horror as I take in the scene.
There are four intact bodies, and an indistinguishable number of melted corpses. The air is thick with the stench of burning flesh. It looks like the bomb was storing something akin to napalm, and unleashed it in every direction. Those closest to the blast were melted into slag before they could blink. The only reason there are four people still intact is because the ones closer to the epicenter took the brunt of the damage. Of the four intact bodies, only one is still alive. A middle aged man whose lower half has been melted away.
I run forward, and begin looking over him.
"It's ok, just breathe." I blabber. I am not qualified for this.
The man just keeps screaming, but his screams are slowly growing weaker.
"No. Nononononono." I look around for anything I can use to help him, but there's nothing around but melted mush.
The man's eyes find mine, and he reaches out for me. I grasp his hand and squeeze it tight as the light slowly fades from his eyes. The screams die in his throat, and his grip goes slack.
I release him and stumble backwards. I walk out through the hole in the wall in a daze. I move to take another step, but I fall to my hands and knees and vomit the entire contents of my stomach.
I stay like that for a long time. The only thing that breaks me from my mindless zoning is the sound of another distant explosion.
I look over towards where I heard the explosion, then back at the scene I just left. I wipe my mouth and stand. I clench my fists, and begin walking back towards my lab.
Whoever did this is going to fucking pay.
I slowly pick up the pace until I'm in an all out sprint.
Even running as fast as I can, it takes far too long to make it back. I counted seven other explosions in the time it took me to make it back here.
I hastily input the code and throw the hatch open. I ignore the ladder, instead just falling inside. I roll with the fall and come up near my armor. I tear my civvies off, and begin to pull my armor on. My contacts get ripped out of my eyes as my helmet comes on, and I begin marching out of my lab.
I slam the hatch closed behind me as an afterthought, and rocket into the air.
I hover for a moment, waiting.
An explosion sounds from behind me, and I rocket in that direction. I land near ground zero,and my heart falls at the sight.
A large group of people has been fused into the ground, the walls, and each other. It looks like they were all randomly teleported, and the majority of them lost their heads or a large part of their torsos. There's only one who is still breathing. A woman whose legs have both been fused with the ground above the knee.
I move up and sit down next to her.
"Ma'am, can you hear me?"
She looks up at me with wide, fear filled, eyes and jerkily nods.
"My name is Mandalore, I'm a hero. I can't get you out of here without seriously injuring you. I'm going to get the PRT and then we can…"
I hear ticking behind me, and snap around.
There's a small square black of blue material with a red blinking light on it.
Bomb!
The woman notices too and begins to scream and claw at the ground.
I have to get her out of here fast!
Only seeing one option, I put a finger in her mouth length wise.
"Bite down!" I say, and she does so immediately.
In one swift movement I pull my lightsaber out and cut through her legs. She bites down hard on my fingers, but my armor makes it so I feel nothing.
Not wasting any time, I deactivate my lightsaber, pick up the woman, and rocket out of the building.
I make it clear just as the explosion is triggered. I don't look behind me, instead carrying the now screaming woman towards the hospital.
From the sky, it's apparent they're swarmed. There are screaming people in the street, and medical personnel running in between them.
I land in the nearest open space, and a man in scrubs runs up to me.
"I'll take her." He says, and I pass her over.
I take one more look around the victims, then fly back into the sky.
-line break-
The rest of the night I did the same thing. I would fly to the site of an explosion, and bring anyone who survived to the hospital. Any people who couldn't be moved I would make sure were safe, and wait with them until the paramedics showed up.
I passed Vicky and a few other heroes a couple times, but when we saw each other we kind of had an unspoken agreement to split up and cover more area, so that's what I did. Vicky would fly one way, Assault and Battery would run another, Velocity would run a third direction, and I would fly off in a fourth.
Every bomb site I found was filled with screaming people and dead bodies. I did my best, but couldn't help feeling like it wasn't enough.
I felt so useless.
I was playing clean up, I couldn't do anything for the people who were already dead, and I had to step over their corpses to get anyone who was still alive out.
I saw people turned to glass, people melted, people turned inside out, people turned to ice, and more.
The only good news is the explosions themselves stopped soon after starting, all told the PRT determined there were forty-two bombs that went off.
I did everything I could, but eventually my body stopped cooperating. I jammed stims into my leg, but they only helped for so long. It got to the point where one of the nurses I was delivering survivors to literally slapped me in the helmet so I would pay attention to her. She told me if I came back she'd strap me to a bed and force me to sleep. I tried to argue, but she just walked away.
After realizing that the sun was coming up, I decided to take her advice. I flew straight back to my lab, stealth forgotten, and fell in. I pulled my armor and clothes off, and turned the Bacta Tank on.
I wasn't injured during my search and rescue, but that doesn't mean I couldn't go for a luxury bath right now.
I put the mask on, and stepped in.
The liquid wasn't even up to my chest before I fell asleep.
-line break-
A soft flushing sound pulls me from my sleep.
I blink my eyes, and realize the tank is purging itself. I ride the liquid down until I'm sitting on the bottom of the tank, and just stare blankly ahead.
It seems like every preconception I had about being a hero is being systematically torn to shreds. Logically I knew there were horrible villains out there, you can't research capes and not come across monsters like the Slaughterhouse 9. I guess I just didn't expect I'd ever have to face something like that.
I lean back against the tank and press my hands into my forehead.
I cut a woman's legs off last night. I didn't even stop to think about it, because the alternative was letting her die. Am I a monster? I took away someone's ability to walk and It doesn't even bother me. What kind of hero am I?
A shrill ringing from outside the tank draws my attention. My phone is ringing from it's pouch in my armor.
Only three people have my number, and all of them are in the middle of this. I can't ignore that.
I force myself to my feet and tear the Bacta mask off. I push the sliding door open, and walk over to my armor to answer my phone.
"Hello?"
"Mandalore." Armsmaster's voice greets me. "I heard you were taking part in search and rescue last night, are you well?"
What kind of question is that?
"I'm as well as can be expected." I respond a little heatedly.
"I apologize, I was not attempting to be inconsiderate, but I need to know if you are fit for action. The Protectorate is hosting a meeting with the local heroes to coordinate against Bakuda, and I would like for you to come if you are able."
Bakuda. The ABB's new bomb tinker. Bomb tinker. She did this. She did this.
"Where are we meeting?" I ask much more calmly than before.
"We are gathering at the PRT HQ, please be here within the hour." There's a click as he hangs up.
I put my phone back in my armor's pouch, and started pulling it on.
There's a thin layer of dust and grime from last night, but I don't care. We need to stop Bakuda from doing this again, so I need to get to that meeting.
I leave my sniper, but bring my blasters and lightsaber.
More out of habit than desire, I stealth away from my base before flying full speed towards the PRT headquarters.
As I fly, I'm surprised to see so many people out this morning. The streets aren't as busy as they usually are, but they're not empty either. I would've thought that a homicidal bomb tinker would have sacred people enough to stay home, but apparently I'd be wrong.
Thanks to my new speed, my flight is short, and before long I'm walking through the doors.
The woman behind the front desk looks up at me. "Mandalore?"
I nod. "I was told to meet here, is there somewhere I should go?"
She nods, and gestures down a hallway. "Take the elevator up to the third floor, then take a right. There's a conference room at the end of the hall."
"Thank you." I follow her instructions and board the elevator. I hang a right once I disembark, and begin to overhear a conversation.
"...priority is securing the city. We do not have Bakuda's location, and cannot act until we do."
I pull open the door, and the conversation halts.
Standing around a conference table are Protectorate members Armsmaster, Miss Militia, Assault, Battery, as well as New Wave members Lady Photon, Brandish, Flashbang, and Shielder.
"Mandalore, thank you for joining us." Armsmaster greets.
"Sorry I'm late." I say as I awkwardly shuffle to the edge of the room.
"It's alright, as I was just saying our first priority is keeping the city safe. We don't know where Bakuda is hiding, and attacking her in her lab could create more problems than it solves."
"Why is she doing this?" I ask the question that's been bothering me since I woke up. "Does she want you to let Lung go?"
Miss Militia shakes her head. "She released a video early this morning claiming she now ran the ABB. We believe she is trying to make a name for herself."
The psycho is blowing up the city for street cred?
I take a breath, and turn back to Armsmaster. "So how do we keep the city safe."
He turns to a screen behind him that lights up with a map of the city. He begins pointing to different parts of it, and says, "These are the areas most affected by Bakuda's bombs, we need to show a heavy presence in downtown. The boardwalk was only hit by a single bomb, and there were minimal casualties from it. I believe it would be best if we break into smaller teams with members of New Wave alongside the Protectorate and Wards, it will present a united front against this threat."
I look around the room, and see everyone bobbing their heads up and down.
That's it? We're getting together so we can walk around in groups? What about actually doing something?
"Um… I get that I'm new here, but what exactly will this do?" I ask the room.
Lady Photon, a blonde woman in a white costume with no mask, turns to me. "We need to let the citizens know we're here to protect them, or else morale will crumble."
"Ok, I get that, but what about Bakuda? Are we just going to let her run free?"
Brandish, Lady Photon's sister and Amy's mom, scoffs. "Did you not hear Armsmaster? We don't know where she is, and attacking a tinker in her lab is a bad idea. We can't do anything until she comes out into the open."
I look between the heroes in the room, and see everyone looking at me.
Are they really just going to sit around and wait for the next attack? We need to do something now.
I turn back to Armsmaster. "Is there anything we can do?"
Armsmaster shakes his head. "Until we have her location, or she shows herself, we cannot do anything to stop Bakuda. The best we can do is ensure we have heroes in the area in case she strikes again."
I begin to tune out the meeting as I try to figure out a way to find Bakuda.
Short of flying around the entire city to map it with my hud there's not much I can do. I'd need something to track before I can even start to search. Well, she's a tinker right? Both Armsmaster and I have computers in our labs, albeit mine is rudimentary, but Bakuda should have a pretty decent one with the ABB's resources. I could maybe build a better rig and try to slice into her own rig.
"Mandalore?"
I look up at Armsmaster.
"Would you be willing to patrol with some of the wards?"
I think about it, then nod. "Yes." A bomb tinker is more important than my social issues. "And Armsmaster? Did you get that second shipment from Dragon yet?"
Assault breaks out into a grin. "Is Halbeard getting special deliveries from Dragon?"
Battery rams her elbow into his side and glares at him.
Armsmaster ignores the two of them and nods at me. "I brought it with me when you said you would join us, is there any particular reason you are asking?"
I nod. "I might have a way to track down Bakuda, but I need to build it first. I should have enough materials in my lab, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I'll get to work on it as soon as I'm done with my patrol."
"Good. Now, let's discuss the patrol teams."
The Protectorate and New Wave heroes spend the next several minutes breaking themselves into groups. I didn't pay attention to every team, only my own. I got grouped up with Gallant, Glory Girl, Clockblocker, and Vista, and we're supposed to patrol the boardwalk. We'll patrol first, then the rest of the Wards and Shielder will take over for us. Apparently none of the adults want the Wards to patrol in their usual small groups what with the threat of an angry bomb tinker attacking at a moment's notice, so they're making sure all the younger heroes have a lot of backup.
The meeting ends once the teams are finalized, and we all start to make our way out of the room.
"Mandalore? A moment please?" Armsmaster says.
I hang back while the others leave.
"How close is your lab." He looks to the ceiling for a moment, then looks back at me. "Apologies, I do not need to know its location, I was merely wondering if you would have time to ferry your supplies there before your patrol begins."
I shake my head. "I could probably make it if I flew straight there, but I'd rather not leave smoke trails leading to my base."
He nods. "Very well then, I will keep the package in my lab until such a time as you require it."
I tilt my head. "I thought you said you brought it here?"
He nods. "I have a smaller secondary lab within the building in case I need to tinker while my position requires I be here."
That makes sense I guess.
"Is that it?" I ask.
He shakes his head. "Dragon wanted to speak with you while you were present, if you would follow me."
I fall into step behind him as he leaves the room. We wind through a few halls, and come to a tinkertech door similar to the one leading to his lab on the rig. Sure enough, he places the thumb of
his armor down on a pad, and the door opens.
Giving the lab a quick once over as we walk in, I can tell this is definitely not where he spends most of his time. There's not nearly as much equipment, and there's a wrench sitting on one of his workbenches. From what I saw of his other lab, that is a major irregularity. There's also a large brown box sat on the ground near the door that I assume to be my delivery from Dragon.
Armsmaster gives the room a once over as well, and quickly picks the wrench up, before walking it to a specific drawer. He turns to me and says, "I apologize for the mess, it has been a week since I was last here." then walks over to a computer.
Did he seriously just apologize for a wrench? My lab is hard to walk around in in certain places, a wrench is nothing.
Armsmaster types away at a keyboard, and a large screen on the wall. Dragon's avatar appears a moment later
"Hello Mandalore." She greets.
"Hey Dragon, you wanted to see me?"
She nods, and turns to Armsmaster. "Thanks for bringing her."
He nods. "You're welcome. I am needed in a meeting with the director. Would you please let Mandalore out when you are done, Dragon?"
Dragon nods, and Armsmaster leaves the room.
Huh, he must trust me if he's leaving me alone in his lab. Or he trusts Dragon who likely has access to all of its security features. I'm guessing it's probably the latter.
"So what's up Dragon?"
"I wanted to let you know that I have completed a number of Bacta Tanks, and production is already underway on a great many more."
That was fast, but I'm beginning to think speed is this woman's middle name.
"That's good, but I'm having trouble thinking that was all." I prompt.
She nods. "Given the current situation in Brockton Bay, I will be sending five of the completed tanks over. In fact, they are already in transit. They should arrive very soon."
My mood brightens a little at the news.
"That's great, Dragon. We need them."
"I was told that Bakuda's bombs were a serious threat, so I decided to respond. I heard from Armsmaster that the hospital reported you were participating in search and rescue both during and after the attack. How are you doing?"
"I'm fine." I answer a little too quickly.
Dragon sighs. "Mandalore, you can talk to me. I would like to help."
I stare at her digital face, and despite the fact that it is digital, I can see the truth behind her words. It could be an act, but no. That doesn't fit the image I have of Dragon after talking to her.
If anyone can understand, it's probably her.
I slowly sit down in one of Armsmaster's chairs and look at the ground.
"I cut a woman's legs off." I say softly. "She'd been caught in some kind of phasing or teleportation grenade, and her legs were fused into the ground. I was thinking of ways to get her out when another bomb started beeping. I didn't even hesitate, I just cut, and I don't even feel bad about it. I maimed a woman and it didn't even bother me. I just left her at the hospital and flew off."
Dragon's silent for a long moment.
Guess I am a monster.
"Do you know what the Guild does?" She suddenly asks.
I don't trust my voice, so I just nod my head. There's a lot of information about the Guild online.
"Then it shouldn't be a surprise to you that I've faced the Slaughterhouse 9 on more than one occasion." She continues. "One of Jack Slash's favorite tactics is to place you in a situation where you have to make a choice. Where you can either save your friend, or save a school full of children. I've made decisions like that too many times, and I always regret not doing things differently."
I shake my head. "That's the 9 though, this is just a crazy bomb tinker."
"A crazy bomb tinker who would already have a kill order if Watchdog wasn't certain she has some sort of deadman's switch in place." Dragon replies.
I turn to look up at her. "Should you be telling me this?"
"Yes. Because if I have gauged the situation correctly, you want to go after Bakuda. I think you'd prefer to have backup, but I think you'd still try even without it."
"What makes you say that?" I ask. She's not wrong, but I'm not going to say that.
"Because I've been in the same situation you have. So has Armsmaster, and Miss Militia, and every single hero that I personally know. It's not easy, but you need to focus on the good you did. How many people did you save last night? How many people did you help?"
"How many people died?!" I stand up and shout. "I was useless. All I could do was hold a man's hand as he melted in front of me! Why should I pat myself on the back when I couldn't help him?!" I demand.
Dragon frowns, and looks me in the eye. "What would have happened if you weren't there?" I go to respond, but she keeps talking. "I can name at least one person who would be dead without your intervention. Her name is Christine Davis, she lost her husband during a gang altercation three years ago, leaving her the sole caretaker of her two children. Both boys. Both younger than thirteen. She works two jobs while going to night school, all so she can provide for her kids. She was caught in one of Bakuda's bombs last night. The way she described it, it shifted things through one-another. She ended up stuck in the ground unable to move. Just as another bomb was about to kill her, to leave her children without a mother, a hero arrived, and freed her. She and over one-hundred other people have all posted the same three words on PHO. Do you know what those words are?"
I stay silent, and swallow a lump in my throat.
"Thank you Mandalore." Dragon says. "From what I was able to determine, you saved the lives of over fifty people last night, and facilitated the rescue of almost a hundred more."
I hear the door open behind me, and turn around to find a large mechanical suit of armor in the doorway. It has red and black coloring, and the symbol of the world's greatest tinker on its chest.
The screen behind me goes dark, and the Dragon Suit walks forward.
"You were not useless Mandalore." Dragon says. "Nothing that happened was your fault. You were caught in an impossible situation, and you saved a life. Many lives. Be proud of that."
It becomes difficult to breathe, so I reach up with a trembling hand and unclasp my helmet. My hair falls free, and I throw my helmet away. My secondary mask is stifling, so I pull it off and throw it down next to my helmet.
I try to fight the tears, but they come regardless. I fall against a wall and start crying.
Far more gently than I would have thought possible, two large mechanical arms pull me into a hug.
I throw my arms around the metal chassis and start sobbing into Dragon's shoulder.
She holds me, and lets me work out my feelings.
A few minutes pass, and I've started to get myself under control.
"You're not useless." Dragon stresses. "You've already helped more people than you know, and you'll continue to do so. Don't self-destruct because of this, you're stronger than that Mandalore."
"Taylor." I say softly. "You can call me Taylor."
Even though there are no human features on the faceplate, I swear Dragon is smiling at me.
"Then you can call me Tessa. It's good to meet you Taylor."
I inhale a shuddering breath, and step back, wiping the tears from my eyes as I do. "Thanks Tessa. I didn't know I needed that." And I really didn't. Everything seems so much clearer now.
"Of course Taylor. If you ever need anything, all you have to do is ask."
I slowly pull my mask and helmet back on, and use the time to collect myself.
I saved people last night. I kept two kids from being without their mom. I did that.
I take a deep breath, and turn towards Dragon.
"Thank you Dragon. Really."
She nods at me. "Of course Mandalore." She easily slips back into using my cape name.
I shake my head, and take another breath. "I'm good."
"I'm glad to hear it, but please, promise me you won't go after Bakuda alone. If you find a way to track her down, let us help you. Don't throw yourself at her blindly. I don't want to see you hurt because you decided to fight her alone."
I nod my head. "I won't go after her by myself." Now that I'm thinking a little clearer, I can see how stupid that would be. I'll need backup to take her down.
Her suit's head nods at me. "Thank you Mandalore."
The door opens behind her, and she holds an arm out. "Shall we?"
I nod, and the two of us leave the room.
"So," I start in an attempt to occupy my mind with conversation. "what warranted you bringing a suit here? Are you here to help with Bakuda?"
"That is one of the more notable reasons. I used this suit and a few others to accompany the shipment of Bacta Tanks to the bank, villains have already attempted to steal both the designs, and the tanks themselves, so I decided to see to this delivery personally. As we speak they are being set up in the hospital."
That's good.
"I am also here to negotiate with Tattletale." She continues.
I frown behind my helmet. "What's she trying to pull?"
"I cannot tell you everything, but suffice to say her former employment situation was not exactly voluntary. While she will not get away scott free, she is trying to work out a deal with the Guild to improve her situation."
"What about her teammates?" I ask.
"None of them have done anything unforgivable as far as we have been able to determine, so the Protectorate is working with them. I am not sure what will happen to them."
I'm not exactly a fan of the Undersiders after the bank, but so long as they stop being jerks I guess I can live with that. I'm less enthusiastic about Tattletale getting free, but if Dragon keeps an eye on her I guess I can live with it.
Doesn't mean she's not a bitch though.
We reach the lobby and I can see my patrol group gathered together through one of the windows. Looks like they're waiting for me.
"This is where we part ways, Mandalore. I have to meet with the director to discuss what it is I'll be doing here."
I look up at her and nod. "Thanks again Dragon."
"You are welcome." With that, she turns around and heads back toward the elevator.
I look over the Wards and Vicky, and take a deep breath.
I still need to apologize for running out on them don't I? After last night that doesn't seem nearly as daunting.
I walk out the doors, and their conversation comes to a halt as they all see me.
"Sorry to hold you up." I say. "Dragon wanted a word with me."
"That's fine." Vicky says. "We were just chatting, you ready?"
I nod, and turn to the Wards. "Um… sorry I ran out on you guys last time. I've never been that good with people, and I just needed space." Was that a good apology? It sounded alright. Right?
"So I...we didn't scare you off?" Vista asks hesitantly.
I shake my head. "No, it wasn't you guys. Are we good?"
"Yeah! We're good! Put her there." Clockblocker says and holds his hand out to me.
I give it a shake, and am mildly surprised to find everyone in the same position they were a moment ago.
"You didn't freeze me?" I ask.
He lets out a groan while the other two Wards start laughing. "The rest of the Wards thought it would be funny to say on PHO that shaking my hand will get you frozen. I may be a prankster, but I have style. Reusing the same trick over and over would be pathetic."
"Something around here's definitely pathetic." Gallant, the kid in the bronze tinkertech armor says as he walks forward. "We haven't properly met. I'm Gallant, it's good to meet you Mandalore."
He holds out a hand, and I give it a shake. "Mandalore, and likewise."
"Yay! We're all friends! Now let's go, I want to get to the boardwalk before the sun sets." Vicky says.
"How're we getting there?" I ask. I don't see a van anywhere, so I would assume the plan is to use Vista's power.
Sure enough, it's Vista that answers. "I can take everyone who can't fly, or we could all walk there together if you guys are alright with it?"
I go to respond in the positive, but Vicky beats me to it.
"Nope. Mandalore and I need to see who the fastest flyer is, we'll meet you there!" She begins to literally drag me into the air, and I have to fire my jetpack before she can pull my arm out of its socket.
"Uh… I'll see you guys at that old bookstore!" I manage to get out before Vicky's pulled me too far.
The Wards all seem pretty amused at the antics, then space folds around them, and they're suddenly a block away.
"Soooooo, ready to get destroyed, Mandalore?"
I tilt my head at her. "I'm sorry, could you say that again? I couldn't hear you over the sound of my incredibly powerful jetpack." I turn it up to full power, and start rocketing through the sky.
Hey! I bantered, and I didn't mess it up! Go Taylor!
A figure shows up on my hud, and I see Glory Girl beginning to slowly lose ground on me.
Holy crap! I'm actually faster than Glory Girl!
I keep up the speed, and arrive at the old bookstore almost half a minute before Vicky arrives.
"Dang Mandalore, you've got some speed. I'm still stronger than you though!" She says with a good natured grin.
I open my mouth to respond, but am interrupted.
"Hey!"
Vicky and I turn to see the Wards all standing on the ground. Clockblocker is holding his wrist up and looking at one of the clocks on his costume, Gallant just seems amused, and Vista's tapping her foot.
"What took you guys so long?" Vista calls up.
I share a look with Vicky, and she grins.
"We got caught in traffic." She says as we both lower ourselves down. "There was a flock of gulls that were clogging up the passing lane."
"That's strange." Clockblocker says. "Typically you don't see gulls."
The other Wards start groaning, and it takes me a second to get the pun.
Everyone calms down, and Gallant speaks up. "Let's get going."
We all fall in behind him as he starts walking.
After the bombing spree last night, there's not quite as many people on the boardwalk as one would expect, but there's still a large crowd of people.
"It's good to see people out." Vicky says. "We can't let a villain stop us from living."
Gallant nods. "Brocktonites are tough, and we'll get Bakuda. It's just a matter of time."
We walk a little further in silence, before Vista turns to me. "What all can you build?" She asks excitedly. "Kid seemed to think your specialty was something related to personal equipment, but I think there's more to it. Can you build anything bigger?"
The rest of the Wards all seem interested as well.
I swallow heavily, but calm myself down.
She's just curious Taylor, and you can answer without giving anything away.
I nod. "I already told Assault I could build a speeder if I had the right materials. It's basically a floating motorcycle that can move much faster."
Clockblocker stares at me. "You can build a hoverbike?"
I nod. "Assault reacted the same way."
"Please let me have one!" He begs.
I shake my head. "Sorry, if I built one it would be for me, and that's probably not going to happen because I have nowhere to park the thing. It's kind of hard to maintain a secret identity when you have a giant piece of floating tinkertech on your front lawn."
"That's why you should give it to me! I can park it where Armsmaster keeps his bike, and I'll even let you ride it occasionally!"
I stare at him for a few steps. I can't make out any of his features because of his full face mask, but I'm willing to bet he's grinning.
Space folds unnaturally and a small gloved hand slaps Clockblocker upside the head. "Stop being an idiot Clock." Vista says tiredly. "We're working right now."
He turns to her. "Oh, so Clock shouldn't joke around while he's on the clock? Got it."
Vista groans, and the five of us continue on.
We keep talking about bland things like the weather and the people on the boardwalk more to pass the time than anything else.
Vicky ended up dragging us closer to the various stores so she could window shop. She kept talking about how it would be great if her boyfriend bought her a bunch of the stuff, and Clock and Vista snickered quietly.
I didn't get whatever the joke was, but I didn't mind too much. Vicky drawing attention away meant I didn't have to talk as much.
Sadly the silence was short lived as a pair of teenage girls shyly shuffled over to us. I was thinking they maybe had a problem they were hesitant to ask for our help with, but I was very wrong.
"Can we get a picture with you?" The one in the lead asked.
Gallant smiled widely at them and said, "Of course." He motioned them over, and the Wards and Vicky started arranging themselves so they could fit into a selfie with the two teens.
Feeling very out of place, I started to edge away to give them space, but Vicky had other ideas.
"Where are you going?" She asked as she started dragging me back toward the group. "You need to do your civic duty and participate in the art of photography!"
I tried to whisper some protests, but the two girls shifted around to let me in the picture. Not knowing what else to do, I just went along with it.
The girls got their picture, thanked us, and walked off, but they opened the floodgates.
All of a sudden the various people on the boardwalk started swarming us asking for pictures and autographs.
Once again I was supremely glad I decided to go with a full helmet, because I was wide eyed and slack jawed for the entire encounter.
People I had never even seen before that day were walking up to me specifically and asking me to sign notebooks and shirts. It was all surreal, and felt very off.
I'm not a social person, and I'm definitely not good with people, so seeing a horde of cape geeks fawning over me was just weird.
Thankfully, after a lot of signatures and pictures, the crowd began to disperse. Before too long, it was just me, Vicky, and the Wards again.
"Does that happen often?" I ask dumbly in the wake of the last stragglers.
Gallant nods. "Typically they come in small groups, but I think they were excited to see a new hero around."
New hero? Me. He's talking about me.
"But I haven't done that much." I say.
Vicky gives me a deadpan stare. "Haven't done that much? Ames told me about those tanks you made, that alone would be enough, but you were also out during the bombings, and if PHO is to be believed, you helped Armsmaster bring in Lung. Add onto that the fact no one has seen you just walking around, and of course people are going to go crazy for a chance to meet you."
When she puts it like that, it almost makes sense. I've been intentionally avoiding people, so no one has really seen me outside of when I'm 'working'. The only other time I was outside was when I was testing my newly improved jetpack, and I pulled a crowd from that didn't I?
"She's right Mandalore." Gallant says. "You've done good work, and people haven't missed it. I'm kind of surprised you weren't aware they would react like this."
I turn to him. "I did say I'm not good with people right?"
"Could've fooled me." Vicky says slyly.
I tilt my head at her. "What do you mean?"
"Nothing!" She chirps, and starts floating back along our patrol route.
I look at the Wards for help, and they look just as confused as I do.
We move on, and continue our patrol.
The Wards, Vicky, and I idly chat about the various stores, and a few more groups of people walk up to ask for our autographs and pictures, but other than that the rest of our patrol is uneventful.
Gallant gets some orders through an earpiece, and we head back to the PRT headquarters.
We get back, and Gallant holds his hand out to me again. "It was good to meet you Mandalore, and I'm glad you decided to come with us."
I shake his hand and say, "Thanks for having me. If you get any word about Bakuda can you let me know?"
He nods. "Do you have a phone number we could use?"
I trade numbers with the present Wards, and am turning to go when Vicky stops me.
"I was about to swing by the hospital to grab Amy. She stayed over there last night because of the bombings, so she needs a break. Want to come?"
I stop and think about it for a moment.
I'd like to see Amy, and if we're at the hospital anyway I can check in on the Bacta Tanks that Dragon brought with her.
I give Vicky a nod. "I'll come."
She gives me a wide smile. "Great!" She turns back to the Wards, and waves. "See you guys later!" She begins flying off, and I turn my jetpack on.
I float a little ways off the ground, and wave at the Wards. "It was nice seeing you again, and meeting you Gallant."
"Bye Mandalore! If you ever want to join up there'll be a spot for you!" Vista calls up kindly. "Please!" She begs overenthusiastically. "I'm all alone here!"
I chuckle, and Gallant and Clock both say their goodbyes.
With that, I join Vicky where she's waiting a little above me, and we fly towards the hospital.
"So," Vicky starts as we move towards the hospital. "how'd it go last night? Before the bombs went off, it seemed like you guys were having a good time."
"We were. Or, I think we were. I was." Amy seemed to enjoy herself didn't she?
"That's good. Do you think you'd be willing to do it again?"
"Why? Did Amy say something?" I can't stop myself from asking.
Vicky just grins at me and slyly says, "Maybe." She picks up the pace a little, and I adjust to keep up.
We don't talk for the rest of the flight over, and land in front of the hospital.
It just occurred to me, am I allowed to just walk around here? They're probably still dealing with bombing victims, so should I just wait outside?
I tell Vicky about my concerns, and she raises an eyebrow at me.
"Didn't Dragon just bring a bunch of your tanks here? I think I hear mom and aunt Sarah say something about that. I'd say that gives you a little leeway. We'll stop by where they're setting everything up so you can look over 'em."
I think it over and nod.
We both walk in, and walk up to the front desk. The attendant is on the phone, and just waves the two of us by.
I follow after Vicky as she winds her way through the halls like she lives here.
With how often she picks her sister up, it's no surprise that she knows the place so well.
After a short trip on an elevator, the two of us walk into a sitting area where Amy is sat with a large cup of coffee.
"Hey Ames!" Vicky calls as we walk in.
Amy looks up, and her eyes widen slightly when she sees me.
I give her a small wave. "Hi Amy. How are you doing?"
She stands up a little slowly and says, "Tired. How about you? Did you get caught in any of the bombs last night?"
I take that to be her covertly asking if I made it to my lab safely.
I shake my head. "No, I was fine."
"That's good." She takes a long sip of her coffee, and blinks her eyes.
"Have you slept?" I ask after looking her over.
She shrugs. "I got about five hours in, but then I had to get back to work. There were too many urgent cases."
"Hopefully you'll be able to take a break now. Dragon just came to the city with some of the Bacta Tanks. They're supposed to be being set up right now."
Amy nods. "Yeah, I know where they are. You want to go check them out?"
I nod. "Yeah, but go ahead and stay here. I'm sure someone else can show me where they are."
She shakes her head. "It's fine. I need to walk around or I'm going to pass out."
I hesitate briefly, then ask, "Do you want something to help you stay awake for a while? I've got a stim I could give you."
She starts leading us down a hall and throws me a questioning look. "Stim?"
I pull one out and show it to her. "It's basically suped up adrenaline without the side effects."
Vicky looks over my shoulder at it, then raises an eyebrow at me. "Are you trying to addict my sister to weird tinker drugs?"
I quickly shake my head. "No. They only get addictive if you use them in insane quantities. Even three a day isn't enough to do damage, I had to do a lot of work to make them that safe."
Vicky just starts chuckling. "I'm messing with ya, but have you got that stuff cleared yet."
I shake my head. "I only really intended to use them on myself, and I haven't had anything bad happen from using them."
I shrink in on myself a bit, and move to put the stim away. "Nevermind. It's stupid."
Before I can put it away, Amy plucks the stim out of my hand and looks at it.
"Screw it." She says and the needle shoots out. She looks at me. "Leg?"
I nod.
She jams the stim into her leg, and there's a soft hiss as it administers itself.
Amy's eyes go wide and she sighs. "Oh my god that's good." She turns to me now much more awake. "Thanks. Come on, I'll take you to the tanks."
"You're welcome. It'll wear off in thirty minutes to an hour, so try to be in bed by then."
She waves me off, and begins to lead the two of us through the halls.
We take another trip in the elevator, and walk through the halls until we come to a room with a bunch of people in scrubs, as well as a Dragon Suit.
"Hey Dr. Smith." Amy greets as we enter, and a shorter man with greying hair turns to face us. "This is Mandalore," She motions to me. "she's the original designer of these things."
"Hi." I say in greeting. "I was coming to see if you guys wanted help assembling them, but it looks like Dragon's got it handled."
"Actually Mandalore, I would appreciate some help. It's slow going with just myself." Dragon speaks up.
"Uh… ok then, I can help."
I move forward, and am stopped as the shorter Dr., Dr. Smith Amy said, grabs my hand and starts shaking it.
"Thank you Mandalore." He says. "You have no idea how significant this is. I doubt the world will ever be able to repay you for this."
That's a bit dramatic isn't it?
"Um… you're welcome. Glad I could help. I'm just gonna go help set them up now."
I move forward, and the various inhabitants of the room get out of my way.
With both Dragon and myself working in tandem, it only takes around fifteen minutes to get all the tanks operational, and the moment we do, five injured people are wheeled in on hospital beds and gently helped into the tanks.
"Thank you for the assistance Mandalore." Dragon says. "I need to get back to the rig, but it was nice working alongside you."
"Yeah, you too Dragon. This was kind of fun." How many tinkers can say they got to work with Dragon?
Dragon leaves, and I walk back over to Amy and Vicky.
"What are you guys still doing here?" I ask.
Amy shrugs. "They asked me to stay until the tanks were hooked up, and after the stim I didn't see a reason to say no."
"You should get home soon." I caution once more. "That thing will wear off pretty quick here."
She raises an eyebrow at me. "You sound like a nagging nurse."
I huff. "Well excuse me for making sure you don't crash while you're driving or something."
"Aw."
The two of us look over at Vicky. She has her hands clasped together and she's looking at us with a bright expression.
"You two are like an old married couple. It's so adorable!"
Once more, I thank past Taylor for making my helmet. A luxury Amy doesn't possess, meaning her own blush is apparent to anyone who looks for it.
"It was good to see you Taylor." Amy quickly says and starts dragging a cackling Vicky behind her.
"Bye Amy." I say dumbly, and begin walking the other direction. It takes five whole turns to realize I have no idea where I'm going. I track down Dr. Smith and he lets me out on the roof, letting me fly away.
I make a quick stop by the PRT HQ to grab Dragon's package, an affair that takes all of five minutes thanks to Armsmaster being in the lobby, then fly back home.
After a brief stealth walk, I've disarmed and I'm sitting at one of my workbenches with a variety of metal and wiring in front of me.
Bakuda hasn't attacked since last night, but that just means she'll have had time to prepare when she strikes next. I need to find her before then.
I get to work building all the equipment I'll need to track down a homicidal bomb tinker.
Chapter 5
AgelessReaper
A Custom Title
A.N. Once more I say do not expect this kind of update regularly. I think this is only so easy to write because I actually made an outline for it. I'm going to try to slow down so I don't burn out.
Enjoy.
I step back from the table, and grin.
I did it. It took forever, but I did it.
Sitting atop the table is a large computer tower and three screens. There's no keyboard, but instead a blue colored holotablet. They're more efficient, and easier to use.
Binary beeps from over my shoulder sound, and I cringe slightly.
I turn to the small floating white orb and look at it.
I didn't mean to build the droid, I was caught up in a tinker fugue and realized having some help going over any surveillance data would be a good thing, and before I knew it the small ball looking droid was built.
I've been intentionally avoiding building any droids because of the PRT's stance on anything even related to artificial intelligence. The remote hovering next to me isn't quite sentient, but he's still close enough that the PRT would come down on me, so I'll have to either leave him in my lab or play him off as a drone of some kind. I haven't figured out which I'll do yet, but so long as the PRT doesn't bring the hammer down I'll be fine.
If they freak out over this little guy, I wonder how they'd react to a Basilisk…
I shake my head and kill the thought.
Nope. Not building one of those. The remote is bad enough.
I turn to look at the little orb once more.
Since he's here, I might as well take advantage of him.
"I'm going to start looking around for anything weird, you double check my work ok buddy?"
He beeps an affirmative and I get to work.
It takes me a while to get the hang of everything, but once I do, I hit the ground running.
Everything that has a signal has a door I can bash open. it's actually kind of terrifying. Phones, radios, computers, automated washing machines, I can break into it all. A benefit which quickly becomes a hindrance.
Do you have any idea how many things we have that are hooked up to each other in today's world? I found over a million the moment I booted my computer up. After narrowing the search criteria down a bit I've still got far too many to go over in an afternoon. It's just not feasible.
I'm going to need to figure out a better way, because this will take way too long.
"Hey buddy?"
The little remote beeps at me.
I've got to get a name for this guy, I can't just keep calling him buddy.
"Um, your name is now Dotty." That isn't a terrible name right?
The little floating sphere beeps happily at me.
Seems like he's ok with it.
"Ok Dotty, I haven't slept since I started working on this, or you now that I think about it, so I'm gonna go to sleep. Keep looking around for anything that looks more advanced than anything around it, that'll probably be a tinker, and there aren't many in Brockton Bay right now."
Dotty beeps at me, and hovers over to the computer. He can't use the tablet, but he doesn't need to. He can just access everything as he is.
Content that my little robot buddy will handle things, I head over to my couch and lay down.
I really need to do a better job of keeping track of my tinker time. This is getting a little ridiculous.
I wake up to lots of enthusiastic beeping, and a little spherical robot repeatedly ramming its little body into me.
"I'm up. I'm up! What do you want?" I ask tiredly. I throw a look over at the clock and see that it's three am.
When did I go to sleep? It doesn't matter, Dotty wouldn't have woken me up unless he found something.
I stumble to my feet and follow a chirping Dotty over to my new computer. I rub my eyes a little so I can better focus on the screen, and freeze at what I see.
On the screen is a map of Brockton Bay with little red dots interspaced all over it. They're fairly spaced out for the most part, except for two concentrations. One is deep in ABB territory, and the other is moving. Moving towards PRT headquarters to be specific, but that's not what concerns me. The little concentration of red blips isn't following the roads, or even moving at a constant speed, it's jumping blocks at a time. It just disappears, then reappears further along.
I start messing with the controls for the computer, trying to get a better picture of a single red blip. I pick one at random, and open up a list of available commands. There's only one listed. Detonate.
These are Bakuda's bombs. Dotty somehow managed to find an insane amount of Bakuda's bombs, maybe all of Bakuda's bombs. I need to send this to Armsmaster. He'll be able to evacuate anyone in the blast radius of these things, and if that large grouping is her base then…
The second, smaller, grouping jumps an entire block again. No, it didn't jump. It teleported.
My eyes widen and I sprint over to my armor.
I pull the phone out and dial Armsmaster even as I start to pull everything on.
"Mandalore." Armsmaster greets.
"Oni Lee is heading towards the PRT building with a bunch of Bakuda's bombs!" I shout into the receiver. "She's planted even more around the city, I think they're going to try to spring Lung!"
"How certain of this are you?" Armsmaster asks.
"One-hundred percent! Now raise an alarm or something! I'm sending you a map with every bomb I was able to find, but you need to hurry. Oni Lee's only a couple blocks out."
I shuffle back over to my computer as I pull on the pants of my armor, and quickly create an email with the map of red blips.
"I need an email!"
Arsmaster quickly rattles one off, and I can hear a powerful engine revving in the background. He's on his motorcycle.
I send the map off to him, then look back at the larger grouping of bombs. "I know where Bakuda's lab is, I can head over there and try to stop her while you deal with Oni Lee."
"Negative!" Armsmaster yells. "Do not, I repeat, do not attempt to assault Bakuda's lab. Either provide overwatch, or help us to contain Oni Lee, we cannot afford to let Lung free."
I clench my teeth, then focus on one of the bombs in Bakuda's lab. The same command from earlier displays itself.
Detonate.
I hover my finger over the activation command, but stop myself.
Dragon said the only reason she doesn't have a kill order is because she has a deadman's switch. If I kill her, the entire city blows up.
I move away from the bomb and start looking for other signals coming from the lab that are connected to the bombs. I find one, and lock onto it. It, too, only has the detonate command. I grit my teeth and try to find a way to disable it, but I can't. There's something wrong with how it works, and the best I can do is set it off.
I curl my fingers into a fist, and punch the table. I zoom back out of the lab, and refocus on Oni Lee as I finish pulling my armor on.
I debate blowing the bombs he has with him, but I would catch civilians in the blast. I also don't know if he's tied to the same deadman's switch Bakuda is, and I can't afford to risk it. The best I can do is make his location known.
"He's stopped a block out." I relay to Armsmaster. "He's on top of a building to the east, and is holding position. I don't know what he's up to, but it can't be good."
"Understood. I've recalled the Protectorate, and the building is already on lockdown. I'm almost there myself and…"
I hear an explosion from his end of the line.
"Engaging! Arsmaster out." The line clicks dead.
I need to get out there!
"Dotty! Keep tracking every bomb you can find, and update my hud with any movements or new additions." I really should have made a communicator for him, but I'll have to make do for now. He can still upload things to my hud, so he has a way to talk to me, I just can't respond in any discernible way.
I grab my sniper, pistols, and lightsaber, and climb up and out of my lab.
I hear an explosion in the direction of the PRT headquarters just as I seal the hatch, and launch myself into the night air. There's no time for stealth right now.
Kicking it into high gear, I crank my jetpack up to its maximum output, and begin to rocket towards the building at an incredible speed. I arrive after a number of minutes to find devastation.
The front door has been blasted away, and the nearby road isn't faring any better. There are PRT troops running through the warzone, and a few of the Wards. Namely Vista, Aegis, Shadow Stalker, and Kid Win. Both they and the PRT troops are standing, or flying in some cases, around the area with their heads on a swivel.
Since Aegis is the closest of them, I fly over to him. "Where is he?" I yell over my jetpack's roar.
"We can't pin him down!" He shouts back. "He only shows up long enough to leave clones behind, then teleports out again. Can you track him?"
I nod. "I can track the bombs he has with him, so… Behind you!" I yell as a new figure appears on my hud.
I pull my two pistols and begin firing at the red masked devil who has perched himself on a nearby roof.
Oni Lee doesn't respond in any way except to run his hand down every grenade on his bandolier and jump towards us.
Aegis and I both fly away just as the bombs go off, and a multicolored explosion encompases the air we were both just in.
Aegis snarls and turns back to me. "Do you have a communicator?!"
I shake my head.
He reaches up to his ear and pulls a small clip off it. He tosses it to me and I catch it, nearly dropping my blaster in the process.
"It's tinkertech, just talk into it and let us know where he'll pop up. The protectorate's still a few minutes out. They got jumped by grunts." He flies back down towards the ground to coordinate with the rest of the Wards.
I, on the other hand, fly up. I holster my pistols, and pull my helmet off so I can put the communicator behind my ear. That done, I pull my helmet back down and unsling my sniper.
I begin scouring my hud for the bomb's positions that Dotty is rapidly updating from his end in the hopes of finding Oni Lee.
"Testing." I say as I search.
"Copy Mandalore." Kid Win's voice replies. "Where is he?"
"I don't have him, wait, west of you on top of that building!" I say as the large cluster of bombs appears.
Kid Win, Shadow Stalker, and the PRT troops all open fire towards the roof as I try to line up a shot with my sniper. A task that becomes increasingly futile as Oni Lee teleports away, and his clone jumps off the building to try to catch someone in his bomb's radius.
It's incredibly difficult to aim a sniper from the air, and I can't land or Oni Lee will just teleport behind me.
Frustrated, I resecure my sniper and pull out a single pistol.
"On the road to your east!" I call, and once more everyone begins firing towards Oni Lee's hiding place.
He teleports away, and his clone explodes, turning everything around him into glass.
As I'm looking around to try and find where Oni Lee teleported to, I see three white vans speeding down the road right towards the PRT guys.
I highly doubt they're full of civilian motorists.
"Three vans coming from the east!"
Sure enough, the side doors are thrown open and armed ABB members start spilling out, opening fire at the PRT personnel as they go.
Their shots go way off target as Vista warps space, and they all start to take cover.
A red blip appears behind them for an instant, then disappears again. Oni Lee's clone charges from behind them.
"Oni Lee behind!" I yell.
Vista hears me, and it's a testament to her experience that she immediately spins around and distorts space to protect everyone from the explosion created by the suicide bomber.
"Oni Lee's in the building!" I yell into the communicator as I start taking pot shots at the ABB goons with my pistol. "He got past when the gang members showed up."
The roar of an engine draws my attention towards the street the gangsters just came from, and I see both Armsmaster and Miss Militia riding motorcycles at a breakneck pace in an effort to get to us.
Realising overwatch is kind of pointless now, I pull out my second blaster and begin to harry the ABB troops from the air with strafing runs.
One of them manages to get a lucky shot in on me, but my shield stops the bullet dead.
Kid Win joins me in the air with his hoverboard, and we keep hassling them as Armsmaster and Miss Militia dismount.
"Pull back!" Armsmaster orders in my ear. "The security measures in Lung's cell have been triggered."
A loud roar follows immediately after Armsmaster's statement.
That's not good.
I fly away from the goons, and land on a nearby building. I holster my pistols and unsling my sniper once again. I enter a shooting position, and train my scope on the destroyed entrance of the PRT building.
There is a veritable sea of containment foam in the lobby, but it is all beginning to shrivel up and melt away. Pushing his way through it is a ten foot tall, pissed off Lung with fire spilling off him.
The moment I see him I open fire aiming for limbs. Stun did nothing against him last time, so my rifle is set for kill.
The first bolt hits, and Lung spins with the shot and hits the ground. I don't give him any room, I just keep firing bolts into his arms and legs even as they slowly get bigger and more scaled.
I'm interrupted when a body appears behind me, and I roll off the roof to avoid Oni Lee's clone. I fire my jetpack halfway to the ground, and rocket away from the exploding building.
I secure my sniper to my back and pull out my pistols as Lung starts to get up.
He's currently taking fire from Miss Militia, Kid Win, Shadow Stalker, and the PRT troops, but none of it is having much of an effect on him. He just walks through it as he continues to grow.
Some of the ABB guys take the opportunity to return fire, and I hear some cries of pain from our side as some of them get hit.
I open fire on the ABB goons to force them back into cover.
Armsmaster uses the opening to charge toward Lung with his halberd drawn, but Oni Lee leaves a clone right in front of him.
I panic as I think Armsmaster is about to be blown up, but once more Vista warps space with her power to get him clear of the blast radius.
By now Lung has entered the street and is still growing, but he hasn't made any moves to attack. He's just walking away while the heroes futilely pummel him.
He is not getting away.
I fly over him and drop three silver spheres. They all trigger and Lung is encased in ice.
I would normally use adhesive grenades, but I remember from last time that he just walked right through them.
Lung tenses his muscles and liquid flames pour off of him in every direction, quickly melting the ice around him. His giant head turns towards me, and he snarls.
I get ready for him to come after me, only for him to turn around and keep lumbering away.
What? Why is he running?
I fly up to prepare for another pass when a female voice I don't recognize speaks through the communicator Aegis gave me.
"Let him go! We'll cause too much damage if we try to stop him when he's this large!"
I must have heard that wrong, did she just say to let him go?
"Director," Armsmaster comes over the comms. "we can secure him! I have my…"
"No!" The woman breaks in. "We have injured, and we're spread too thin dealing with the bombs that went off around the city. Let him go."
He's not actually going to listen to her right?
"Understood ma'am." He says coldly.
Wait what?
"Are you kidding me?!" I yell. "We're just letting him walk off?!"
"Yes." The woman says. "We can't fight him and help the city at the same time, so get your priorities in order Mandalore."
"Excuse me, but who the hell are you to order me around?" I ask with heat.
"Emily Piggot Director of the PRT ENE. Let him go Mandalore, that is an order."
I take my helmet off, and yank the communicator off my ear. I throw it in the general direction of Aegis, and turn back to look at Lung.
The bastard is slowly making his way back to his territory, his goons following behind him.
And the Protectorate is just letting them.
I lock my helmet back on and growl.
The only thing keeping me from flying off in a rage is the fact that some of the PRT guys got hit. I lower myself down and pull my medpac out so I can help them.
Miss Militia and Armsmaster are close behind me as I land.
The three of us apply first aid, then I start walking briskly away.
"I need to help with search and rescue." I say over my shoulder to Armsmaster, then take off into the air.
I bite down on my tongue to keep from screaming in frustration at Lung's successful escape, and look at my hud.
Dotty's map is still up, only it's slightly different now. There are still red dots representing bombs, but now there are also small pictures of explosions in places. He's showing me what was detonated where.
I can deal with all this shit later, I need to deal with the bombs right now.
I fly off in the direction of the nearest explosion, and begin ferrying people to the hospital.
Once more I stay out searching until the sun begins to rise, at which point I head home. I do my regular stealth routine, and start stripping off my armor as soon as I'm inside.
Dotty floats over to me, and beeps in greeting.
"Hey Dotty, thanks for your help. I wouldn't have found some of those sites without you."
He spins around in the air happily, and heads back over to the computer.
I join him, and look over the map of the city.
There are still so many red dots. With Lung free, there's no telling what's going to happen. We need to hit Bakuda's lab now.
I pull out my phone and call Armsmaster.
"Mandalore." He answers.
"When are we going after Bakuda?" I cut to the chase.
"The Director has ordered us to leave her be for the moment."
I clench a fist to stop myself from screaming. "Leave her be? I gave you the location of her lab! We need to hit her as soon as possible now that Lung's free. We have to attack before they can organize better!"
"I agree with you Mandalore, but sadly my hands are tied. The Director has requested additional Protectorate heroes to help us deal with the situation, they should arrive in two days."
"Two days is too long! I gave you my map, you know how many bombs are out there!"
"That is why we cannot afford to launch an assault on Bakuda. If we fail, there will be nothing stopping her from detonating her devices."
"So we just let a psycho have free reign until back-up maybe gets here?"
"Yes. Now I apologize Mandalore, but I am needed elsewhere. Do not attempt to capture Bakuda on your own. Wait for our call, and we will attack her as a coordinated force."
I hang up. I can't deal with that bullshit right now.
I throw the phone down and clench my fists.
He wants me to wait?! How many people are dead because we waited? No. I'm not going to wait. I know where she is, so I'm taking her down.
I start pulling my armor back on, but Dotty starts ramming his body into me.
"What?!" I snarl angrily.
He beeps and boops at me.
I take a deep breath, and pull my armor back off.
He's right. I can't fight Bakuda on my own, especially now that Lung's free. I'd be up against three ABB capes, all of whom won't hesitate to kill me, and I can't kill them because it would trigger their bombs, blowing up half the city in the process. I'm not in a good position to face them.
A thought occurs, and I look back at Dotty.
I can't take them alone, but I could probably do it with a partner…
I head over to a workbench and begin getting my materials together.
I've already made Dotty, so what's the harm in making someone else? I need the help to stop Bakuda, and if this will help me do that, then so be it. I'll deal with the Protectorate's bitching afterwards.
(Amy)
I rush from room to room as I deal with the most severe injuries from this bombing. Run into a room, heal the person until they're stable, move on. Rinse and repeat. It's a routine I've become used to over the years I've been Panacea.
"You need to take a break." Dr. Smith says as blocks the door to the room I'm trying to leave.
I scowl at him. "I'm fine, there's more people who need my help right now."
"Amy, we've been over this, we all need to take time off or we'll snap. Take fifteen minutes, then get back to it. I'm going to tell the other doctors you're not allowed into any rooms until 8:27." He says after briefly checking his watch.
"Fine." I say, and storm passed him.
He means well, but I'm fine.
I accidentally bump into a rushing nurse I wasn't able to see.
"Sorry." I mumble out, and head towards the snack bar on this floor.
Ok, maybe I do need ten minutes, but fifteen is too much.
There's no one operating the snack bar this early, but I have a key. Being Panacea means I eat free whenever I want. I guess I deserve some perks from this job.
I grab an energy bar and take a seat in the hallway. No one really comes by this way when we're swarmed, so I should be alone for a bit.
I swing my head to look down both hallways to ensure I'm alone, then reach into one of my robe's pockets and pull out a small jar.
The blue liquid within it slowly sloshes around as I hold it up to my eye level.
I've been mapping this stuff with my power for awhile now, so I'm not as awed when I look at it anymore, but that's not why I have it with me.
I open the jar and stick a finger in it. The liquid climbs up my hand as I use my power on it, I leave half in the bottle, and close it back up.
I start altering the fluid, but leaving it similar enough to its original form that its function stays the same.
I furrow my eyebrows in frustration as I try to shape the fluid how I want.
I've been trying to crack this for over a day now. It's a healing gel is how Taylor described it, but it can't really be used that way, so I need to figure out a way to make it like that. Once I do, I'll be able to replicate it using just about any biomass, I've already been able to make more bacta after all.
The liquid keeps shifting and changing, and I start to breathe deeply to control myself.
Why is this so hard?! I can change flowers almost instantly! Is it because this stuff is tinkertech and can't be changed aside from cosmetic effects? It's not fighting me, I just can't find a way to…
The liquid turns into a thick paste and sticks to my hand.
Hesitantly, I dab a small amount onto the index finger of my free hand, and roll up my sleeve. I got caught on a screw earlier in the night and I still have a small gash there. I rub the paste on the gash, and watch as it is slowly absorbed into the small wound. After around ten seconds, the gash is completely gone.
I did it…
I did it!
I launch myself from my chair and take off at a sprint through the halls.
I find Dr. Smith taking a small coffee break outside one of the patient's rooms.
I come to a stop in front of him and breathe heavily.
I'm really out of shape.
"Woah Amy, what's going on?" He asks as he walks up to me in concern.
I take in a deep breath and say, "I need as much biomass as we can spare."
He tilts his head at me. "I'm sorry, what?"
I hold the hand covered in paste up to him and wave it around. "I cracked it! I need biomass so I can make more!"
He shakes his head. "Start from the beginning please, I don't know what you're…"
I groan and open the door to the room.
He follows me in with a confused look on his face.
I walk up to the patient, then stop when I realize it invalidates the test if I'm touching him. I hold the paste covered hand out to Dr. Smith. "Spread this on the cut on his forehead."
He looks sidelong at me for a moment, but pulls on some gloves and does as I asked. Nice to see someone trusts me after all the people I've healed.
He applies the paste, and his eyes widen as it seeps into the patient's cut and slowly heals it.
He turns to me and holds my gaze. "How much of this can you make?"
"I can make as much of it as I have biomass, so I need all the biomass we have."
He nods his head. "Come with me. I need to make a call, and you'll likely be doing this for the rest of the morning."
I smile. "Good. I can help more people this way."
He nods once more, and we begin briskly walking through the halls.
A thought occurs to me as we continue on. He didn't ask me if it was safe.
"Dr. Smith, you didn't check it over to make sure it's safe."
He turns to me and raises an eyebrow as we walk. "I like to think I know you fairly well Amy, if you made it, it's safe." He turns his head to look in front of him, and says nothing else.
Conversation over I guess.
Just as Dr. Smith said, I spent the rest of the morning making the bacta paste. No one was really interested in naming it, what with the bombing victims overflowing from the hospital, but I took to calling it that out of respect for Taylor. I couldn't have made anything like this without her after all.
Sometime around ten, I started having to fight to stay awake. I was actually able to sleep for a while before this bombing run, but I've still been at for almost eight hours now.
Luckily, Vicky shows up and Dr. Smith orders me to go home. He said that between the Bacta Tanks and the new paste I made, they were more than equipped to handle everything themselves.
Vicky and I make light conversation during the flight home to help keep me awake, and land in the yard. I open the door, and start heading to my room.
"Why are you home so early?"
I sigh and turn towards Carol. "Dr. Smith sent me home, he said they've got everything under control now."
She raises an eyebrow at me. "He is aware Bakuda went on another bombing spree yes? I fail to see how everything could be under control."
I wave her off and start heading up the stairs. "I made a healing paste from the liquid in Mandalore's Bacta Tank. Between the two of those, they'll be fine."
I'm halfway up the stairs when I hear, "What?"
I turn back towards Carol, and look at her through half lidded eyes. Do I really have to spell it out right now? I just want to go to sleep.
"I messed with Mandalore's bacta fluid a bit and managed to make a healing paste out of it, I spent the rest of the morning using biomass to make more. They'll be fine without me, now I'm going to sleep."
I turn around to continue up the stairs, but stop when I hear a chair screeching against wood floors.
"What do you mean you, 'messed with Mandalore's bacta fluid'? What did you do Amy?"
I tilt my head at her, and see she's gone pale.
What is her issue with this seriously?
"I made a healing paste." I say. "I would've thought you'd be proud of me. Aren't you always getting on me about healing more? Problem solved, now I can heal even when I'm not healing. Now excuse me, I'm tired."
She just stares blankly at me as I climb the rest of the steps into my room. I try to figure out what her problem is, but I just don't have the energy. I only manage to take off my shoes before I pass out in my bed.
(Taylor)
Why did I do this? I'm going to get a kill order! What the hell was I thinking?!
"Query: Master, why are you speeding around the room like a thoughtless primate?" The bronze plated bipedal droid asks as it stares blankly at me
"Because I just made a murderbot!" I scream at him. Sure, I wanted a droid who could help me with Bakuda, but I didn't want a psychopathic murderer!
"Observation: Had you not desired a skillful killing instrument, you would not have constructed me. Query: Who shall I dispose of for you, master, and shall there be explosions?"
Oh my god, I built Skynet!
"No explosions!" I yell. "We're trying to stop the explosions, now shut up while I figure out what to do with you!"
"Acquiescence: I shall do as you command, master."
I fall onto my couch and start massaging my forehead.
What the hell Taylor?! You have a little temper tantrum and make a bronze plated deathbot?! What happens when something that's actually bad happens? Are you gonna blow up the planet?
I look up at said deathbot, and give him a once over. His head is shaped like a rounded triangle with two slitted orange eyes. His legs and arms are both covered in armored plating, and his chassis could probably take several blasts from my sniper before it sustained noticeable damage.
From what my power told me, he was the best option to combat Bakuda and Lung. He's capable of stealth, a brilliant strategist, and knows more about combat than even I do after all my training. I'm not sure how I was able to program knowledge into him I didn't have, and yet was unable to alter his personality. I created the perfect killer robot, and it was only kind of by accident.
I need help. I can't call Armsmaster or the Wards because they'll tell the PRT, and I can't deal with that. Dragon. I'll call Dragon.
I pick up my phone and dial her number.
"Mandalore." She greets.
"Hi Dragon. So, I was trying to find a way to beat Bakuda and I…"
"Do not attempt an attack on her lab!" Dragon cuts me off. "Not only are all three ABB capes there, but almost every villain in the city is on their way. Do not go after them alone!"
"Wait what?" I ask, my train of thought effectively killed.
I run over to my computer and start looking for signals around Bakuda's base, and sure enough, I pick up three large groupings of cell phones and radios.
"How did they figure out where her lab is?" I ask Dragon as I start breaking into their phones. "If they start fighting all hell's going to break loose, we need to get down there!"
"No Mandalore." Dragon insists. "The Director thought it best they wear each other down before we intervene, please stay put."
"If we let them fight it out, entire city blocks will be caught in the fight! We need to…" I trail off as I look at the pictures on Stormtiger of the E88's phone.
"Mandalore?" Dragon asks.
I ignore her, and start looking through the emails and pictures of everyone else present. A little voice in the back of my head says this is a major breach of privacy, but I lock it behind an iron gate. They're about to kill people, I need to know how and why.
After quickly checking over everyone's phones, I've found one picture they all possess.
It's the map I gave Armsmaster that shows the positions of all of Bakuda's bombs.
Dragon said the Director wanted them to wear each other down. The bitch just gave them my map!
"Mandalore?!" Dragon repeats more urgently.
"Is this what the PRT is?" I ask with venom. "They give the literal Nazi's a map to Lung's base of operations so they can kill each other? You're going along with this, Dragon, so is this what the Guild is all about too?!" I don't even bother trying to contain my voice. I'm pissed.
"Mandalore, what are you talking about?" Dragon asks. "What brought this on?"
"'The Director thought it best they wear each other down before we intervene', that's what you said right? And now I see the map I gave Armsmaster, the one thing he said he needed to be able to act, in the hands of a bunch of criminals! I can think of only two ways they got that map. Either the PRT is so infiltrated that anything handed to one of their senior heroes ends up in the hands of the gangs, an option I find unlikely, or they just handed it over!"
"Mandalore, what are you saying? The villains have your map?" Dragon asks, sounding genuinely confused.
"Yes. They do. Were you a part of this decision?" I ask.
"Mandalore, I assure you, I have no idea what you're talking about. I had nothing to do with this."
I relax a little. "Fine, but that doesn't excuse the PRT. I'm done working with them until they get their shit together."
"Mandalore, please don't go!" Dragon pleads. "Do not go out there alone. Let me talk to Armsmaster to see what happened, then we can go together. Please!"
I take several deep breaths, and look down at the floor.
Armsmaster is the one I gave the map to. I don't think he's dirty, but someone he answers to is, if I wait for him I don't know what information the villains will get.
I slowly look up to my right, and see a stock still bronze droid watching me intently.
"Fine." I say to Dragon. "I won't go alone."
I hear a sigh of relief from Dragon. "Thank you Mandalore. I'll talk to Armsmaster, and we'll get to the bottom of this."
I hang up without responding.
I walk up to the droid, and give him another once over.
His slitted eyes look back into my own.
I built him, so I know better than anyone what he's capable of. He has both brute and mover ratings, as well as a thinker rating thanks to the hud I built into him. On top of that, he might as well be a retired Navy Seal for how many combat programs I put in him. He's my best shot.
"If we let the other villains hit Bakuda, there will be too many civilian deaths. I need you to come with me, and through nonlethal methods, deal with the gang members. We can't kill any of the ABB capes because Bakuda has them all tied to deadman's switches." I had checked using my computer as I was building the droid in front of me. Oni Lee had one, and Lung had just been given one. They weren't tied to as many bombs as Bakuda's, but they would still blow up more bombs than I was willing to let detonate. They also had the same issue as Bakuda's. For some reason I couldn't disable them without triggering them. Tinkertech sucks when it's used against you.
"Query: Am I permitted to kill the others?"
I shake my head. "Not unless you've exhausted all other options."
The doid sighs. "Observation: They will not be able to kill if they are dead. Statement: If you care about these civilians, it would be best to kill the problem."
"No. Killing. Not unless there's no other way. The only exception to that rule is Bakuda, once we find a way to get rid of her deadman's switch, we end her." The bitch melted a man in front of me. She dies.
The little voice in the back of my head returns and starts whispering about how the PRT wouldn't approve, but I lock it away again.
Screw the PRT. This entire situation is their fault. I don't really give a shit how they'll react to me fixing their screw up.
"Acquiescence: Very well master, I will not kill the meatbags until the switch is deactivated. Request: Might I arm myself to better take advantage of my combat protocols, master?"
I nod, and walk over to my weapon rack. I pull a belt holster down, and toss it to him, then pull two blasters to fit in the holsters. I reach down to my own belt and pull one of my knives.
I hold it up to him. "This is a vibrodagger. Don't screw around with it."
He takes it, and the tone of his voice turns sour. "Offended statement: I would never 'screw around' with such a beautiful instrument of death."
I narrow my eyes at him. "No. Killing."
"Statement: I have already stated I will not kill the meatbags, master. Repeating your order serves no purpose."
Did this guy just sass me? Whatever.
"You need a name." I say as he sheathes the knife and pulls on a bandolier of grenades.
"Statement: I am a Hunter Killer series droid. Generation 47. Obvious statement: My designation is HK-47."
I tilt my head. "HK-47 it is I guess." If the murderbot wants to be named after his species, who am I to say no?
"Do you have everything?" I ask as I begin to pull my armor on.
"Answer: I am sufficiently armed. Request: Might I also utilize the sniper rifle presented on the wall? Reasoning: Your equipment indicates you prefer mobile combat which is not conducive to the delicacy required of such a fine weapon. I, however, am suited to stationary combat."
I look to my new sniper and think it over.
As cool as the thing is, it's honestly been more of a hindrance than anything. He's right, I need to use my jetpack to get the most out of my fighting style, and the sniper rifle limits that. It's actually kind of scary how easily he picked up on that.
I wordlessly take the rifle and toss it to him.
He looks it over, then slings it over his shoulder. "Statement: I am prepared, master."
I turn back to the floating form of Dotty. "You're on overwatch. Use the phones to track the other villains, and keep our huds updated with the locations of the bombs. Use your communicator for anything else, but try to keep chatter to a minimum." I made a bunch of simple communication devices tied to my own network before I got to work on HK. I realized that not having a reliable way to organize was a glaring flaw, so I fixed it.
The little droid boops at me, and floats back over to the computer.
I pull the rest of my armor on, and my hud lights up. "Be ready to detonate Bakuda and Oni Lee's bombs the instant we find a way to disable the deadman's switches. We'll need to drop those two fast." I say to Dotty as I begin walking towards the ladder.
"Query: Why is the small orb authorised to end the meatbags, but the more suited platform is restricted to nonlethal measures?"
I turn towards HK in frustration. "Because he has control of my slicing computer, and you don't. Now let's go."
I grab the rest of my gear, but hesitate when I go to pick up my phone.
The PRT screwed me over here, but Dragon's on my side as near as I can tell.
I pick up the phone, and set it so I can only send calls. Anyone trying to call me will instantly hit a machine. Now I don't have to talk to anyone, the phone ringing won't give me away, and I can still call Dragon for back-up if I need it.
I walk over to the ladder and climb up, HK following close behind me. I activate my stealth field, and HK follows my example by activating his own.
"Dotty, give us a path to Bakuda's lab that will keep us unnoticed." I say.
I hear a beeping in my ear, and a route to the bomb tinker's lab appears on my hud. Dotty boops again, and I curse under my breath.
The E88 and the Merchants already attacked. They've also got some weird special forces guys with tinker gear on their side, we need to hurry.
"Observation: The meatbags will be focused on each other. We will be able to enter the fray undetected, master." HK quietly says through his own communicator.
He's got a point. If they're focused on each other, they won't be watching for invisible heroes that very few people even know about.
"Let's pick up the pace." I say quietly, and HK and I do just that.
As we progress, explosions get closer and closer. Soon, I'm able to see flames shooting up into the air.
"Can you get up on a high building to get better sight lines?" I quietly ask through my communicator.
"Answer: Yes master. I will do so now."
My hud shows him split off from me, and head to a nearby building.
For my part, I creep closer to the action. Thanks to Dotty rapidly updating my hud with information, I have the positions of everyone important in the conflict. Almost all of the Empire capes are here, they're only missing Purity, Night, and Fog, and all of the Merchants are here as well. There's also a noticeable number of the tinkertech guys that Dotty figured out were Coil's men. From my research, he's not a big player, but since he has a presence here I might need to reconsider that stance.
I poke my head around a corner and see a warzone.
There's two giant valkyries in direct combat with Lung. These two are Fenja and Menja from the Empire. Both of them are the size of small buildings, and have proportionally large spears and shields with them. Lung himself has grown to be so large he's almost up to their chests, and is unleashing fire in every direction.
Kaiser, the leader of the empire, is standing a fair distance behind his valkyries and using his power to force metal blades to grow from the ground directly into and around Lung. They cut and annoy him, but they don't do enough damage to really hinder the dragon at his current size.
Flying around and harrying Lung with floating dumpsters and other junk, is the Empire's telekinetic, Rune. She's doing her best to help the Empire twins, but she keeps having to fly away to avoid Oni Lee clones dropping out of the sky towards her with primed bombs in their hands.
Looking at my hud, I track Oni Lee's movement's. The man is all over the place. He'll appear in one area to harass one group, then teleport right over to another.
With their numbers advantage, one would think the Merchants, Empire, and Coil's guys would be winning, but Bakuda's bombs are an absurdly effective equalizer.
Squealer, the vehicle tinker from the Merchants, has already been pulled out of the battle along with Skidmark. I wasn't here to see what exactly happened, but as HK and I were making our way over they ran over a bomb, and then started burning rubber in the opposite direction of the fight.
The rest of the Empire capes who aren't engaged with Lung are doing their best to deal with the unpowered goons of the ABB, as well as Oni Lee's frequent visits. The Empire didn't bring any of their normals, and the ABB's are armed with crap tonnes of Bakuda's bombs according to my hud, so it's no surprise they're being cautious.
Victor and Othala, a skill thief and a trump who gives others temporary powers, are on top of a nearby building with a sniper rifle. Victor is using his stolen skills to kill as many of the unpowered gang members as he can.
They've already gone lethal.
"Statement: I am in position master." Hk's voice says from my communicator. "Query: Who shall I dispose of first?"
"Lung. We need to bring him down before he gets any bigger." I whisper back.
When I built him, I programmed information on all the local capes into his core, so he'll have no trouble picking out his targets.
"Suggestion: Should I not target the meatbag summoning specters, and the floating one next to him. I will likely be able to remove them without alerting the others."
I look over towards Crusader and Stormtiger of the Empire with my hud. The two of them got separated from everyone else, and are currently making their way out of an alley to try and rejoin the fight.
I think about it, then nod. "Do it. Set for stun." That sniper rifle would tear them apart otherwise.
I keep an eye on my hud, and the two empire capes drop within a second of each other.
Hk's a good shot.
It doesn't escape my notice that he just disabled two capes that the Protectorate has major trouble with in a matter of seconds.
I look towards a group of Coil's men who are engaged in a shootout with some ABB guys and frown.
"Dotty." I whisper. "The ABB guys have bombs right? Why aren't they using them?"
Dotty beeps into my ear.
Hmm. "HK. Zoom in on the ABB grunts and see where they're holding their bombs, if they're saving them for something we need to know."
There's a moment of silence, then HK answers.
"Statement: The meatbags are not carrying explosives on their persons. Statement: This refutes data collected by the heads up display. One of the sources is faulty."
What? There's no way Dotty's wrong. "Look again."
"Reiteration: There are no explosives being worn or carried by the meatbags."
Something's going on.
"HK, focus on taking out as many capes as possible. I'm going after the gang members."
"Statement: I will continue to eliminate the meatbags."
"Non Lethally." I stress. Then begin to creep around the building I've been hiding behind.
More Oni Lee clones set off more explosions, and both sides kept shooting at each other.
It takes me a bit, but I manage to make it up behind the ABB members undetected, they're all too focused on Coil's men and an enraged Hookwolf to notice me.
I pull out two small silver orbs, and prime them.
Let's hope this works.
I throw the two grenades forward, and duck back around a building for cover. They go off with a loud whining sound, and I hear the ABB guys start screaming.
That doesn't sound right.
I look around the wall and see the goons all grabbing at the back of their heads.
What happened? Ion grenades aren't supposed to hurt organics.
I move towards the groaning and whimpering gangsters, but stop when I see a bloody Hookwolf stalking towards their prone forms.
The shirtless man in the iron mask leers over them. "Ready to die bastards?" His skin fades away as he turns into a veritable blender of metal hooks and blades. He drops down to all fours and becomes a silver facsimile of a wolf.
He's going to kill them. I can't say I hold any feelings of love for the sex trafficers, but I'm not just going to stand by and let a Nazi puree them.
I unclip another grenade as Hookwolf begins to stalk forward, and throw it right into the whirling mass of blades he has become. It explodes the moment it comes into contact with him, and suddenly Hookwolf's blender of death becomes jammed up with a large amount of blue white goo.
He tips over, and begins scraping against the ground. His hooks speed up and begin to pulverize the adhesive, but I'm already moving to take advantage.
I toss two more adhesive grenades over him, and seal him in with a cryo grenade.
The metal wolf thrashes around in his icy prison, but he's making minimal progress in escaping with the gunk from the adhesive grenades limiting his movement.
Now wholly involved in the action, my stealth field fades, giving away my position to anyone with eyes. I got the drop on Hookwolf and was able to take him down easily as a result, the same won't be true for the rest.
Working quickly, I stun the groaning ABB members around me just in case any of them are faking, and begin rummaging through one's clothes in search of the bomb he has on him. After a solid ten seconds of searching, I come up with nothing.
I double check my hud, and see the red blip right on top of me. What the heck?
"Dotty, where's the bomb?"
"In...side."
I bring my blaster up as I turn on another ABB goon. He has his hands up in surrender, and looks to be bleeding from a large gash, likely Hookwolf's work.
"Bomb...inside...head." He gasps out.
My eyes widen, and I turn the man I was searching over. There's a strange 'V' shaped scar where the back of his head meets the neck. It looks like whatever cut him did so recently.
She put a bomb in him. She put a bomb in all of them.
"She's insane. Lung's insane. Who puts bombs in their people's heads?"
The man in front of me shakes his head. "Not Lung. Lung...ordered removal. Empire...attacked."
That would explain why there are so many ABB grunts here.
"Why are you telling me all this?" I ask the man.
He looks at the entrapped Hookwolf, then back to me.
Because I took offense to a Nazi? Wow, his standards are low.
"Statement: The trash meatbag is moving towards you, master. Advisory: Fly away. Completing the mission objective does not require combating him."
I check my hud, and see a form moving towards me. I step back from the ABB guy and quickly say, "Put pressure on that." Then I activate my jetpack and fly up.
If I hadn't already given myself away with my grenades, my jetpack definitely would have clued everyone in on the fact that I'm here.
From the air, I'm able to see the carnage around Lung, Fenja, and Menja. It looks like the three of them have destroyed the entire block during their fight, and Kaiser's blades didn't help to limit the damage by any stretch of the imagination. Everything is on fire, and what little somehow managed to avoid the flames has been smashed beyond repair, leaving large chunks of metal, cement, wood, and brick around the area.
Luckily, a quick scan from my hud shows no life signs around them, so at least the civilians got out.
Or they're dead.
I shake my head.
If they are, I can't help them now. Besto to end this and keep any other innocents from dying.
I refocus as I catch sight of Mush. He was lumbering towards where I jumped Hookwolf, but turns when he sees me in the air.
The man is disgusting. His entire body has turned into a literal trash heap. Black and white bags full of various refuse whirl around him, and bulk him up to the point he's around three times the size of Hookwolf's blade form.
He starts tearing chunks out of himself and throwing them up at me, but I just fly away. He can't match my speed, and HK's right. There's no point in fighting him right now.
I start moving towards the grouping of bombs I assume to be Bakuda, and think of how to go about disabling her dead man's switch.
I threw an ion grenade and all the ABB guys went down screaming right? They were holding their heads, which had bombs in them. Did the grenade deactivate the bombs somehow?
"Dotty, scan around the ABB guys I just left and see if you can still pick up the signal from their bombs."
He beeps and boops, and I grin.
The ion grenade knocked out the signal, if I can catch Bakuda in one, there will be no way for her to set off her bombs. I just need to be careful I don't accidentally set any of the bombs off with my grenade. Actually, so long as I catch her dead man's switch in it, it'll be fine.
"HK. Use any ion grenades you have on Oni Lee, Bakuda, and Lung. They should be able to knock out their dead man's switches."
"Hopeful query: Can I kill the meatbags once their devices are disabled?"
I hesitate for a brief moment, then say. "Only after the dead man's switches are dealt with." I wasn't planning on letting Bakuda live anyway. She's blown up too much of the city for me to care about bringing her in alive.
"Enthusiastic statement: I will disable their devices, then terminate their meaningless existences!" HK says cheerily.
He can be cheery? What have I unleashed?
"Focus on Oni Lee and Lung. Bakuda's mine."
"Statement: Enjoy yourself master."
I ignore him, and move faster towards the slowly moving mass of red blips on my hud. Oni Lee is obvious with all his teleporting, so the slow moving mass has to be her.
I fly up to get a better view, and see a woman walking down the middle of the street. She's wearing a gas mask, three different bandoliers, and is holding a grenade launcher.
Found you.
I move to engage, but something hits me in the back, forcing my shield on.
I spin around and see a girl in green robes flying towards me. Bits of cement, metal, and a few garbage cans orbit around her.
She screams, and holds her hand out. All of the material around her begins to fly toward me at insane speeds.
I alter my trajectory and go into a dive. I can't fight her in the air, it's too open. If she's intent on fighting me, I need cover.
On second thought, she's the one out in the open now…
"HK. Stun Rune."
I spin around and draw a pistol as I level my opposite fist in her direction. I send a volley of bolts at her from my pistol as I activate the flamethrower attached to my wrist. A storm of blue bolts and fire roar towards the flying Nazi. I don't expect to hit her, I just want her distracted.
Rune pulls all of her projectiles back and creates a shield in front of her to block the bolts and flame.
I can't see her behind the shield she erected, but I can see when it starts to fall apart.
"Statement: The meatbag is falling."
Sure enough, Rune plummets out from behind her shield, and the rumble that constructed it slowly falls away as well.
Oh shit, I didn't mean to kill her!
I spin around, and rocket over to her.
If I hadn't upgraded my jetpack, I wouldn't have been able to get to her in time. As it is, she's only ten feet from the ground when I catch her. The force from when I catch her causes my shield to activate, and almost send me into the ground, but I'm able to pull up in time. I land in an alley, and check her over with my hud.
She'll live.
I drop an adhesive grenade on her which covers her up to her neck, then fly back towards the woman in the gas mask.
When I'm close enough to see her again, I see her firing grenades at a masked man in black. Her grenades all wrap around him unnaturally, and some are even sent back towards her.
Krieg. He can manipulate kinetic energy around himself or something right?
"Fuck you cocksucker!" I hear Bakuda yell, and she throws a grenade down beneath her feet. There's a flash of blue light and she disappears.
I look back to my hud, and watch as a mass of red blips appear a fair distance to the north. I wait for a moment to ensure it's not Oni Lee, then fly after her.
I pass back over where I trapped Hookwolf and find the ice prison I made thoroughly destroyed, there's no bodies near it though, so it looks like the ABB guys got away before Hookwolf broke loose.
Yay! I saved a bunch of sex trafficers! Go me!
I shake my head, and refocus.
Bakuda. Deal with her first, everything else second.
I quickly close the distance to the mass of red that are the bombs she has on her, and draw my blasters.
I catch sight of her, and begin strafing overhead with my blasters set to stun.
She snarls up at me, and brings her grenade launcher to bear.
I speed off before she can fire though. I pull an adhesive grenade and a cryo grenade from my belt, then turn around and fly back towards her.
She's waiting for me when I return, and fires three canisters up at me.
I throw my own grenades down at her, then rocket straight up. The air beneath my crystallizes as the bombs explode, and begins to fall to the ground as a mass of white flaky shards.
A quick glance below me shows that I caught her in the edge of my adhesive grenade, but that my cryo missed completely. I fly back down to use my ion grenade, but she throws another grenade into the ground and disappears in another flash of blue.
I growl in frustration, and fly towards her new location.
This time I pass over Lung, and I nearly fall out of the sky at what I see.
Fenja, at least I think that one's Fenja, is missing an arm, and being carried off by her twin. Kaiser is covering their retreat with his blades, and slowly moving away himself. Lung is nearly four stories tall, and a veritable stream of napalm is flying off him.
That's not what surprises me. What surprises me is the tiny murderbot gracefully dancing in and out of the hulking dragon's attacks even as he somehow manages to avoid the same dragon's fire.
"Mockery: The lumbering oaf is an insult to geckos everywhere. The meatbag possesses as much grace as a trash compactor."
HK takes a single step to his right and avoids Lung's rage fueled swipe. He pulls out a blaster and pulls the trigger faster than I thought possible, creating a gaping hole in Lung's chest.
Lung roars, and tries to burn the droid away, but HK jumps to the side and rolls back to his feet.
HK pulls out a silver orb, and throws it with perfect accuracy into the rapidly healing hole in Lung's chest. It activates with a high pitched whine, and HK dodges behind a wall so as to not be caught in the ion grenade's radius.
"Statement: Device destroyed. Meatbag elimination authorized." HK pulls out both blasters and begins firing two streams of bolts into Lung so fast I'm fairly certain the blasters will explode soon.
Should I help him? He's fighting Lung!
Lung roars, and opens his mouth to unleash a torrent of fire towards the droid, but a small silver ball arcs perfectly into his throat and detonates. The fire in Lung's maw turns to steam as the cryo grenade goes off and spreads down Lung's throat.
As Lung moans in pain, Oni Lee appears behind HK and goes to cut his head off.
HK simply pivots and pulls out the vibrodagger I gave him. His small blade hums and glows a faint red as it connects with Oni Lee's more substantial weapon. Oni Lee's sword is stopped cold by the much smaller blade, and HK quickly reaches out with a quick robotic arm to deposit a small silver orb onto the teleporting assassin.
Having now teleported away, the Oni Lee clone left behind activates every bomb on his bandolier and reaches for HK.
In a display of martial arts that would cause Bruce Lee to weep at its beauty, HK slips around the assassin and grabs him by the bandolier. He spins, and releases the clone who goes flying into Lung. HK uses the last of his momentum to roll behind some debris just as the clone's bandolier goes off.
Lung howls in pain as the following explosion throws him to the ground
Well HK's certainly capable, but I can help.
Taking advantage of Lung's prone position, I tilt my head forward and fire the missile strapped to my jetpack.
Unable to dodge the missile due to his position, the missle connected exactly where I wanted it to. His leg.
The resulting explosion all but tears the limb away. Leaving it connected by a loose strand of skin as Lung howls in agony.
That should kill his already shitty mobility. HK can handle him now.
With that insane thought rebounding in my head, I take a quick glance down at my hud, and I start flying towards Bakuda's current location.
As I get close, my hud picks up two figures. I fly in, and see them.
One is Bakuda, and the other is the freed Hookwolf. He's still got some goop on him, but it's not limiting his movement any more.
Hookwolf keeps running towards Bakuda, only for her to fire her grenade launcher and force the Empire cape to dodge out of the way.
I land atop a nearby building, and pull out two grenades.
Hookwolf's distracting her, so this is going to be my best shot. I need to wait until he's closer to her, she'll need to be completely focused on him for this to work.
I wait as Hookwolf slowly closes the gap, and I pull out two ion grenades. I don't want to miss here, so I'm making the radius as wide as possible.
Hookwolf gets within fifteen meters of her, and I activate my jetpack.
Bakuda pulls a bomb from a pouch on her belt, and rears her hand back to throw it at Hookwolf. "Take this shit stain!" She yells right as I fly by.
I thread the needle in the space between them and drop my ion grenades as I do.
Bakuda's bomb leaves her hand as I rocket past, and my ion grenades go off with a flash of light.
There's a loud sound of rushing air that's oppressive even over the roar of my jetpack, but I don't turn back. I wait until I'm a hundred feet in the air before I turn around.
I blink, and shake my head, then take another look.
Bakuda rears her hand back as Hookwolf closes the gap, then there's a flash of light.
Bakuda rears her hand back as Hookwolf closes the gap, then there's a flash of light.
Bakuda rears her hand back as Hookwolf closes the gap, then there's a flash of light.
Bakuda rears her hand back as Hookwolf closes the gap, then there's a flash of light….
Oh my god.
There was a member of the Slaughterhouse 9 who was one of their most terrifying members to date. His name was Grey Boy, and he had powers related to time. On top of being able to reset any damage he took, he could create bubbles of looped time, and trap people within them. He was the only one who could traverse his bubbles, and he would enter them to torture the helpless people trapped inside them. To this day no one has been freed from a Grey Boy loop. His victims have suffered for years, unable to take any action outside of their predetermined loop.
I don't know how, but Bakuda made a Grey Boy bomb. My ion grenade must have screwed something up and triggered it early.
Despite the gravity of what's happened, I can't bring myself to feel any pity for either of them.
Hookwolf has killed more people than anyone has cared to count. He's a wild animal with no redeeming qualities. He was birdcage bound, I guess this will work as a substitute.
Bakuda was a monster, she blew up the city because she thought it was fun. I saw the results of those bombs, the people fused into their surroundings, the mother's cradling their children who had been turned to glass, the man who melted in front of me. I couldn't kill her because of her dead man's switch, and I suppose I didn't. This feels almost fitting.
A loud explosion sounds, and I snap my head in that direction.
No, she didn't die! Did the loop mess something up?! The only command was Detonate, and that could only be triggered by her heart rate stopping. The signal should have disappeared entirely when she got caught in her own bomb.
I turn my jetpack up to full blast and soar in the direction of the explosion.
Another explosion sounds in the same direction, and I do everything I can to reduce drag so I can arrive faster.
When I do arrive on the scene, it's nothing like what I expected.
There's a large smear of blood, flesh, and metallic scales across the ground. Lung's giant dragon form is lying a small distance away. His entire bottom half is just gone. He begins to heal, but a bronze hand places a thermal detonator on his stomach, and its owner calmly strides behind a large block of cement about 30 meters away.
My eyes widen, and I fly higher into the air as the grenade goes off.
Lung moans in pain as his stomach is blown away. The hunter killer walks back over to him and pulls out a blaster. He lets a stream of bolts loose into the downed dragon's head, then calmly places the last grenade from his bandolier and belt both into the slowly healing hole. Once more, he calmly movess behind the same, slightly smaller, block of cement.
Lung tries to rise, but the grenade goes off and he is blown to pieces.
His headless body falls heavily back to the ground, and stops regenerating.
Holy shit.
HK walks back out from behind his improvised cover, and turns to look up at me. "Query: Did you terminate the meatbag, master?"
I numbly nod, still trying to process that my droid just casually killed Lung.
"Where's Oni Lee?" I manage to numbly ask.
"Statement: The meatbag has expired." HK says as he points towards the smear where Lung's lower half was.
My murder bot and I just eliminated the entire cape roster of the ABB.
…
Did today really happen?
The Protectorate has been trying to deal with these guys for years. Them and the Empire.
The Empire! I just trapped Hookwolf in a time bubble, and HK took out three of their capes with little to no resistance. Seriously, what gave the heroes so much trouble with these guys?
"Advisory: We should vacate the scene, master. Law enforcement is likely to arrive, and my current orders prevent me from killing them."
I pull myself from my thoughts, and nod. I land next to him, and we both cloak.
"Dotty." I say as I lead us home. "Are the Protectorate in route to the fight scene?"
Dotty beeps an affirmative.
Now they decide to get involved. "Send them an email with an updated map of all of Bakuda's bombs, and let them know some might be inside people's heads."
Dotty boops out an agreement.
HK and I make our way back to the lab under stealth, and climb in once the hatch opens.
"Keep an eye on things Dotty, and wake me up if anything important happens. HK, don't leave the lab, and don't touch anything." If before I was scared of what he might do, I'm now terrified of what he can do. He won against Lung and Oni Lee at the same time, granted he fought incredibly dirty, but the fact he pulled it off is still terrifying.
"Statement: I will do as you say master."
I strip off my armor and pull my phone out.
I fiddle with it for a second and make it so I can receive calls, and it instantly starts ringing.
I accept the call, and hold the phone up to my ear. "Hello?"
"Mandalore! I've been trying to contact you for the last hour! What were you thinking?!" Dragon screams at me.
I hold the phone away from my head until she's done yelling. "Nice to talk to you too Dragon."
"Do not sass me right now Taylor! Things are incredibly bad right now. You need to get online and look at PHO right now."
I look over at Dotty, and the remote starts to do as she said. "Dragon, what's going on? I'm kind of tired right now and…"
"You fight is on PHO!" Dragon screams. "Someone has video of you trapping Bakuda in a Grey Boy bubble, and that robot that was with you blowing up Lung's head. I told you not to go alone Taylor!"
I don't respond because I'm too busy tearing through PHO.
I don't know who took the video, but it was obviously set up to paint me in the most vicious light possible. The video that shows the Grey Boy bubble doesn't even show Bakuda in the frame until after I've already passed through and she's been trapped. Her grenade was never visible. The video of HK executing Lung cuts out after HK points towards the red smear that used to be Oni Lee. They can't see my shock at the action because of my helmet, and since people aren't likely to know his personality wasn't my choice, that is incredibly bad.
"Dragon!" I yell into the phone. "That bubble wasn't me! Bakuda made the bomb, but it interacted weirdly with my ion grenade and I accidentally triggered it while she was still in the radius. Hookwolf would have been caught regardless!"
"I know that Taylor, but the PRT doesn't know what to think. The film has obviously been edited, but no one is listening. What happened with Lung?"
I cringe slightly at the question, and don't answer.
"Taylor…" Dragon's voice is full of disappointment.
"He was a sex trafficer Dragon. No, he was practically a sex slaver. He kidnapped young girls and shoved forced them into his brothels, he was not a redeemable guy. The last time I handed him over to the law he was out in less than a week, this time he won't be."
"That's not your decision to make."
"It became my decision when you all stayed out of it!" I scream in uncontrolled fury. "You wanted the problem to sort itself out, so I sorted it. Don't get pissed at me because you don't like the outcome!"
Dragon's silent for a moment.
"Taylor, you shouldn't have gone after them alone, but I understand why you did, and I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you. The problem is you've escalated now. The Empire now thinks you're willing to drop a Grey Boy bubble on any of their members at the drop of a hat, and they want blood for Hookwolf. The public…"
"Are actually on my side." I say in surprise as I scroll through PHO.
There're a lot of people understandably freaked out about the Grey Boy bubble and the seemingly blaise response to HK's question, but for the most part, everyone's thanking me for putting down Bakuda and Lung. The overall response is incredibly positive, I guess that happens when you stop a maniac who has been melting people for the last few days. There are also a not insignificant number of people online asking why the Protectorate let things get this far. A fact that brings a smile to my face.
I really need to watch myself before I develop a vicious streak.
"That may be, but I still think it would be best if you laid low for a few days. Try to keep to your civilian identity as much as possible. I'll keep the PRT off you, and see if I can find out how the villains got ahold of your map, but you need to be careful. Kaiser released a public statement a short while ago calling for your head. Do not go out as Mandalore alone, he'll take the opportunity to strike at you."
I navigate through a few pages, and sure enough, on the Empire's official webpage Kaiser has called me out. Saying I'm a, 'honorless psychopath who must be put down for the good of all'.
I don't know why, but that dig about my honor actually kind of offends me. I haven't let stuff bother me since the trio, but that gets me.
I scowl, and start messing around on the computer.
The Empire doesn't really need an official webpage do they?
Dragon continues speaking when I don't answer. "Just lay low for a week or so. By then things will have calmed down enough for… Taylor is this you?"
"The Empire webpage?" I ask. "Yeah, that's me."
I've completely taken it over. It's surprisingly easy to slice something that isn't tinkertech, especially with Dotty helping me out.
The site has been cleansed of their bullshit propaganda, and now only leads to a single page filled with pictures of various sex toys. Each one is named for a different Empire cape, and they're all slightly different depending on the cape's power.
Slicing is fun. I should do this more often.
"Taylor, please stop antagonizing them. Things are already bad enough without pouring fuel onto the fire." Dragon pleades with me.
I sigh. "Fine, I'll stop, but I'm leaving the site the way it is, and if they make another I'll do the same to that one." A bunch of literal Nazis called me out on my honor about how I fought an insane bomb tinker with a hard on for civilian casualties. I'm just not so politely telling him where he can shove it. The asshole is a nazi, and he was going on about my honor? Yeah, right.
"That's the most I can ask for, Taylor. Now I'm required to ask you about the robot you had fighting Lung."
"Statement: I am not a simple robot, I am a finely tuned killing machine specializing in..."
"HK shut up!" I hiss at him. I didn't order him to be silent did I? "What do you need to ask?" I reply to Dragon.
"I am required to ask you if he is sentient, and if you plan to make more."
Her phrasing is a little off here. She's 'required', and do I 'plan' to make more. I can read between the lines. She's already figured it out, but she wants plausible deniability.
"No he is not sentient, and I do not have plans to make any more." Currently at least. The psychobot is actually growing on me surprisingly enough.
"Thank you." She sounds relieved. "If you need anything call me, but try to keep to your civilian identity. I need to speak with the Director, so I have to go."
"Before you go Dragon, how does one go about joining the Guild?" I quickly stumble out. I had originally planned on joining the Protectorate when I hit eighteen, but this whole fiasco has effectively killed that plan. They're either hopelessly corrupt, or hopelessly compromised, and I don't want to be a part of an organization that's either.
Dragon's been the only one to really work with me recently, and we're already in on the Bacta Tank together. The Guild is looking more and more promising every hour.
There's a brief silence before Dragon responds. "I wasn't aware you were interested, but typically one needs to be eighteen years old, and have a recommendation from a current member. However, special exemptions have been made in the past, and I'd be willing to speak with Narwhal on your behalf."
I smile. "I'd appreciate that Dragon. Thank you. I'll call you later to talk about some ideas I had for prosthetics, but go ahead and go to your meeting." I figure the cat's out of the bag about me being able to do stuff relating to robotics, so I might as well help some people. It's better than the alternative anyway.
"I'm happy to help, and if your prosthetics are anything like the Bacta Tank I will definitely be interested. I'll call you when I get a moment. Stay safe, Taylor." She hangs up.
I take a deep breath, and let it out.
I need a break. I've been high strung this entire week, and I just Grey Boy'd a woman which is empirically worse than just killing her. Granted I don't feel at all bad about it, rot in frozen time bitch, but I need some time to recharge, and screwing with the Nazis through their website will get stale after a while.
I yawn loudly, and rub my eyes.
I'll figure it out tomorrow, or whenever I wake up next.
I put the phone down and climbed onto my couch. I was asleep the moment my head hit the armrest.
(Amy)
The sound of shouting and slammed doors wakes me up. I blink my eyes, and groggily stand up. I get tangled up in my Panacea robe that I forgot to take off, but straighten myself out and head for the door.
The moment I open it, a wide eyed Vicky flies up the stairs and flots into my room, forcing me back in in the process.
"Ames, your girlfriend is fucking brutal." She says.
At the mention of Taylor, wait… "She's not my girlfriend!" I cry indignantly.
Vicky grins at me. "Yeah, that's how you knew who I was talking about. Seriously though, you need to see this." She holds her phone out to me. It already has a video set up. She pushes play, and the scene unfolds.
Hookwolf is charging down a street towards something out of frame when Taylor in her Mandalore armor flies by right in front of him, and drops two small silver orbs in his path. There's a flash of light, and Hookwolf's suddenly back where he started. He runs forward again, then there's another flash of light which sends him back to the start of his run. The camera zooms out, and a woman in a gas mask with several different bandoliers of bombs strapped to her is revealed.
That's Bakuda isn't it?
She pulls her arm back as if she's going to throw something even though her hand is empty, then makes a throwing motion. The same flash of light happens again, and she's back to starting her throwing motion.
My eyes widen as I realize where I've seen something like this before.
I numbly look up at Vicky. "Grey Boy?" I ask.
She nods. "I don't know how the bomber made it, but they're still there. I just flew over to check. It's creepy as hell Ames, and that's not all of it." She pulls her phone back and starts clicking into another video.
There's more?!
Vicky hits play, and holds the phone out to me. This time my jaw hangs open the moment the video starts.
Lung, as in the giant dragon man who fought off Leviathan, one of the strongest capes on the eastern seaboard, is missing his bottom half.
He has obviously scaled up quite a bit. Even missing half his body, he's still larger than a pickup truck. His body starts to heal, and he moves to climb up when a strange bronze stick man walks over to him.
The camera only catches him from the back, but there's clearly something wrong with him. People aren't normally shaped like he is.
Is that a new changer cape? A case 53 maybe?
The metallic looking man places a small orb, one that looks startlingly similar to the one Taylor used, onto Lung's slowly healing stomach, then briskly walks away.
Lung tries to brush it off, but it explodes into a large fiery radius. The dragon falls back and moans in pain. It's like he can't even summon the strength to scream.
The strange bronze man walks back, and pulls out a gun that I'm sure is exactly like one of Taylor's. The bronze man opens fire faster than I've ever seen someone pull a trigger right into Lung's head. The steady stream of bolts melts away a sizable hole in Lung's head. A hole the bronze man puts another silver orb into.
Oh my god.
The bomb explodes once the bronze man walks off, and Lung's head is just gone. One second the dragon of Kyushu was injured but alive, and now all that left of him is a headless, legless body.
Before I can fully comprehend the sheer scope of the fact that Lung is dead, the bronze man walks forward a few steps, and turns so the camera can see him.
It's not a man, it's a robot. It has two slanted orange eyes, and no mouth or nose. Someone built this thing.
"Query: Did you terminate the meatbag, master?" The robot speaks out from some sort of speaker. It's gaze focused skyward.
The camera pans over, and Taylor is revealed to be hovering around ten meters away. She doesn't speak, she just nods coldly.
Fuck Taylor, Vicky was right. You are brutal.
As if that fact hadn't been proven multiple times over by now, Taylor speaks. "Where's Oni Lee?" She asks.
The camera pans back to the robot, and it points towards a smear of blood, guts, and scales on the ground as it says, "Statement: The meatbag has expired."
The video abruptly stops, and Vicky puts her phone away.
I turn towards her with a loose jaw and wide eyes, and manage to get out, "Holy shit."
Vicky just nods. "Holy shit."
"When did all this happen?" I ask, shocked.
"About four hours ago now." Vicky answers. "I flew over to make sure it was real. We were gonna tell you sooner, but we didn't want to wake you up after the hospital."
"Didn't want to wake me up?!" I yell. "Tayor just took out the ABB! All the ABB! That's something you should wake me up for!"
Vicky grins. "Are you worried about her? That's kinda cute."
I growl at my sister. "Seriously Vicky, not the time. Is she alright at least?"
Vicky nods. "Aegis and Dauntless showed up while I was watching the bubble. Apparently Dragon got in contact with her, and she's back at her lab laying low. The E88 are pissed at her right now. They think she's the one who Grey Boy'd Hookwolf, but Dragon says it was Bakuda, and Taylor's grenades just interacted weird with Bakuda's which triggered it early."
"So the Nazis want blood for Hookwolf?" I ask. That's not good.
Vicky nods. "They had this whole thing up on their site about how she was a horrible curr and stuff like that, but I think she took offense." She pulls her phone back out with a grin.
I watch over her shoulder as she pulls up the Empire's recruitment page, and can't stop myself from laughing.
Instead of their typical bullshit, the entire page is pink with white puffy clouds floating in and out. All the members of the Empire have been photoshopped into little unicorns that fly around and kiss each other.
All except Victor. There's a full fledged animation of him curled into a ball, sucking his thumb, and crying in a corner that's labeled, 'Complete and Utter Failure Who Dared to Oppose Dotty the Great'.
"This is great, but who's Dotty?" I ask Vicky.
"I know right?" Vicky says cheerfully. "Not sure who Dotty is though. Running theory on PHO is that it's Mandalore's internet handle, but I'm not too sure. There's also this." She pulls up the Empire's main page and the first thing I see are the bolded words, 'KAISER SPECIAL!'. Underneath said phrase, is a half inch long silver dildo.
I hold my breath to stop myself from laughing, and look over the rest of the page. Every single Empire cape has been represented as a different sex toy, and there is a review section full of zero and one star reviews saying how everything was too small to even feel.
I can't take it anymore, I burst out laughing a second time and Vicky joins in.
"This is fantastic!" I yell when I catch my breath. "Couldn't have happened to nicer people."
Vicky nods. "Yep, I'll bet they did nazi that coming."
I groan as Vicky snickers.
When you grow up in a town filled with literal nazis, you hear that pun more than you can stomach.
"So," Vicky starts. "what's your opinion on Mandalore now? Same? Different?"
I think for a moment. "I didn't know she had that in her to be honest, but I'm not going to cry over any of the ABB. I'm the one who had to put most of their victims back together, and I can say with complete certainty that they all crossed the line in a big way. They deserved to be put down."
Vicky nods seriously. "I didn't see nearly as much as you did, but when I was pulling people out… it wasn't good by any stretch of the imagination."
A thought occurs to me. "You said she was laying low right? Does that mean she won't be going out for a while?"
Vicky shakes her head. "Probably not. With the Empire as pissed as they are, she'll probably be quiet for a week at least." She leans towards me with a grin. "Why? Hoping to meet up?"
I groan. "Vicky! I'm worried about her. She just fought the entirety of the ABB, and now she's going to lock herself away from the world so she doesn't get head hunted by nazis. We won't know if anything happens to her."
Vicky shrugs. "Then call her. Invite her out somewhere, her civilian ID is still safe."
I open my mouth to refute her, but close it.
That will actually work.
Vicky nudges me with an elbow. "Plus, you'll get some girlfriend time." She wiggles her eyebrows at me.
Even as my face starts to heat up, I glare at her. "You're impossible. Can you just take me to the hospital please?"
Her smile fades. "I thought you said they were good?"
I nod. "They are, but I should make more paste before they run out. It should only take like thirty minutes, then I can come home."
She brightens back up. "Alright let's go."
Vicky flies me to the hospital, and I start making more paste. As I work, I can't help it as my mind wanders.
Taylor built her armor, her blasters, grenades, a robot, and a jetpack. Vicky said the running theory the PRT had on her specialty was personal equipment, but the robot blows that out of the water. Then there's the fact that she was able to easily hack the Empire's sight. So that's personal equipment, robotics, and hacking. What is her specialty that it's so diverse?
I hold up a paste covered hand and look at it.
Is she maybe like me?
I shake my head.
No. That's a stupid thought, no one else is as dangerous as I am.
I refocus on making more paste, then let Vicky fly me home once Dr. Smith says I've made enough.
Maybe I'll give Taylor a call...
(Saint)
This isn't happening.
I stare at the screen in front of me and pray this isn't real.
"Mags!" I yell into the radio on my desk. "You need to get over here now!"
After everything we've done, everything we sacrificed, is it all going to disappear because of some new tinker in some shit hole of a city?
"What is it?" Mags asks as she runs into the room. "What's wrong?"
In response, I just slide my chair to the side so she can see the screen.
She leans down and starts scanning it with her eyes. They grow wider with each detail she sees. By the time she's done reading, the color has drained from her face.
"Is this real?" She asks after a moment.
I nod. "It's real. Dragon's already debating the benefits of asking her for help getting free. We need to kill the tinker before she makes anything else. One that we control is already too much, she has to die, and soon."
Mags starts rubbing her forehead. "Has Dragon talked to her yet? It might be best to use Ascalon now before we lose the chance to kill it."
As much as I'd like to agree, it's not the right time.
I shake my head. "No. We can still use Dragon. Besides, it's our best lead on the tinker." I move back in front of the computer and begin frantically typing. I pull up what I'm looking for, and let Mags get a look.
"Taylor Hebert, sixteen, only known relative is her father. We know where she lives." She says in comprehension.
I nod. "Call Dobrynja. The three of us need to head to Brockton Bay and eliminate Mandalore and all of her creations."
Mags swallows. "Geoff, she's just a kid, and she's the one who made those healing tanks that everyone's freaking out over. She's trying to help people."
I let out a long sigh. "I know, but we can't risk her making something worse than Dragon. There won't be anyone to keep her creations in check, so we need to take her out before she makes any. Think of the damage she could do Mags. Think of the damage she's already done. She killed Lung with only one of those things, I don't want to see what happens if she makes more or let's that one online. There's even a chance she already has given one access to the internet. How else would she keep the Empire's page down? We need to hit her now. Besides, we have the designs for the tanks. We can start building and selling our own." The extra revenue will help to keep Dragon in line.
Mags takes a deep breath, then gives me a sharp nod. "I'll call Dobrynja. We'll be ready to go in the morning." She leaves the room.
I turn back to the screen in front of me and sigh.
I've tried to keep innocents out of the line of fire, but that's not an option this time. If I don't take her out now, the whole world will pay the price.
That robot she had was sentient. Dragon knew it, so I know it. How many more can she make? How many other types? What's her specialty that it allows her to make the robots and her weapons?
Because of her tanks, she's gaining the trust of the PRT and the world, she's too dangerous to be left alive.
I truly am sorry Mandalore, but you have to die for the good of us all.
(Taylor)
A heavy impact on my stomach wakes me up, and I instinctively reach for the small blaster I keep in the couch cushions. I relax when Dotty hovers up by my head and boops at me.
I look over, and just like he said, my phone's ringing.
I crumble and drag myself to my feet. What time is it? How long was I asleep? What's the square root of pi? That last one's not as important, I just don't want to be awake right now.
"Hello?" I groan into the phone.
"Taylor? Are you alright?"
I perk up upon hearing Amy's voice respond to me. I really need to get better about checking the caller ID.
"I'm good." I reply. "I just woke up is all."
"Oh! I'm sorry, if you need to rest I can let you go."
"No! No, that's fine. I like talking to you." I have to resist the urge to facepalm. 'I like talking to you'? Smooth Taylor. Real smooth.
"How are you doing? I saw the videos from the fight, and Vicky said Dragon talked to you, but how are you?"
I let out a sigh and collapsed onto my couch. "Honestly? Things could have gone a lot worse. I'm pretty sure the only reason we got off as well as we did was because we got the drop on them. That, and the fact that HK is a badass."
"HK? Is that your robot?"
"Droid. And yeah. HK-47 technically, but that's a mouthful."
"You named your droid HK-47?" She asks in deadpan.
"What? No! He named himself! I named Dotty though, and Dotty is a good name!"
Dotty beeps his agreement from his position by the computer.
"Oh, Dotty's another droid? That makes the Empire site make more sense."
I furrow my eyebrows as I slowly pan my eyes over to look at Dotty. "What do you mean?"
"Wait, was the site not you?" Amy asks, confused.
"I took it down and posted some sex toys named after nazi capes, but nothing beyond that."
Amy giggles. "You should look on their recruitment page. It looks like Dotty messed around a little while you were asleep."
I carry the phone over to my computer and pull up the Empire's recruitment page. I almost fall over laughing as I take it in.
There's a solid green background and badly photoshopped blocky representations of every cape in the Empire. They're all wearing lederhosen, and dancing a jig as random objects like frying pans and stop signs fly in from out of frame and smash into them
All the Empire's capes except for Victor anyway, there's a well animated version of him sitting on a chair with his thumb in his mouth and tears in his eyes as he writes on a nearby chalkboard with his free hand. Line after line, he writes, 'I'm a disappointment to everyone who ever knew me, and I am extremely grateful that I'm allowed to exist on the same planet as the mighty Dotty.'.
"Dotty… This is amazing!" I say in between breaths as I recover from my laughing fit.
"I know right?" Amy asks over the phone. "This is the fourth version yet. Every time someone tries to fix the site, he just makes a new one."
I take in a few more deep breaths, and turn to the smugly floating orb. "Keep up the good work little guy, let me know if you need anything."
He boops in thanks, and floats back over to the computer.
I grin at him for a moment longer, then focus back on Amy. "So how are you doing?" I ask. "Are you taking enough breaks from the hospital? I know there's still probably some people who got caught in the bombs, but you need to rest too or else you'll burn out."
"I'm at home right now actually, and…" She trails off.
"Amy? What's up?" I ask in concern.
"Um… it just occurred to me that I didn't ask if it was ok."
"If what was ok? Amy what happened?" I ask, starting to get a little concerned.
"I…" I hear her take a breath. "I used the bacta fluid you gave me to make a healing paste and now they're using it at the hospital and I'm sorry I didn't ask if it was ok please don't hate me I didn't mean to go behind your back like that but I just got so excited and then I was doing it and…"
"Amy!" I cut her off. "Breathe girl! I caught maybe a third of that, something about a healing paste?"
I hear a few deep breaths, and she says, "Yeah, I used the bacta fluid you gave me to make a healing paste. It's much more limited than the tank itself because it can't do anything internal without a seriously skilled doctor, and I need to be there to make the stuff, but Dr. Smith was practically drooling over it. I'm sorry I didn't ask first! I just thought it would help the people caught in the bombings."
She made a healing gel thing? Nice. Didn't know her power could do that, I thought she could only heal people. I wonder what else she can do? Oh, wait. I haven't answered have I?
"You don't need to apologize Amy. Why would you think I'd be mad about this?" I ask. Seriously, why would I have a problem with her making healing stuff?
"Um… I sort of stole your bacta and made a paste out of it. There's all sorts of legal boundaries I just crossed, and I didn't even realize it until right now."
I snort. "Amy, I don't really care about the legal mumbo jumbo. I didn't make the tank to get rich, I'd already be loaded if I had, I made it to help people. If you were able to use it to help people even more, then wonderful. Besides, you're my friend, it'll take a lot more than you making a miracle cure for me to get pissed at you. I'll just tell Dragon about it when I talk to her next, and see if we can do anything with it."
She goes silent.
Oh shit, does she not see me as a friend? I just ruined everything didn't I? I was doing so well too!
Before I can stammer out an apology, Amy speaks up. "Thanks Taylor."
Thanks for what?
I don't know just answer!
Oh, right.
"Uh… You're welcome." Nailed it.
"Taylor?" Amy starts quietly.
"Yeah?"
"Would you maybe want to hang out today? I know it's already after noon, and you fought the ABB this morning, but would you maybe want to go out?"
"Yeah!" Tone it back! "I mean, yeah that would be cool. What did you have in mind?"
"Um… maybe dinner again? Maybe we could just walk around the boardwalk and see what's interesting."
"That sounds good. When?"
"Maybe in an hour? We could meet in that park where Vicky picked me up before…"
Before Bakuda's bombs, got it.
"That sounds good. I'll see you in about an hour." I say.
"Cool! Uh… I'll see you then."
"Yeah, see you then."
"Yep."
"Uh huh." God I'm hopeless. "Bye Amy."
"Bye." She hangs up.
I let out a long breath and dropped my phone. I put my head in my hands and started rubbing my forehead.
I really need to get better at this whole socializing thing.
"Statement: Meatbag courting rituals are illogical. Request: Please order me away whenever you wish to engage in them, master." HK says from his position sitting at one of the workbenches with some tools.
"What?!" I shriek as my face heats up. "She's a friend!" I pause and run what he said back through my head. "And I am not a meatbag!"
"Retraction: That was not meant to be spoken aloud. You are a meatbag master, but I will refrain from referring to you as such."
I take a deep breath, and focus on what he's working on.
He has the blaster I gave him on the table, and is in the process of taking them apart. "What are you doing?" I ask.
"Answer: I am repairing my equipment. The blasters I utilized against the gecko were not designed for a killer of my caliber, and are thus inoperable at present. Statement: I will be prepared when next you have need of my skills, master." He keeps fiddling with the blaster, and I turn around towards Dotty.
"Dotty, keep the Empire's site down, and warn me of anything that's a threat. I'm going out." I grab the smallest communicator I made, and place it in my ear. If someone's looking for it they'll notice it, but since I'm wearing my hair down I should be safe.
I grab the rest of my civvy gear, and start climbing the ladder. I stop at the top rung, and shout down, "HK, don't leave the lab, don't kill anyone remotely, and don't do anything other than repair and replace your equipment!"
I hear a long sigh from the deathbot. "Statement: I will do as you command, master."
Satisfied he won't be going on any enthusiastic walks, I shut the hatch, and stealth towards the park where I'm meeting Amy.
Once more I'm surprised at the number of people out. There was a massive battle between every villainous cape in the city just this morning, and it's like it's a Tuesday.
Wait, is it a Tuesday? What was yesterday? Thursday? I don't know.
It takes me a little while, but I make it to the park without issue and sit down on a bench to wait.
While I wait, I look over towards the building that blew up when I was here last.
It's still missing a large sphere's worth of its mass, but other than that it's been cleaned out. They'll probably start working on repairing or rebuilding it soon now that Bakuda's been dealt with.
I feel a surge of pride as I realize I did that.
"Heya Taylor!" I hear from behind me.
I turn around and see a grinning Vicky letting her sister down.
How did I miss them? Actually I wasn't really paying attention, and it's not like they came from a conventional angle.
"Hi." I say back with a wave.
The two Dallons walk over to me and Amy immediately grabs my hand.
"Um, hi Amy. Good to see you too." I say awkwardly while Vicky chuckles at us.
"Hi, yeah, good to see you. Give me a minute." She replies while looking intently at my hand.
A few seconds pass, and she lets out a breath, then turns to look at me with a stern expression. "I'm glad you're ok, but that was really stupid."
I cringe slightly. "It worked out well."
Vicky snorts. "'Well', it worked out 'well' she says. What are your standards that taking out an entire gang's worth of parahumans is 'well'?"
"Vicky!" Amy and I hiss in unison as we look around to see if anyone overheard.
Vicky waves us off. "Relax, I'm more cautious than people think, so spill. I want all the deets about the fight."
I look to Amy for help, but she just gives me a commiserating look.
Guess I'm not getting out of this.
"Well, I heard the Empire and the Merchants were going to attack Bakuda's lab so I…"
"Wait what?" Vicky breaks in. "Obviously the Empire was there or else Hookwolf wouldn't have got caught in the bubble, but I didn't know about the Merchants."
I nod. "Yeah, they and Coil's guys were there too. I only know the specifics because I… did some investigative journalism."
"You hacked their phones." Vicky says with a raised eyebrow.
"Investigative journalism." I stress.
Amy lightly smacks her sister on the arm. "It's called plausible deniability Vicky, just let her talk."
I give her a nod of thanks, and continue. "Thanks to my investigative journalism, I found out they got ahold of my map from the PRT, and I…"
"Wait wait wait, back up. Got ahold of what map from the PRT?" Vicky breaks in again.
I heave out a sigh, and tilt my head back to look at the sky.
This is going to take a while.
Almost thirty minutes later I've told the whole story. I had to drop it and pick it up a couple times because people walked past, but I eventually made it through it all. Both Dallon sisters were looking at me with tilted heads as I finished.
"What?" I ask.
"Lung broke free from PRT holding after you found Bakuda's lab, then you gave the map with Bakuda's location to Armsmaster who gave it to the PRT, then the PRT gave the villains Bakuda's location so they would wear each other down, then you made a murderbot whose personality you couldn't control to back you up when you went after them yourself, then you attacked every gang in the city with only the murderbot for back-up, and somehow managed to disable three empire capes, kill Lung and Oni Lee, and trap Bakuda and Hookwolf in a Grey Boy bubble. After all that you went home and turned the Empire's website into an adult toy store." Vicky sums up my story.
"Yes?" I answer.
Vicky turns robotically to her sister. "Your life will be exciting if nothing else."
"Vicky!" Amy shrieks.
Vicky shakes her head and gives me a grin. "You've been active less than a week and have already uprooted every established expectation in this city. Hell, you've revolutionized global healthcare too. At this point, I'll just sit back and enjoy the fireworks. Keep my sister safe, and make sure she's back here by eight or else mom'll flip. Enjoy yourselves!" Vicky takes off into the sky.
I'm not that bad am I? All I did was… kill every caped member of one of the three major gangs, publicly humiliate another, and revolutionize global healthcare. Oh my god I am that bad.
Amy lets out a huff, and turns to me. "Sorry about her. She can get insistent when there's a juicy story she doesn't know." She gives me a look. "What's up Taylor?"
"I really am that bad." I say despondently.
"What? Oh, don't listen to Vicky, she's coping with the chaos. You're not that bad Taylor."
I take a deep breath, and nod. "Let's get going. It's already kind of late, so do you want to get food first?"
We begin walking as Amy shrugs at me. "Let's just head straight for the boardwalk. Worst case scenario we'll grab something from a stand."
"Sounds good."
The two of us walk in comfortable silence until we reach the boardwalk. Companionable silence is much better than awkward silence.
"I've never really been here." I say when we arrive. "I went to the book store once with my mom, and haven't been back since."
Amy turns to me. "You never came here with friends?"
I give her a sad smile. "You're my first friend in years. I got bullied in school, and the bullies made sure no one wanted to go near me."
Amy's eyebrows flatten out, and she looks at me with an expression that I can't determine. "Where do you go to school?" She asks seriously.
I shake my head. "I don't. Not anymore anyway, I stopped going when I moved out of my dad's house."
Amy's expression turns apologetic. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"
I wave her off. "It's fine, I'm just not used to going out with friends. So, where did you want to go?"
(Amy)
Am I taking advantage of her? She just fought every villain in the city, and she hasn't had anyone to talk to about anything since she moved out of her dad's house. Should I try to give her some space?
The two of us are sitting in the sand with some tacos we grabbed from the cleanest looking food stand, and looking out at the waves in silence.
We quickly realized there wasn't much here either of us were interested in. Neither of us are very social, and we're not exactly interested in keepsakes, so we only really went into the book store, and there was nothing there.
I'm still having a good time though, and I think Taylor is too, but that's just making me question things even more.
When she told me she was living alone I thought she was at least going to school, but depending on when her trigger was, she's been alone for months. Is it really ok for me to make a move on her right now?
"Thanks for getting me out here." Taylor suddenly speaks up as she looks out over the waves.
"Huh?" I say. Well done Amy, you'll make your english teacher proud at this rate.
"I needed this." She says. "I've been doing so much everything lately that a little nothing was good." She turns to me with a glowing smile. "So thanks."
I do my best to resist as my cheeks heat up, and manage to stammer out, "You're welcome. Thanks for coming with me. I've been in the hospital more than I realized, and even if we didn't do much tonight I had fun."
Still smiling, Taylor looks back out at the waves.
She looks so happy right now, I don't think I have it in me to ruin that. She needs a friend right now, a lot of friends. It would probably be best if that's all I was.
I come with too much baggage as it is, it would be unfair to weigh her down with all my shit while she's dealing with so much of her own.
I frown, and look out at the water as I come to a decision.
She deserves better than me.
A shrill ringing draws both my attention and Taylor's, and I pull out my phone.
"Sorry, Vicky's calling." I say.
She waves me off. "Don't worry about it, not like we're doing anything time sensitive."
I give her a grateful smile and answer the phone. "Hey Vicky."
"What was the name of my first stuffed zebra?" She asks seriously.
What?
"Um… that's kind of out of left field. Why do you…"
"Amy, mom told the PRT that someone mastered you, so unless you want me to break one or more of Taylor's limbs, you need to tell me what the name of my first stuffed zebra was."
I freeze.
What? Why would? Oh shit!
"Stuffy!" I say a little louder than I meant to. "You named it Stuffy because you ripped it by accident, and some of the stuffing came out."
"I gave you a watch for one of your birthdays, what cartoon character was on it?"
By this point Taylor's looking at me in concern, but I'm far too focused on Vicky's words to mind.
"It wasn't a cartoon character, it was a Legend watch, and I broke it a week later when I fell."
There's a noticeable silence, then a loud sigh. "I'll be down in a second."
The line goes dead, and I stand as I start to look around frantically.
She's here? Of course she's here. She's not going to risk someone getting away with me because they got one of her questions wrong.
"What's going on?" Taylor asks worriedly as she stands up with me.
"My mom…" Is all I'm able to get out before Vicky flies down from the roof of one of the stores on the boardwalk.
Taylor looks between her and I in confusion, before Vicky floats up right into her face.
"Did you master my sister?" Vicky asks seriously.
"What?!" Taylor exclaims. "No! I would never! Amy's my friend!"
Vicky holds her gaze for a few seconds, then lets out a long breath and turns towards me. "What did you do that could've set mom off?"
"I don't know! I only talked to her once today. It was right when I got home, and I told her about…"
The healing paste. She went pale when I told her about it, and I haven't seen her since.
I look Vicky in the eye and ask, "Did she specifically say it was Taylor?"
Vicky nods. "I didn't believe it. There's too much that just doesn't make sense, but I wasn't going to risk anything."
"What is happening right now?!" Taylor practically screams. "Why do you think I mastered Amy?!"
Vicky shakes her head. "I don't, but mom does. I don't know why. Do you maybe have a place the two of you can lie low for the night? If Ames goes to the PRT they'll lock her up for a week, and after what you told us about how the villains got your map I'd really rather that not happen. I don't know what exactly happened there, but I really don't want Ames to be at their mercy right now."
Taylor does a fish impression for a bit as her mouth opens and closes, but after looking at me for a second, she nods. "Yeah. I can take her to my lab."
"Both of us." Vicky says.
"What?" I ask.
Vicky looks at Taylor. "I don't think you mastered my sister, but I'm sure as hell going to know where you took her, so I'm going with you."
Taylor swallows heavily and nods. "Ok. Are we going now or…?"
Vicky nods. "Best to go now."
"Uh… ok, follow me I guess, and try to be quiet. I don't want people to know where it is." Taylor says.
She leads us away from the boardwalk and into the city. She throws a couple looks over her shoulder at us, but other than that we move on without any communication. She leads us out of the more populated part of the city, and into an uninhabited area. We keep going, and slowly the houses around us get more and more run down. When Taylor finally stops, almost every house around us is rubble.
She's been living here? She's worse off than I thought.
She walks up to the wall of a building, and starts poking it randomly. The sound of a large piece of metal moving, and she walks over to a patch of dirt. She grabs a stray root, and pulls.
Turns out the dirt was just there to disguise the entrance, the hatch she opens is solid metal.
She goes to climb down the ladder, then her eyes widen, and she looks up at us. "Uh, I never expected I'd bring anyone back here, so I kind of have some defenses set up to attack anyone who isn't me. Give me a minute to disable them."
Vicky nods, and Taylor disappears into the hole.
It's at that moment that the reality of the situation sinks in.
Carol thinks I'm mastered. She thinks I'm mastered because I healed. What more does she want from me?!
"Are you ok Ames?" Vicky asks, concerned.
I wipe my eyes and nod. "I'll be ok. It's just starting to sink in that Carol reported me as mastered when all I did was what she wanted."
Vicky cringes a bit, and pulls me into a hug. "Hey, I'm sure there's something else going on here. I'll talk to her tonight, and everything will be straightened out in the morning."
I sniffle into her shoulder and nod.
Vicky will take care of it, everything will be fine.
"No! They're friends! No killing, maiming, or harm of any kind!" Taylor's voice yells up from the hole in the ground.
I step back from Vicky, and we share a skeptical look. She moves around me until she's positioned herself between me and the hatch.
A few moments later Taylor's head pops up. "Sorry about that. Everything's fine, come on in." She disappears again, and Vicky and I share another look.
Guess my sister was right about the excitement…
Vicky floats down into the hole, and I climb down the ladder.
My first thought? This place is a dump. My second thought? Oh my god, Taylor's living here.
The space can't be more than forty meters squared, and I'm honestly skeptical it is even that large. There's piles of rusted metal and machinery in one corner, piles of assorted tools in another, and a small supply of nonperishable foods against a wall. Taylor has several workbenches set up, each one covered in half finished junk and scrap. There's a beat up leather couch situated near the far wall.
Taylor stands off to the side hunched in on herself as we look over her lab. A small white sphere floats over her shoulder, and the bronze droid from the video stands to her left.
"So, this is home." Taylor says nervously. "What do you think?"
I open my mouth to say something diplomatic, but Vicky ruins it.
"You live here?" She asks incredulously. "Where the hell are your parents?"
I have to resist the urge to smack my sister as Taylor's features fall.
"Mom's dead, and dad's… dad." Taylor replies.
Vicky swallows and floats over to her. "I'm sorry, it's just…"
The bronze droid steps in front of Taylor as Vicky's about to pull her into a hug.
"Warning: Touch the master and lose an arm meatbag."
"No!" Taylor yells as she turns to him. "They're friends! You. Don't. Maim. Friends. Just shut up and stay out of the way."
"Statement: I will do as you command, master." The droid walks over to a workbench, and starts messing with stuff.
"Sorry about him." Taylor says shyly. "I wasn't able to make him personable. Dotty's nice though!" She motions to the small orb over her shoulder.
Said orb spins and floats around her. It boops at Vicky.
"He says hi." Taylor translates.
This thing talks in boops? This gets weirder every second.
Vicky tilts her head at the small ball. "So you're the one messing with the Empire huh? I think we can be friends."
The little droid beeps at her.
"He says he'd like that." Taylor translates with a smile.
The little orb floats away from Vicky over to a very obvious tinkertech computer, and starts spinning in place.
"So anyway," Taylor starts. "You can stay here if you want. I only have the couch, but you could take the Bacta Tank if you want. It's actually really nice to sleep in."
I dodge around various tinker gear littering the floor to walk up to the tank, so I can give it a once over.
It's almost identical to the ones in the hospital. The only difference is the control surface, Taylor's is much nicer.
"That's fine." I say, and turn to Vicky. "You'll talk to Carol right?"
Vicky nods. "I'll get everything straightened out." She hesitates for a moment, then floats over and gives me a hug. "Stay safe Ames, I'll be back tomorrow."
"Bye Vicky." I say back, and once more the gravity of the situation makes itself known.
"Could you not fly right away from the hatch?" Taylor asks, panicked. "I don't want anyone to know where this place is, so every time I go out I walk a block or two before I use my jetpack."
Vicky turns to her, and nods. "I'll move away before I fly off."
Taylor sighs in relief. "Thanks. See you tomorrow Vicky."
Vicky gives her a wave, then flies up through the hatch. There's a loud clanging sound as she closes it behind her, leaving Taylor, the droids, and I down here together.
I look up at Taylor, and see her awkwardly staring at me.
I hold her gaze as I try to think of something to say, but nothing comes to mind.
We stand like that for a solid half a minute before Taylor hesitantly asks, "Do you want a power bar?"
"Yes." I say more to speak than out of any desire to eat. The tacos weren't all that filling, but I don't have much of an appetite right now.
Taylor walks expertly around the things on the floor to the corner with the food, and pulls out two power bars. She sits down on the couch and holds one out to me.
I maneuver around the bits of metal on the floor, and take it as I sit down next to her.
We both open the packages, and take a bite.
The silence returns.
As I sit there I can't help it as my mind wanders.
Carol's always pushed me to heal. That's what she's always wanted from me. I would make her pretty things with my power, and she would scream at me to only heal. I would take the day off to read a book, and she would insinuate someone was dying while I sat and read.
So I would heal. I would heal, and heal, and heal, and heal, and heal, but it was never enough. I always needed to do more.
And now, now I've made something that can help people around the world! If I can make it, all I need to do is show others how. I could get in contact with Dragon like Taylor said and have the bacta paste become as widespread as the Bacta Tank itself, and I'd be able to heal the whole world at the same time.
What do I get for doing this? I get M/S protocols called on me. I find a way to help everyone on the planet simultaneously, and I'm wrong. There's something off about me. There's no way that Amy could possibly help people out of the goodness of her heart, someone has to have mastered her!
Of course that's the only explanation. Amy's a monster.
"Are you ok?" Taylor asks quietly.
I look up at her, and her face is blurry. When did I start crying?
"No." I say after a moment. "I'm not ok. Carol hates me for doing the one thing she's been pushing me to do for years. You'd think this would've been enough, but apparently it just made things worse." I spit out bitterly.
Taylor falls silent.
"I'm sorry." I say. "This is my bullshit, I shouldn't throw it on you."
"I get it." Taylor says.
"What?" I ask.
"I get it." She repeats quieter. "I get what you're going through right now, and I'd like to help if I could."
I shake my head. "I appreciate what you're trying to do Taylor, but you don't get it. Thanks for letting me crash here, but please just leave me alone."
We fall back into silence.
My thoughts begin to drift again, when Taylor speaks up.
"I never told you what happened with my dad did I?" She asks.
I look over at her and shake my head.
She looks down at the floor. "It was right after winter break. The trio hadn't done anything to me all day, so I thought they'd finally given up. I realized I was wrong when I went to my locker after second period." She swallows loudly, and lays back against the couch.
"The smell was the first warning. The entire hallway reeked, and people were avoiding my locker specifically. I knew they put something in it, but I didn't want to let them win, and staying away felt like losing, so I walked right up to it."
She gets a faraway look in her eyes as she talks. I don't dare speak because I can see how much this means to her.
"When I pulled it open I threw up." She says, forlorn. "They had filled it with garbage, used tampons, unfinished lunches, and I don't even know what else. When I threw up, I was too focused on that to notice Sophia come up behind me. She shoved me in with the garbage, tampons, and my own vomit, then locked the door behind me. Her and everyone else in the hallway laughed. No matter how much I begged, they wouldn't let me out. I was stuck there for hours. By the time the janitor found me I had already fallen unconscious. He called the paramedics, and they brought me to the hospital."
That sounds like a trigger event, but I don't want to interrupt her.
She takes a deep breath, and swallows heavily. "I was in a coma for a week. At least I think it was a week, I don't really have any way to know for sure. Anyway, when I woke up, the hospital called my dad, but they couldn't reach him. I stayed there for another week while I got my strength back, and the hospital kept calling him, sending him letters. I think one of the nurses even took pity on me and knocked on the door of our house, but he never showed up."
Oh Taylor. Please don't let this go where I think it's going.
"After I was cleared to leave they finally got through to him. He said he'd come by at noon to pick me up. He got me cleared over the phone, so I walked out of the hospital and waited. Eight hours later he still hadn't shown up. None of the doctors or nurses who'd been helping me were still in the hospital, and the security guard thought I was a Merchant looking for a fix because of how thin I was. He kicked me out into the night, and with nothing else to do, I started walking."
Tears begin to gather in her eyes as her strong facade breaks. "I have no idea how I made it home. I was a skinny beat up teenage girl who had just gotten out of the hospital who was walking through downtown Brockton Bay at night, but somehow I made it home. It took over an hour to walk back, but I made it. I used the key we kept under a loose step to get into the house, and I saw my dad."
She starts sniffling, so I scoot over and pull her into a hug.
She doesn't resist, she only keeps talking. "He was sitting down watching TV with a supermarket's worth of empty beer bottles around him. He was watching TV! I thought he'd been attacked! I thought he'd been in a car accident! No, he was sitting on his ass!"
By this point she's yelling, and all I can do is hold her in the hope it helps.
"I walked up to him and screamed at him. I screamed and screamed, asking him why he wasn't there for me. Why he left me on my own when I needed anyone. He looked at me and said, 'You're not Taylor, Taylor's in a coma. I need to work so I can pay the hospital bills so she can come home.' Then he stood up and shoved me out of the way so he could get more fucking beer."
I squeeze her a little tighter, but I know there's nothing I can say right now that would help.
She tilts her head so that she can look me in the eyes. "My dad didn't even acknowledge me. He was so caught up in his own shit that he didn't even realize I was there. That his daughter was right in front of him. I know the logical thing to do would've been to stay, but I couldn't handle it. I ran outside, and just kept running. Eventually my body gave out, and I fell into a bush. I blacked out, and when I woke up, I was cold, but knew how to make the cold go away."
She pulls away from me, and shakily stands. She walks over to a drawer, and pulls out a small metal rod. She twists it, and it glows a warm red. She stares down at it as she pulls it closer to herself. "This was the first thing I ever made, and it saved my life."
I swallow heavily, and walk over towards her. I slowly wrap my arms around her, and she starts breathing heavily.
Her dad caused her to trigger. I'm fucked up, and even I'm saying that's fucked up. It's no wonder she's living on her own.
She takes a deep breath, and turns to look at me. "It might not be the same, but I get it. I know what it feels like to be completely alone. I've been alone for months, so please just let me help."
I numbly nod at her.
I feel like a major bitch right now. She was just trying to help me, she let me into her home, and bared her heart to me, and I've been a bitch.
"Ok." I say.
(Taylor)
"Ok." Amy says, and I feel some of the pain go away.
I just told her everything. Everything that I've kept bottled up for months. I don't know how I would've reacted if she'd brushed me off.
Amy let's me go, and walks back over to the couch. I follow after her.
She sits down, and stares at the ground.
She stays that way for a while, and just as I'm about to tell her to forget it, she speaks up.
"I'm adopted you know." She says. "It's kind of an open secret, but Carol and Mark aren't really my parents. They're just the ones who took over for my real dad."
She takes a deep breath, and continues. "I don't remember much of him. He was nice, and I remember eating pancakes with him a lot, but that's about it. Everything else is blurry."
She starts wringing her hands, and takes another breath. "I've never really felt like Carol and Mark loved me. Mark's depression kept him removed from the rest of us, and Carol was only ever proud of Vicky. I've been a tag along since they adopted me."
I reach out and take one of her hands, and she gives me a weak smile before continuing.
"I've tried so hard to get her to love me, to get her to look at me the way she looks at Vicky, but the older I've gotten, the more futile I've realized it is. I don't know why she doesn't like me, but it's not something I'm going to be able to change easily. That's why I was so excited when I got my power. I could give her things, I could help people, I could maybe even make her love me, but none of it worked. Everything I gave her just made her look at me in disgust. No matter how many people I helped she never said I did well, only that I did what was expected. No matter what I did, she didn't love me."
Remembering moments ago when Amy kept me from self-destructing, I shuffled closer to her and wrapped my arms around her.
She leans into me and keeps talking. "The older I got, the more I learned about my power, and the more I realized why she was terrified of me."
She holds her hands up and looks at them. "I'm a monster. I can destroy everything I touch with no effort. It scares me. It horrifies me. Once I gave up on Carol, I threw myself into healing so I would never do any of that, so I would never change things."
Her power is more than healing? It seems like a fair bit more from how she's talking and lightly trembling in my arms, but I'm not going to ask for clarification. She let me talk, I'll let her get it all out.
"I made rules." She continues. "Nothing other than healing, and no brains. It would be too easy to change someone, to kill someone if I did anything else."
She turns to me, and says, "Then you came along." Catching me completely off guard.
What impact did I have?
She looks me in the eyes and says, "You came out of nowhere with your Bacta Tanks, and I saw a way to better use my powers to help people. To save them. I started screwing with the fluid you gave me, and trying to morph it into something I could reproduce to heal people. I didn't suddenly have hope that Carol would love me, but I thought she'd at least stop hating me, so I did my best, and I made the bacta paste."
Her eyes light up as she says the next piece. "I was ecstatic when I cracked it. I'd finally done something that was truly good with my powers. I'd done something that I could be proud of for the rest of my life, but Carol had to ruin it just like she ruins everything else I do."
She scowls and starts breathing heavily. "The only way I could make something like this was if I was mastered! Amy doesn't help people. Amy is a monster. So she called M/S protocols on me, and all the paste I made has probably been seized by the PRT as a result. Hell, she's probably over at the rig right now ranting about what I'll do now that I'm off the reservation. She's probably having a kill order drafted for me!"
I'm taken aback by that.
Sure, her powers have to be more diverse than healing, but I don't see her getting a kill order over making healing paste.
"Amy," I say. "Why would they put a kill order on you? You've helped more people than anyone can count."
She knocks my arms off of her and stands up. She takes a few steps, then turns around. "You want to know why Taylor? You want to know what I can do? You'll never let me touch you again if I tell you."
I highly doubt that Amy. Nothing you could do is even comparable to what I'm capable of.
I meet her gaze unflinching. "I'm going to listen to what your power is, then I'm going to stand up and hug you." I say with conviction.
She snorts and barks out a self deprecating laugh. "Fine. You really think so? Let's test that."
She takes a step closer to me, and leans down to meet my eyes. "I have complete and utter control over any biological organism I touch. I could turn you into a raspberry bush as easily as I could heal you. I can create an incurable plague just by using the air. I could end humanity in a day if I decided to. So go on Taylor, stand up and hug me." She holds her arms out mockingly.
My eyes are wide open and my mouth is hanging open as I look up at her.
She gets it. She's like me. I thought I was alone.
Amy huffs, and drops her arms. "That's what I thought." She turns around and starts walking towards the ladder.
I stand up and throw my arms around her before she can make it three steps.
"What?" She asks, surprised.
I just pull her tighter against me.
She gets it. I'm not alone.
"Why are you hugging me?" She asks with a trembling voice. "I could shut your heart off right now."
"I get it." I echo my words from earlier.
She breathes out heavily, then pulls my arms off of her. "No Taylor. You do not get it. You may understand Carol, but you will never understand this." She continues moving towards the ladder.
Without even thinking of keeping it to myself, I say, "Galactic Warfare."
Amy stops, and turns around with a raised eyebrow.
"Everyone's been wondering what my specialty is, and I haven't told anyone because if I did I'd get a kill order. My specialty? It's Galactic Warfare."
Amy holds my gaze, and looks for something in my eyes, but she doesn't respond, so I keep talking.
"You think I'll never understand it? I have designs in my head whose only purpose is to destroy entire planets. I have designs in my head for super viruses that cannot be cured. I have designs in my head for FTL spacecraft. I have designs in my head for technology that will let me reshape matter into anything I want. I have designs in my head for things that would master you just like Carol thinks I did. You think I don't understand? I do Amy."
I start walking towards her as I continue. "I understand. I know what it's like to intentionally hobble yourself out of fear, because of what you might do. I know how easy it would be to destroy everything. A few hours in a shop, and I could destroy the city and everyone in it, so who's to say I won't go crazy and blow up the sun tomorrow? I understand Amy. I understand screaming at nothing wondering why I have to carry this burden."
I come to a stop directly in front of her, and have to turn my head down in order to hold the smaller girl's gaze.
"I know what it's like to wonder if the world would be better off without my power." I continue quieter. "Believe me Amy, I understand."
She keeps staring into my eyes, but it's clear she believes me. Where before she was almost flippant with her movements, as if she had stopped caring completely, now she's trembling as if she cares too much.
I reach out and take Amy's hand in mine. "You're not alone Amy. We're not alone."
That one sentence means more to me in that moment than any other grouping of words ever could. I have someone who understands. Someone who I can relate to. Someone who won't leave me out of fear.
Amy doesn't respond. She just keeps looking up at me while holding my hand.
I swallow as my nerves get the better of me.
Was I wrong? Did I overstep? Is she going to leave me? I don't think I could take it if she did.
What feels like an eternity passes as I wait for her answer.
Finally, she smiles up at me and says, "We're not alone." She closes her eyes and stands up on her toes, and I meet her halfway.
I press my lips against hers, and lose myself in the moment.
It's not what the stories I've read portray it to be, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Eventually, we both need to breathe, and so we pull away.
I smile down at her, and she smiles back. A wide, bright smile. A beautiful smile.
The two of us walk back to the couch and sit down together.
I cuddle into her, and feel her nestle into me.
That's how we fall asleep. Exhausted, emotionally drained, together.
Enjoy.
I step back from the table, and grin.
I did it. It took forever, but I did it.
Sitting atop the table is a large computer tower and three screens. There's no keyboard, but instead a blue colored holotablet. They're more efficient, and easier to use.
Binary beeps from over my shoulder sound, and I cringe slightly.
I turn to the small floating white orb and look at it.
I didn't mean to build the droid, I was caught up in a tinker fugue and realized having some help going over any surveillance data would be a good thing, and before I knew it the small ball looking droid was built.
I've been intentionally avoiding building any droids because of the PRT's stance on anything even related to artificial intelligence. The remote hovering next to me isn't quite sentient, but he's still close enough that the PRT would come down on me, so I'll have to either leave him in my lab or play him off as a drone of some kind. I haven't figured out which I'll do yet, but so long as the PRT doesn't bring the hammer down I'll be fine.
If they freak out over this little guy, I wonder how they'd react to a Basilisk…
I shake my head and kill the thought.
Nope. Not building one of those. The remote is bad enough.
I turn to look at the little orb once more.
Since he's here, I might as well take advantage of him.
"I'm going to start looking around for anything weird, you double check my work ok buddy?"
He beeps an affirmative and I get to work.
It takes me a while to get the hang of everything, but once I do, I hit the ground running.
Everything that has a signal has a door I can bash open. it's actually kind of terrifying. Phones, radios, computers, automated washing machines, I can break into it all. A benefit which quickly becomes a hindrance.
Do you have any idea how many things we have that are hooked up to each other in today's world? I found over a million the moment I booted my computer up. After narrowing the search criteria down a bit I've still got far too many to go over in an afternoon. It's just not feasible.
I'm going to need to figure out a better way, because this will take way too long.
"Hey buddy?"
The little remote beeps at me.
I've got to get a name for this guy, I can't just keep calling him buddy.
"Um, your name is now Dotty." That isn't a terrible name right?
The little floating sphere beeps happily at me.
Seems like he's ok with it.
"Ok Dotty, I haven't slept since I started working on this, or you now that I think about it, so I'm gonna go to sleep. Keep looking around for anything that looks more advanced than anything around it, that'll probably be a tinker, and there aren't many in Brockton Bay right now."
Dotty beeps at me, and hovers over to the computer. He can't use the tablet, but he doesn't need to. He can just access everything as he is.
Content that my little robot buddy will handle things, I head over to my couch and lay down.
I really need to do a better job of keeping track of my tinker time. This is getting a little ridiculous.
I wake up to lots of enthusiastic beeping, and a little spherical robot repeatedly ramming its little body into me.
"I'm up. I'm up! What do you want?" I ask tiredly. I throw a look over at the clock and see that it's three am.
When did I go to sleep? It doesn't matter, Dotty wouldn't have woken me up unless he found something.
I stumble to my feet and follow a chirping Dotty over to my new computer. I rub my eyes a little so I can better focus on the screen, and freeze at what I see.
On the screen is a map of Brockton Bay with little red dots interspaced all over it. They're fairly spaced out for the most part, except for two concentrations. One is deep in ABB territory, and the other is moving. Moving towards PRT headquarters to be specific, but that's not what concerns me. The little concentration of red blips isn't following the roads, or even moving at a constant speed, it's jumping blocks at a time. It just disappears, then reappears further along.
I start messing with the controls for the computer, trying to get a better picture of a single red blip. I pick one at random, and open up a list of available commands. There's only one listed. Detonate.
These are Bakuda's bombs. Dotty somehow managed to find an insane amount of Bakuda's bombs, maybe all of Bakuda's bombs. I need to send this to Armsmaster. He'll be able to evacuate anyone in the blast radius of these things, and if that large grouping is her base then…
The second, smaller, grouping jumps an entire block again. No, it didn't jump. It teleported.
My eyes widen and I sprint over to my armor.
I pull the phone out and dial Armsmaster even as I start to pull everything on.
"Mandalore." Armsmaster greets.
"Oni Lee is heading towards the PRT building with a bunch of Bakuda's bombs!" I shout into the receiver. "She's planted even more around the city, I think they're going to try to spring Lung!"
"How certain of this are you?" Armsmaster asks.
"One-hundred percent! Now raise an alarm or something! I'm sending you a map with every bomb I was able to find, but you need to hurry. Oni Lee's only a couple blocks out."
I shuffle back over to my computer as I pull on the pants of my armor, and quickly create an email with the map of red blips.
"I need an email!"
Arsmaster quickly rattles one off, and I can hear a powerful engine revving in the background. He's on his motorcycle.
I send the map off to him, then look back at the larger grouping of bombs. "I know where Bakuda's lab is, I can head over there and try to stop her while you deal with Oni Lee."
"Negative!" Armsmaster yells. "Do not, I repeat, do not attempt to assault Bakuda's lab. Either provide overwatch, or help us to contain Oni Lee, we cannot afford to let Lung free."
I clench my teeth, then focus on one of the bombs in Bakuda's lab. The same command from earlier displays itself.
Detonate.
I hover my finger over the activation command, but stop myself.
Dragon said the only reason she doesn't have a kill order is because she has a deadman's switch. If I kill her, the entire city blows up.
I move away from the bomb and start looking for other signals coming from the lab that are connected to the bombs. I find one, and lock onto it. It, too, only has the detonate command. I grit my teeth and try to find a way to disable it, but I can't. There's something wrong with how it works, and the best I can do is set it off.
I curl my fingers into a fist, and punch the table. I zoom back out of the lab, and refocus on Oni Lee as I finish pulling my armor on.
I debate blowing the bombs he has with him, but I would catch civilians in the blast. I also don't know if he's tied to the same deadman's switch Bakuda is, and I can't afford to risk it. The best I can do is make his location known.
"He's stopped a block out." I relay to Armsmaster. "He's on top of a building to the east, and is holding position. I don't know what he's up to, but it can't be good."
"Understood. I've recalled the Protectorate, and the building is already on lockdown. I'm almost there myself and…"
I hear an explosion from his end of the line.
"Engaging! Arsmaster out." The line clicks dead.
I need to get out there!
"Dotty! Keep tracking every bomb you can find, and update my hud with any movements or new additions." I really should have made a communicator for him, but I'll have to make do for now. He can still upload things to my hud, so he has a way to talk to me, I just can't respond in any discernible way.
I grab my sniper, pistols, and lightsaber, and climb up and out of my lab.
I hear an explosion in the direction of the PRT headquarters just as I seal the hatch, and launch myself into the night air. There's no time for stealth right now.
Kicking it into high gear, I crank my jetpack up to its maximum output, and begin to rocket towards the building at an incredible speed. I arrive after a number of minutes to find devastation.
The front door has been blasted away, and the nearby road isn't faring any better. There are PRT troops running through the warzone, and a few of the Wards. Namely Vista, Aegis, Shadow Stalker, and Kid Win. Both they and the PRT troops are standing, or flying in some cases, around the area with their heads on a swivel.
Since Aegis is the closest of them, I fly over to him. "Where is he?" I yell over my jetpack's roar.
"We can't pin him down!" He shouts back. "He only shows up long enough to leave clones behind, then teleports out again. Can you track him?"
I nod. "I can track the bombs he has with him, so… Behind you!" I yell as a new figure appears on my hud.
I pull my two pistols and begin firing at the red masked devil who has perched himself on a nearby roof.
Oni Lee doesn't respond in any way except to run his hand down every grenade on his bandolier and jump towards us.
Aegis and I both fly away just as the bombs go off, and a multicolored explosion encompases the air we were both just in.
Aegis snarls and turns back to me. "Do you have a communicator?!"
I shake my head.
He reaches up to his ear and pulls a small clip off it. He tosses it to me and I catch it, nearly dropping my blaster in the process.
"It's tinkertech, just talk into it and let us know where he'll pop up. The protectorate's still a few minutes out. They got jumped by grunts." He flies back down towards the ground to coordinate with the rest of the Wards.
I, on the other hand, fly up. I holster my pistols, and pull my helmet off so I can put the communicator behind my ear. That done, I pull my helmet back down and unsling my sniper.
I begin scouring my hud for the bomb's positions that Dotty is rapidly updating from his end in the hopes of finding Oni Lee.
"Testing." I say as I search.
"Copy Mandalore." Kid Win's voice replies. "Where is he?"
"I don't have him, wait, west of you on top of that building!" I say as the large cluster of bombs appears.
Kid Win, Shadow Stalker, and the PRT troops all open fire towards the roof as I try to line up a shot with my sniper. A task that becomes increasingly futile as Oni Lee teleports away, and his clone jumps off the building to try to catch someone in his bomb's radius.
It's incredibly difficult to aim a sniper from the air, and I can't land or Oni Lee will just teleport behind me.
Frustrated, I resecure my sniper and pull out a single pistol.
"On the road to your east!" I call, and once more everyone begins firing towards Oni Lee's hiding place.
He teleports away, and his clone explodes, turning everything around him into glass.
As I'm looking around to try and find where Oni Lee teleported to, I see three white vans speeding down the road right towards the PRT guys.
I highly doubt they're full of civilian motorists.
"Three vans coming from the east!"
Sure enough, the side doors are thrown open and armed ABB members start spilling out, opening fire at the PRT personnel as they go.
Their shots go way off target as Vista warps space, and they all start to take cover.
A red blip appears behind them for an instant, then disappears again. Oni Lee's clone charges from behind them.
"Oni Lee behind!" I yell.
Vista hears me, and it's a testament to her experience that she immediately spins around and distorts space to protect everyone from the explosion created by the suicide bomber.
"Oni Lee's in the building!" I yell into the communicator as I start taking pot shots at the ABB goons with my pistol. "He got past when the gang members showed up."
The roar of an engine draws my attention towards the street the gangsters just came from, and I see both Armsmaster and Miss Militia riding motorcycles at a breakneck pace in an effort to get to us.
Realising overwatch is kind of pointless now, I pull out my second blaster and begin to harry the ABB troops from the air with strafing runs.
One of them manages to get a lucky shot in on me, but my shield stops the bullet dead.
Kid Win joins me in the air with his hoverboard, and we keep hassling them as Armsmaster and Miss Militia dismount.
"Pull back!" Armsmaster orders in my ear. "The security measures in Lung's cell have been triggered."
A loud roar follows immediately after Armsmaster's statement.
That's not good.
I fly away from the goons, and land on a nearby building. I holster my pistols and unsling my sniper once again. I enter a shooting position, and train my scope on the destroyed entrance of the PRT building.
There is a veritable sea of containment foam in the lobby, but it is all beginning to shrivel up and melt away. Pushing his way through it is a ten foot tall, pissed off Lung with fire spilling off him.
The moment I see him I open fire aiming for limbs. Stun did nothing against him last time, so my rifle is set for kill.
The first bolt hits, and Lung spins with the shot and hits the ground. I don't give him any room, I just keep firing bolts into his arms and legs even as they slowly get bigger and more scaled.
I'm interrupted when a body appears behind me, and I roll off the roof to avoid Oni Lee's clone. I fire my jetpack halfway to the ground, and rocket away from the exploding building.
I secure my sniper to my back and pull out my pistols as Lung starts to get up.
He's currently taking fire from Miss Militia, Kid Win, Shadow Stalker, and the PRT troops, but none of it is having much of an effect on him. He just walks through it as he continues to grow.
Some of the ABB guys take the opportunity to return fire, and I hear some cries of pain from our side as some of them get hit.
I open fire on the ABB goons to force them back into cover.
Armsmaster uses the opening to charge toward Lung with his halberd drawn, but Oni Lee leaves a clone right in front of him.
I panic as I think Armsmaster is about to be blown up, but once more Vista warps space with her power to get him clear of the blast radius.
By now Lung has entered the street and is still growing, but he hasn't made any moves to attack. He's just walking away while the heroes futilely pummel him.
He is not getting away.
I fly over him and drop three silver spheres. They all trigger and Lung is encased in ice.
I would normally use adhesive grenades, but I remember from last time that he just walked right through them.
Lung tenses his muscles and liquid flames pour off of him in every direction, quickly melting the ice around him. His giant head turns towards me, and he snarls.
I get ready for him to come after me, only for him to turn around and keep lumbering away.
What? Why is he running?
I fly up to prepare for another pass when a female voice I don't recognize speaks through the communicator Aegis gave me.
"Let him go! We'll cause too much damage if we try to stop him when he's this large!"
I must have heard that wrong, did she just say to let him go?
"Director," Armsmaster comes over the comms. "we can secure him! I have my…"
"No!" The woman breaks in. "We have injured, and we're spread too thin dealing with the bombs that went off around the city. Let him go."
He's not actually going to listen to her right?
"Understood ma'am." He says coldly.
Wait what?
"Are you kidding me?!" I yell. "We're just letting him walk off?!"
"Yes." The woman says. "We can't fight him and help the city at the same time, so get your priorities in order Mandalore."
"Excuse me, but who the hell are you to order me around?" I ask with heat.
"Emily Piggot Director of the PRT ENE. Let him go Mandalore, that is an order."
I take my helmet off, and yank the communicator off my ear. I throw it in the general direction of Aegis, and turn back to look at Lung.
The bastard is slowly making his way back to his territory, his goons following behind him.
And the Protectorate is just letting them.
I lock my helmet back on and growl.
The only thing keeping me from flying off in a rage is the fact that some of the PRT guys got hit. I lower myself down and pull my medpac out so I can help them.
Miss Militia and Armsmaster are close behind me as I land.
The three of us apply first aid, then I start walking briskly away.
"I need to help with search and rescue." I say over my shoulder to Armsmaster, then take off into the air.
I bite down on my tongue to keep from screaming in frustration at Lung's successful escape, and look at my hud.
Dotty's map is still up, only it's slightly different now. There are still red dots representing bombs, but now there are also small pictures of explosions in places. He's showing me what was detonated where.
I can deal with all this shit later, I need to deal with the bombs right now.
I fly off in the direction of the nearest explosion, and begin ferrying people to the hospital.
Once more I stay out searching until the sun begins to rise, at which point I head home. I do my regular stealth routine, and start stripping off my armor as soon as I'm inside.
Dotty floats over to me, and beeps in greeting.
"Hey Dotty, thanks for your help. I wouldn't have found some of those sites without you."
He spins around in the air happily, and heads back over to the computer.
I join him, and look over the map of the city.
There are still so many red dots. With Lung free, there's no telling what's going to happen. We need to hit Bakuda's lab now.
I pull out my phone and call Armsmaster.
"Mandalore." He answers.
"When are we going after Bakuda?" I cut to the chase.
"The Director has ordered us to leave her be for the moment."
I clench a fist to stop myself from screaming. "Leave her be? I gave you the location of her lab! We need to hit her as soon as possible now that Lung's free. We have to attack before they can organize better!"
"I agree with you Mandalore, but sadly my hands are tied. The Director has requested additional Protectorate heroes to help us deal with the situation, they should arrive in two days."
"Two days is too long! I gave you my map, you know how many bombs are out there!"
"That is why we cannot afford to launch an assault on Bakuda. If we fail, there will be nothing stopping her from detonating her devices."
"So we just let a psycho have free reign until back-up maybe gets here?"
"Yes. Now I apologize Mandalore, but I am needed elsewhere. Do not attempt to capture Bakuda on your own. Wait for our call, and we will attack her as a coordinated force."
I hang up. I can't deal with that bullshit right now.
I throw the phone down and clench my fists.
He wants me to wait?! How many people are dead because we waited? No. I'm not going to wait. I know where she is, so I'm taking her down.
I start pulling my armor back on, but Dotty starts ramming his body into me.
"What?!" I snarl angrily.
He beeps and boops at me.
I take a deep breath, and pull my armor back off.
He's right. I can't fight Bakuda on my own, especially now that Lung's free. I'd be up against three ABB capes, all of whom won't hesitate to kill me, and I can't kill them because it would trigger their bombs, blowing up half the city in the process. I'm not in a good position to face them.
A thought occurs, and I look back at Dotty.
I can't take them alone, but I could probably do it with a partner…
I head over to a workbench and begin getting my materials together.
I've already made Dotty, so what's the harm in making someone else? I need the help to stop Bakuda, and if this will help me do that, then so be it. I'll deal with the Protectorate's bitching afterwards.
(Amy)
I rush from room to room as I deal with the most severe injuries from this bombing. Run into a room, heal the person until they're stable, move on. Rinse and repeat. It's a routine I've become used to over the years I've been Panacea.
"You need to take a break." Dr. Smith says as blocks the door to the room I'm trying to leave.
I scowl at him. "I'm fine, there's more people who need my help right now."
"Amy, we've been over this, we all need to take time off or we'll snap. Take fifteen minutes, then get back to it. I'm going to tell the other doctors you're not allowed into any rooms until 8:27." He says after briefly checking his watch.
"Fine." I say, and storm passed him.
He means well, but I'm fine.
I accidentally bump into a rushing nurse I wasn't able to see.
"Sorry." I mumble out, and head towards the snack bar on this floor.
Ok, maybe I do need ten minutes, but fifteen is too much.
There's no one operating the snack bar this early, but I have a key. Being Panacea means I eat free whenever I want. I guess I deserve some perks from this job.
I grab an energy bar and take a seat in the hallway. No one really comes by this way when we're swarmed, so I should be alone for a bit.
I swing my head to look down both hallways to ensure I'm alone, then reach into one of my robe's pockets and pull out a small jar.
The blue liquid within it slowly sloshes around as I hold it up to my eye level.
I've been mapping this stuff with my power for awhile now, so I'm not as awed when I look at it anymore, but that's not why I have it with me.
I open the jar and stick a finger in it. The liquid climbs up my hand as I use my power on it, I leave half in the bottle, and close it back up.
I start altering the fluid, but leaving it similar enough to its original form that its function stays the same.
I furrow my eyebrows in frustration as I try to shape the fluid how I want.
I've been trying to crack this for over a day now. It's a healing gel is how Taylor described it, but it can't really be used that way, so I need to figure out a way to make it like that. Once I do, I'll be able to replicate it using just about any biomass, I've already been able to make more bacta after all.
The liquid keeps shifting and changing, and I start to breathe deeply to control myself.
Why is this so hard?! I can change flowers almost instantly! Is it because this stuff is tinkertech and can't be changed aside from cosmetic effects? It's not fighting me, I just can't find a way to…
The liquid turns into a thick paste and sticks to my hand.
Hesitantly, I dab a small amount onto the index finger of my free hand, and roll up my sleeve. I got caught on a screw earlier in the night and I still have a small gash there. I rub the paste on the gash, and watch as it is slowly absorbed into the small wound. After around ten seconds, the gash is completely gone.
I did it…
I did it!
I launch myself from my chair and take off at a sprint through the halls.
I find Dr. Smith taking a small coffee break outside one of the patient's rooms.
I come to a stop in front of him and breathe heavily.
I'm really out of shape.
"Woah Amy, what's going on?" He asks as he walks up to me in concern.
I take in a deep breath and say, "I need as much biomass as we can spare."
He tilts his head at me. "I'm sorry, what?"
I hold the hand covered in paste up to him and wave it around. "I cracked it! I need biomass so I can make more!"
He shakes his head. "Start from the beginning please, I don't know what you're…"
I groan and open the door to the room.
He follows me in with a confused look on his face.
I walk up to the patient, then stop when I realize it invalidates the test if I'm touching him. I hold the paste covered hand out to Dr. Smith. "Spread this on the cut on his forehead."
He looks sidelong at me for a moment, but pulls on some gloves and does as I asked. Nice to see someone trusts me after all the people I've healed.
He applies the paste, and his eyes widen as it seeps into the patient's cut and slowly heals it.
He turns to me and holds my gaze. "How much of this can you make?"
"I can make as much of it as I have biomass, so I need all the biomass we have."
He nods his head. "Come with me. I need to make a call, and you'll likely be doing this for the rest of the morning."
I smile. "Good. I can help more people this way."
He nods once more, and we begin briskly walking through the halls.
A thought occurs to me as we continue on. He didn't ask me if it was safe.
"Dr. Smith, you didn't check it over to make sure it's safe."
He turns to me and raises an eyebrow as we walk. "I like to think I know you fairly well Amy, if you made it, it's safe." He turns his head to look in front of him, and says nothing else.
Conversation over I guess.
Just as Dr. Smith said, I spent the rest of the morning making the bacta paste. No one was really interested in naming it, what with the bombing victims overflowing from the hospital, but I took to calling it that out of respect for Taylor. I couldn't have made anything like this without her after all.
Sometime around ten, I started having to fight to stay awake. I was actually able to sleep for a while before this bombing run, but I've still been at for almost eight hours now.
Luckily, Vicky shows up and Dr. Smith orders me to go home. He said that between the Bacta Tanks and the new paste I made, they were more than equipped to handle everything themselves.
Vicky and I make light conversation during the flight home to help keep me awake, and land in the yard. I open the door, and start heading to my room.
"Why are you home so early?"
I sigh and turn towards Carol. "Dr. Smith sent me home, he said they've got everything under control now."
She raises an eyebrow at me. "He is aware Bakuda went on another bombing spree yes? I fail to see how everything could be under control."
I wave her off and start heading up the stairs. "I made a healing paste from the liquid in Mandalore's Bacta Tank. Between the two of those, they'll be fine."
I'm halfway up the stairs when I hear, "What?"
I turn back towards Carol, and look at her through half lidded eyes. Do I really have to spell it out right now? I just want to go to sleep.
"I messed with Mandalore's bacta fluid a bit and managed to make a healing paste out of it, I spent the rest of the morning using biomass to make more. They'll be fine without me, now I'm going to sleep."
I turn around to continue up the stairs, but stop when I hear a chair screeching against wood floors.
"What do you mean you, 'messed with Mandalore's bacta fluid'? What did you do Amy?"
I tilt my head at her, and see she's gone pale.
What is her issue with this seriously?
"I made a healing paste." I say. "I would've thought you'd be proud of me. Aren't you always getting on me about healing more? Problem solved, now I can heal even when I'm not healing. Now excuse me, I'm tired."
She just stares blankly at me as I climb the rest of the steps into my room. I try to figure out what her problem is, but I just don't have the energy. I only manage to take off my shoes before I pass out in my bed.
(Taylor)
Why did I do this? I'm going to get a kill order! What the hell was I thinking?!
"Query: Master, why are you speeding around the room like a thoughtless primate?" The bronze plated bipedal droid asks as it stares blankly at me
"Because I just made a murderbot!" I scream at him. Sure, I wanted a droid who could help me with Bakuda, but I didn't want a psychopathic murderer!
"Observation: Had you not desired a skillful killing instrument, you would not have constructed me. Query: Who shall I dispose of for you, master, and shall there be explosions?"
Oh my god, I built Skynet!
"No explosions!" I yell. "We're trying to stop the explosions, now shut up while I figure out what to do with you!"
"Acquiescence: I shall do as you command, master."
I fall onto my couch and start massaging my forehead.
What the hell Taylor?! You have a little temper tantrum and make a bronze plated deathbot?! What happens when something that's actually bad happens? Are you gonna blow up the planet?
I look up at said deathbot, and give him a once over. His head is shaped like a rounded triangle with two slitted orange eyes. His legs and arms are both covered in armored plating, and his chassis could probably take several blasts from my sniper before it sustained noticeable damage.
From what my power told me, he was the best option to combat Bakuda and Lung. He's capable of stealth, a brilliant strategist, and knows more about combat than even I do after all my training. I'm not sure how I was able to program knowledge into him I didn't have, and yet was unable to alter his personality. I created the perfect killer robot, and it was only kind of by accident.
I need help. I can't call Armsmaster or the Wards because they'll tell the PRT, and I can't deal with that. Dragon. I'll call Dragon.
I pick up my phone and dial her number.
"Mandalore." She greets.
"Hi Dragon. So, I was trying to find a way to beat Bakuda and I…"
"Do not attempt an attack on her lab!" Dragon cuts me off. "Not only are all three ABB capes there, but almost every villain in the city is on their way. Do not go after them alone!"
"Wait what?" I ask, my train of thought effectively killed.
I run over to my computer and start looking for signals around Bakuda's base, and sure enough, I pick up three large groupings of cell phones and radios.
"How did they figure out where her lab is?" I ask Dragon as I start breaking into their phones. "If they start fighting all hell's going to break loose, we need to get down there!"
"No Mandalore." Dragon insists. "The Director thought it best they wear each other down before we intervene, please stay put."
"If we let them fight it out, entire city blocks will be caught in the fight! We need to…" I trail off as I look at the pictures on Stormtiger of the E88's phone.
"Mandalore?" Dragon asks.
I ignore her, and start looking through the emails and pictures of everyone else present. A little voice in the back of my head says this is a major breach of privacy, but I lock it behind an iron gate. They're about to kill people, I need to know how and why.
After quickly checking over everyone's phones, I've found one picture they all possess.
It's the map I gave Armsmaster that shows the positions of all of Bakuda's bombs.
Dragon said the Director wanted them to wear each other down. The bitch just gave them my map!
"Mandalore?!" Dragon repeats more urgently.
"Is this what the PRT is?" I ask with venom. "They give the literal Nazi's a map to Lung's base of operations so they can kill each other? You're going along with this, Dragon, so is this what the Guild is all about too?!" I don't even bother trying to contain my voice. I'm pissed.
"Mandalore, what are you talking about?" Dragon asks. "What brought this on?"
"'The Director thought it best they wear each other down before we intervene', that's what you said right? And now I see the map I gave Armsmaster, the one thing he said he needed to be able to act, in the hands of a bunch of criminals! I can think of only two ways they got that map. Either the PRT is so infiltrated that anything handed to one of their senior heroes ends up in the hands of the gangs, an option I find unlikely, or they just handed it over!"
"Mandalore, what are you saying? The villains have your map?" Dragon asks, sounding genuinely confused.
"Yes. They do. Were you a part of this decision?" I ask.
"Mandalore, I assure you, I have no idea what you're talking about. I had nothing to do with this."
I relax a little. "Fine, but that doesn't excuse the PRT. I'm done working with them until they get their shit together."
"Mandalore, please don't go!" Dragon pleads. "Do not go out there alone. Let me talk to Armsmaster to see what happened, then we can go together. Please!"
I take several deep breaths, and look down at the floor.
Armsmaster is the one I gave the map to. I don't think he's dirty, but someone he answers to is, if I wait for him I don't know what information the villains will get.
I slowly look up to my right, and see a stock still bronze droid watching me intently.
"Fine." I say to Dragon. "I won't go alone."
I hear a sigh of relief from Dragon. "Thank you Mandalore. I'll talk to Armsmaster, and we'll get to the bottom of this."
I hang up without responding.
I walk up to the droid, and give him another once over.
His slitted eyes look back into my own.
I built him, so I know better than anyone what he's capable of. He has both brute and mover ratings, as well as a thinker rating thanks to the hud I built into him. On top of that, he might as well be a retired Navy Seal for how many combat programs I put in him. He's my best shot.
"If we let the other villains hit Bakuda, there will be too many civilian deaths. I need you to come with me, and through nonlethal methods, deal with the gang members. We can't kill any of the ABB capes because Bakuda has them all tied to deadman's switches." I had checked using my computer as I was building the droid in front of me. Oni Lee had one, and Lung had just been given one. They weren't tied to as many bombs as Bakuda's, but they would still blow up more bombs than I was willing to let detonate. They also had the same issue as Bakuda's. For some reason I couldn't disable them without triggering them. Tinkertech sucks when it's used against you.
"Query: Am I permitted to kill the others?"
I shake my head. "Not unless you've exhausted all other options."
The doid sighs. "Observation: They will not be able to kill if they are dead. Statement: If you care about these civilians, it would be best to kill the problem."
"No. Killing. Not unless there's no other way. The only exception to that rule is Bakuda, once we find a way to get rid of her deadman's switch, we end her." The bitch melted a man in front of me. She dies.
The little voice in the back of my head returns and starts whispering about how the PRT wouldn't approve, but I lock it away again.
Screw the PRT. This entire situation is their fault. I don't really give a shit how they'll react to me fixing their screw up.
"Acquiescence: Very well master, I will not kill the meatbags until the switch is deactivated. Request: Might I arm myself to better take advantage of my combat protocols, master?"
I nod, and walk over to my weapon rack. I pull a belt holster down, and toss it to him, then pull two blasters to fit in the holsters. I reach down to my own belt and pull one of my knives.
I hold it up to him. "This is a vibrodagger. Don't screw around with it."
He takes it, and the tone of his voice turns sour. "Offended statement: I would never 'screw around' with such a beautiful instrument of death."
I narrow my eyes at him. "No. Killing."
"Statement: I have already stated I will not kill the meatbags, master. Repeating your order serves no purpose."
Did this guy just sass me? Whatever.
"You need a name." I say as he sheathes the knife and pulls on a bandolier of grenades.
"Statement: I am a Hunter Killer series droid. Generation 47. Obvious statement: My designation is HK-47."
I tilt my head. "HK-47 it is I guess." If the murderbot wants to be named after his species, who am I to say no?
"Do you have everything?" I ask as I begin to pull my armor on.
"Answer: I am sufficiently armed. Request: Might I also utilize the sniper rifle presented on the wall? Reasoning: Your equipment indicates you prefer mobile combat which is not conducive to the delicacy required of such a fine weapon. I, however, am suited to stationary combat."
I look to my new sniper and think it over.
As cool as the thing is, it's honestly been more of a hindrance than anything. He's right, I need to use my jetpack to get the most out of my fighting style, and the sniper rifle limits that. It's actually kind of scary how easily he picked up on that.
I wordlessly take the rifle and toss it to him.
He looks it over, then slings it over his shoulder. "Statement: I am prepared, master."
I turn back to the floating form of Dotty. "You're on overwatch. Use the phones to track the other villains, and keep our huds updated with the locations of the bombs. Use your communicator for anything else, but try to keep chatter to a minimum." I made a bunch of simple communication devices tied to my own network before I got to work on HK. I realized that not having a reliable way to organize was a glaring flaw, so I fixed it.
The little droid boops at me, and floats back over to the computer.
I pull the rest of my armor on, and my hud lights up. "Be ready to detonate Bakuda and Oni Lee's bombs the instant we find a way to disable the deadman's switches. We'll need to drop those two fast." I say to Dotty as I begin walking towards the ladder.
"Query: Why is the small orb authorised to end the meatbags, but the more suited platform is restricted to nonlethal measures?"
I turn towards HK in frustration. "Because he has control of my slicing computer, and you don't. Now let's go."
I grab the rest of my gear, but hesitate when I go to pick up my phone.
The PRT screwed me over here, but Dragon's on my side as near as I can tell.
I pick up the phone, and set it so I can only send calls. Anyone trying to call me will instantly hit a machine. Now I don't have to talk to anyone, the phone ringing won't give me away, and I can still call Dragon for back-up if I need it.
I walk over to the ladder and climb up, HK following close behind me. I activate my stealth field, and HK follows my example by activating his own.
"Dotty, give us a path to Bakuda's lab that will keep us unnoticed." I say.
I hear a beeping in my ear, and a route to the bomb tinker's lab appears on my hud. Dotty boops again, and I curse under my breath.
The E88 and the Merchants already attacked. They've also got some weird special forces guys with tinker gear on their side, we need to hurry.
"Observation: The meatbags will be focused on each other. We will be able to enter the fray undetected, master." HK quietly says through his own communicator.
He's got a point. If they're focused on each other, they won't be watching for invisible heroes that very few people even know about.
"Let's pick up the pace." I say quietly, and HK and I do just that.
As we progress, explosions get closer and closer. Soon, I'm able to see flames shooting up into the air.
"Can you get up on a high building to get better sight lines?" I quietly ask through my communicator.
"Answer: Yes master. I will do so now."
My hud shows him split off from me, and head to a nearby building.
For my part, I creep closer to the action. Thanks to Dotty rapidly updating my hud with information, I have the positions of everyone important in the conflict. Almost all of the Empire capes are here, they're only missing Purity, Night, and Fog, and all of the Merchants are here as well. There's also a noticeable number of the tinkertech guys that Dotty figured out were Coil's men. From my research, he's not a big player, but since he has a presence here I might need to reconsider that stance.
I poke my head around a corner and see a warzone.
There's two giant valkyries in direct combat with Lung. These two are Fenja and Menja from the Empire. Both of them are the size of small buildings, and have proportionally large spears and shields with them. Lung himself has grown to be so large he's almost up to their chests, and is unleashing fire in every direction.
Kaiser, the leader of the empire, is standing a fair distance behind his valkyries and using his power to force metal blades to grow from the ground directly into and around Lung. They cut and annoy him, but they don't do enough damage to really hinder the dragon at his current size.
Flying around and harrying Lung with floating dumpsters and other junk, is the Empire's telekinetic, Rune. She's doing her best to help the Empire twins, but she keeps having to fly away to avoid Oni Lee clones dropping out of the sky towards her with primed bombs in their hands.
Looking at my hud, I track Oni Lee's movement's. The man is all over the place. He'll appear in one area to harass one group, then teleport right over to another.
With their numbers advantage, one would think the Merchants, Empire, and Coil's guys would be winning, but Bakuda's bombs are an absurdly effective equalizer.
Squealer, the vehicle tinker from the Merchants, has already been pulled out of the battle along with Skidmark. I wasn't here to see what exactly happened, but as HK and I were making our way over they ran over a bomb, and then started burning rubber in the opposite direction of the fight.
The rest of the Empire capes who aren't engaged with Lung are doing their best to deal with the unpowered goons of the ABB, as well as Oni Lee's frequent visits. The Empire didn't bring any of their normals, and the ABB's are armed with crap tonnes of Bakuda's bombs according to my hud, so it's no surprise they're being cautious.
Victor and Othala, a skill thief and a trump who gives others temporary powers, are on top of a nearby building with a sniper rifle. Victor is using his stolen skills to kill as many of the unpowered gang members as he can.
They've already gone lethal.
"Statement: I am in position master." Hk's voice says from my communicator. "Query: Who shall I dispose of first?"
"Lung. We need to bring him down before he gets any bigger." I whisper back.
When I built him, I programmed information on all the local capes into his core, so he'll have no trouble picking out his targets.
"Suggestion: Should I not target the meatbag summoning specters, and the floating one next to him. I will likely be able to remove them without alerting the others."
I look over towards Crusader and Stormtiger of the Empire with my hud. The two of them got separated from everyone else, and are currently making their way out of an alley to try and rejoin the fight.
I think about it, then nod. "Do it. Set for stun." That sniper rifle would tear them apart otherwise.
I keep an eye on my hud, and the two empire capes drop within a second of each other.
Hk's a good shot.
It doesn't escape my notice that he just disabled two capes that the Protectorate has major trouble with in a matter of seconds.
I look towards a group of Coil's men who are engaged in a shootout with some ABB guys and frown.
"Dotty." I whisper. "The ABB guys have bombs right? Why aren't they using them?"
Dotty beeps into my ear.
Hmm. "HK. Zoom in on the ABB grunts and see where they're holding their bombs, if they're saving them for something we need to know."
There's a moment of silence, then HK answers.
"Statement: The meatbags are not carrying explosives on their persons. Statement: This refutes data collected by the heads up display. One of the sources is faulty."
What? There's no way Dotty's wrong. "Look again."
"Reiteration: There are no explosives being worn or carried by the meatbags."
Something's going on.
"HK, focus on taking out as many capes as possible. I'm going after the gang members."
"Statement: I will continue to eliminate the meatbags."
"Non Lethally." I stress. Then begin to creep around the building I've been hiding behind.
More Oni Lee clones set off more explosions, and both sides kept shooting at each other.
It takes me a bit, but I manage to make it up behind the ABB members undetected, they're all too focused on Coil's men and an enraged Hookwolf to notice me.
I pull out two small silver orbs, and prime them.
Let's hope this works.
I throw the two grenades forward, and duck back around a building for cover. They go off with a loud whining sound, and I hear the ABB guys start screaming.
That doesn't sound right.
I look around the wall and see the goons all grabbing at the back of their heads.
What happened? Ion grenades aren't supposed to hurt organics.
I move towards the groaning and whimpering gangsters, but stop when I see a bloody Hookwolf stalking towards their prone forms.
The shirtless man in the iron mask leers over them. "Ready to die bastards?" His skin fades away as he turns into a veritable blender of metal hooks and blades. He drops down to all fours and becomes a silver facsimile of a wolf.
He's going to kill them. I can't say I hold any feelings of love for the sex trafficers, but I'm not just going to stand by and let a Nazi puree them.
I unclip another grenade as Hookwolf begins to stalk forward, and throw it right into the whirling mass of blades he has become. It explodes the moment it comes into contact with him, and suddenly Hookwolf's blender of death becomes jammed up with a large amount of blue white goo.
He tips over, and begins scraping against the ground. His hooks speed up and begin to pulverize the adhesive, but I'm already moving to take advantage.
I toss two more adhesive grenades over him, and seal him in with a cryo grenade.
The metal wolf thrashes around in his icy prison, but he's making minimal progress in escaping with the gunk from the adhesive grenades limiting his movement.
Now wholly involved in the action, my stealth field fades, giving away my position to anyone with eyes. I got the drop on Hookwolf and was able to take him down easily as a result, the same won't be true for the rest.
Working quickly, I stun the groaning ABB members around me just in case any of them are faking, and begin rummaging through one's clothes in search of the bomb he has on him. After a solid ten seconds of searching, I come up with nothing.
I double check my hud, and see the red blip right on top of me. What the heck?
"Dotty, where's the bomb?"
"In...side."
I bring my blaster up as I turn on another ABB goon. He has his hands up in surrender, and looks to be bleeding from a large gash, likely Hookwolf's work.
"Bomb...inside...head." He gasps out.
My eyes widen, and I turn the man I was searching over. There's a strange 'V' shaped scar where the back of his head meets the neck. It looks like whatever cut him did so recently.
She put a bomb in him. She put a bomb in all of them.
"She's insane. Lung's insane. Who puts bombs in their people's heads?"
The man in front of me shakes his head. "Not Lung. Lung...ordered removal. Empire...attacked."
That would explain why there are so many ABB grunts here.
"Why are you telling me all this?" I ask the man.
He looks at the entrapped Hookwolf, then back to me.
Because I took offense to a Nazi? Wow, his standards are low.
"Statement: The trash meatbag is moving towards you, master. Advisory: Fly away. Completing the mission objective does not require combating him."
I check my hud, and see a form moving towards me. I step back from the ABB guy and quickly say, "Put pressure on that." Then I activate my jetpack and fly up.
If I hadn't already given myself away with my grenades, my jetpack definitely would have clued everyone in on the fact that I'm here.
From the air, I'm able to see the carnage around Lung, Fenja, and Menja. It looks like the three of them have destroyed the entire block during their fight, and Kaiser's blades didn't help to limit the damage by any stretch of the imagination. Everything is on fire, and what little somehow managed to avoid the flames has been smashed beyond repair, leaving large chunks of metal, cement, wood, and brick around the area.
Luckily, a quick scan from my hud shows no life signs around them, so at least the civilians got out.
Or they're dead.
I shake my head.
If they are, I can't help them now. Besto to end this and keep any other innocents from dying.
I refocus as I catch sight of Mush. He was lumbering towards where I jumped Hookwolf, but turns when he sees me in the air.
The man is disgusting. His entire body has turned into a literal trash heap. Black and white bags full of various refuse whirl around him, and bulk him up to the point he's around three times the size of Hookwolf's blade form.
He starts tearing chunks out of himself and throwing them up at me, but I just fly away. He can't match my speed, and HK's right. There's no point in fighting him right now.
I start moving towards the grouping of bombs I assume to be Bakuda, and think of how to go about disabling her dead man's switch.
I threw an ion grenade and all the ABB guys went down screaming right? They were holding their heads, which had bombs in them. Did the grenade deactivate the bombs somehow?
"Dotty, scan around the ABB guys I just left and see if you can still pick up the signal from their bombs."
He beeps and boops, and I grin.
The ion grenade knocked out the signal, if I can catch Bakuda in one, there will be no way for her to set off her bombs. I just need to be careful I don't accidentally set any of the bombs off with my grenade. Actually, so long as I catch her dead man's switch in it, it'll be fine.
"HK. Use any ion grenades you have on Oni Lee, Bakuda, and Lung. They should be able to knock out their dead man's switches."
"Hopeful query: Can I kill the meatbags once their devices are disabled?"
I hesitate for a brief moment, then say. "Only after the dead man's switches are dealt with." I wasn't planning on letting Bakuda live anyway. She's blown up too much of the city for me to care about bringing her in alive.
"Enthusiastic statement: I will disable their devices, then terminate their meaningless existences!" HK says cheerily.
He can be cheery? What have I unleashed?
"Focus on Oni Lee and Lung. Bakuda's mine."
"Statement: Enjoy yourself master."
I ignore him, and move faster towards the slowly moving mass of red blips on my hud. Oni Lee is obvious with all his teleporting, so the slow moving mass has to be her.
I fly up to get a better view, and see a woman walking down the middle of the street. She's wearing a gas mask, three different bandoliers, and is holding a grenade launcher.
Found you.
I move to engage, but something hits me in the back, forcing my shield on.
I spin around and see a girl in green robes flying towards me. Bits of cement, metal, and a few garbage cans orbit around her.
She screams, and holds her hand out. All of the material around her begins to fly toward me at insane speeds.
I alter my trajectory and go into a dive. I can't fight her in the air, it's too open. If she's intent on fighting me, I need cover.
On second thought, she's the one out in the open now…
"HK. Stun Rune."
I spin around and draw a pistol as I level my opposite fist in her direction. I send a volley of bolts at her from my pistol as I activate the flamethrower attached to my wrist. A storm of blue bolts and fire roar towards the flying Nazi. I don't expect to hit her, I just want her distracted.
Rune pulls all of her projectiles back and creates a shield in front of her to block the bolts and flame.
I can't see her behind the shield she erected, but I can see when it starts to fall apart.
"Statement: The meatbag is falling."
Sure enough, Rune plummets out from behind her shield, and the rumble that constructed it slowly falls away as well.
Oh shit, I didn't mean to kill her!
I spin around, and rocket over to her.
If I hadn't upgraded my jetpack, I wouldn't have been able to get to her in time. As it is, she's only ten feet from the ground when I catch her. The force from when I catch her causes my shield to activate, and almost send me into the ground, but I'm able to pull up in time. I land in an alley, and check her over with my hud.
She'll live.
I drop an adhesive grenade on her which covers her up to her neck, then fly back towards the woman in the gas mask.
When I'm close enough to see her again, I see her firing grenades at a masked man in black. Her grenades all wrap around him unnaturally, and some are even sent back towards her.
Krieg. He can manipulate kinetic energy around himself or something right?
"Fuck you cocksucker!" I hear Bakuda yell, and she throws a grenade down beneath her feet. There's a flash of blue light and she disappears.
I look back to my hud, and watch as a mass of red blips appear a fair distance to the north. I wait for a moment to ensure it's not Oni Lee, then fly after her.
I pass back over where I trapped Hookwolf and find the ice prison I made thoroughly destroyed, there's no bodies near it though, so it looks like the ABB guys got away before Hookwolf broke loose.
Yay! I saved a bunch of sex trafficers! Go me!
I shake my head, and refocus.
Bakuda. Deal with her first, everything else second.
I quickly close the distance to the mass of red that are the bombs she has on her, and draw my blasters.
I catch sight of her, and begin strafing overhead with my blasters set to stun.
She snarls up at me, and brings her grenade launcher to bear.
I speed off before she can fire though. I pull an adhesive grenade and a cryo grenade from my belt, then turn around and fly back towards her.
She's waiting for me when I return, and fires three canisters up at me.
I throw my own grenades down at her, then rocket straight up. The air beneath my crystallizes as the bombs explode, and begins to fall to the ground as a mass of white flaky shards.
A quick glance below me shows that I caught her in the edge of my adhesive grenade, but that my cryo missed completely. I fly back down to use my ion grenade, but she throws another grenade into the ground and disappears in another flash of blue.
I growl in frustration, and fly towards her new location.
This time I pass over Lung, and I nearly fall out of the sky at what I see.
Fenja, at least I think that one's Fenja, is missing an arm, and being carried off by her twin. Kaiser is covering their retreat with his blades, and slowly moving away himself. Lung is nearly four stories tall, and a veritable stream of napalm is flying off him.
That's not what surprises me. What surprises me is the tiny murderbot gracefully dancing in and out of the hulking dragon's attacks even as he somehow manages to avoid the same dragon's fire.
"Mockery: The lumbering oaf is an insult to geckos everywhere. The meatbag possesses as much grace as a trash compactor."
HK takes a single step to his right and avoids Lung's rage fueled swipe. He pulls out a blaster and pulls the trigger faster than I thought possible, creating a gaping hole in Lung's chest.
Lung roars, and tries to burn the droid away, but HK jumps to the side and rolls back to his feet.
HK pulls out a silver orb, and throws it with perfect accuracy into the rapidly healing hole in Lung's chest. It activates with a high pitched whine, and HK dodges behind a wall so as to not be caught in the ion grenade's radius.
"Statement: Device destroyed. Meatbag elimination authorized." HK pulls out both blasters and begins firing two streams of bolts into Lung so fast I'm fairly certain the blasters will explode soon.
Should I help him? He's fighting Lung!
Lung roars, and opens his mouth to unleash a torrent of fire towards the droid, but a small silver ball arcs perfectly into his throat and detonates. The fire in Lung's maw turns to steam as the cryo grenade goes off and spreads down Lung's throat.
As Lung moans in pain, Oni Lee appears behind HK and goes to cut his head off.
HK simply pivots and pulls out the vibrodagger I gave him. His small blade hums and glows a faint red as it connects with Oni Lee's more substantial weapon. Oni Lee's sword is stopped cold by the much smaller blade, and HK quickly reaches out with a quick robotic arm to deposit a small silver orb onto the teleporting assassin.
Having now teleported away, the Oni Lee clone left behind activates every bomb on his bandolier and reaches for HK.
In a display of martial arts that would cause Bruce Lee to weep at its beauty, HK slips around the assassin and grabs him by the bandolier. He spins, and releases the clone who goes flying into Lung. HK uses the last of his momentum to roll behind some debris just as the clone's bandolier goes off.
Lung howls in pain as the following explosion throws him to the ground
Well HK's certainly capable, but I can help.
Taking advantage of Lung's prone position, I tilt my head forward and fire the missile strapped to my jetpack.
Unable to dodge the missile due to his position, the missle connected exactly where I wanted it to. His leg.
The resulting explosion all but tears the limb away. Leaving it connected by a loose strand of skin as Lung howls in agony.
That should kill his already shitty mobility. HK can handle him now.
With that insane thought rebounding in my head, I take a quick glance down at my hud, and I start flying towards Bakuda's current location.
As I get close, my hud picks up two figures. I fly in, and see them.
One is Bakuda, and the other is the freed Hookwolf. He's still got some goop on him, but it's not limiting his movement any more.
Hookwolf keeps running towards Bakuda, only for her to fire her grenade launcher and force the Empire cape to dodge out of the way.
I land atop a nearby building, and pull out two grenades.
Hookwolf's distracting her, so this is going to be my best shot. I need to wait until he's closer to her, she'll need to be completely focused on him for this to work.
I wait as Hookwolf slowly closes the gap, and I pull out two ion grenades. I don't want to miss here, so I'm making the radius as wide as possible.
Hookwolf gets within fifteen meters of her, and I activate my jetpack.
Bakuda pulls a bomb from a pouch on her belt, and rears her hand back to throw it at Hookwolf. "Take this shit stain!" She yells right as I fly by.
I thread the needle in the space between them and drop my ion grenades as I do.
Bakuda's bomb leaves her hand as I rocket past, and my ion grenades go off with a flash of light.
There's a loud sound of rushing air that's oppressive even over the roar of my jetpack, but I don't turn back. I wait until I'm a hundred feet in the air before I turn around.
I blink, and shake my head, then take another look.
Bakuda rears her hand back as Hookwolf closes the gap, then there's a flash of light.
Bakuda rears her hand back as Hookwolf closes the gap, then there's a flash of light.
Bakuda rears her hand back as Hookwolf closes the gap, then there's a flash of light.
Bakuda rears her hand back as Hookwolf closes the gap, then there's a flash of light….
Oh my god.
There was a member of the Slaughterhouse 9 who was one of their most terrifying members to date. His name was Grey Boy, and he had powers related to time. On top of being able to reset any damage he took, he could create bubbles of looped time, and trap people within them. He was the only one who could traverse his bubbles, and he would enter them to torture the helpless people trapped inside them. To this day no one has been freed from a Grey Boy loop. His victims have suffered for years, unable to take any action outside of their predetermined loop.
I don't know how, but Bakuda made a Grey Boy bomb. My ion grenade must have screwed something up and triggered it early.
Despite the gravity of what's happened, I can't bring myself to feel any pity for either of them.
Hookwolf has killed more people than anyone has cared to count. He's a wild animal with no redeeming qualities. He was birdcage bound, I guess this will work as a substitute.
Bakuda was a monster, she blew up the city because she thought it was fun. I saw the results of those bombs, the people fused into their surroundings, the mother's cradling their children who had been turned to glass, the man who melted in front of me. I couldn't kill her because of her dead man's switch, and I suppose I didn't. This feels almost fitting.
A loud explosion sounds, and I snap my head in that direction.
No, she didn't die! Did the loop mess something up?! The only command was Detonate, and that could only be triggered by her heart rate stopping. The signal should have disappeared entirely when she got caught in her own bomb.
I turn my jetpack up to full blast and soar in the direction of the explosion.
Another explosion sounds in the same direction, and I do everything I can to reduce drag so I can arrive faster.
When I do arrive on the scene, it's nothing like what I expected.
There's a large smear of blood, flesh, and metallic scales across the ground. Lung's giant dragon form is lying a small distance away. His entire bottom half is just gone. He begins to heal, but a bronze hand places a thermal detonator on his stomach, and its owner calmly strides behind a large block of cement about 30 meters away.
My eyes widen, and I fly higher into the air as the grenade goes off.
Lung moans in pain as his stomach is blown away. The hunter killer walks back over to him and pulls out a blaster. He lets a stream of bolts loose into the downed dragon's head, then calmly places the last grenade from his bandolier and belt both into the slowly healing hole. Once more, he calmly movess behind the same, slightly smaller, block of cement.
Lung tries to rise, but the grenade goes off and he is blown to pieces.
His headless body falls heavily back to the ground, and stops regenerating.
Holy shit.
HK walks back out from behind his improvised cover, and turns to look up at me. "Query: Did you terminate the meatbag, master?"
I numbly nod, still trying to process that my droid just casually killed Lung.
"Where's Oni Lee?" I manage to numbly ask.
"Statement: The meatbag has expired." HK says as he points towards the smear where Lung's lower half was.
My murder bot and I just eliminated the entire cape roster of the ABB.
…
Did today really happen?
The Protectorate has been trying to deal with these guys for years. Them and the Empire.
The Empire! I just trapped Hookwolf in a time bubble, and HK took out three of their capes with little to no resistance. Seriously, what gave the heroes so much trouble with these guys?
"Advisory: We should vacate the scene, master. Law enforcement is likely to arrive, and my current orders prevent me from killing them."
I pull myself from my thoughts, and nod. I land next to him, and we both cloak.
"Dotty." I say as I lead us home. "Are the Protectorate in route to the fight scene?"
Dotty beeps an affirmative.
Now they decide to get involved. "Send them an email with an updated map of all of Bakuda's bombs, and let them know some might be inside people's heads."
Dotty boops out an agreement.
HK and I make our way back to the lab under stealth, and climb in once the hatch opens.
"Keep an eye on things Dotty, and wake me up if anything important happens. HK, don't leave the lab, and don't touch anything." If before I was scared of what he might do, I'm now terrified of what he can do. He won against Lung and Oni Lee at the same time, granted he fought incredibly dirty, but the fact he pulled it off is still terrifying.
"Statement: I will do as you say master."
I strip off my armor and pull my phone out.
I fiddle with it for a second and make it so I can receive calls, and it instantly starts ringing.
I accept the call, and hold the phone up to my ear. "Hello?"
"Mandalore! I've been trying to contact you for the last hour! What were you thinking?!" Dragon screams at me.
I hold the phone away from my head until she's done yelling. "Nice to talk to you too Dragon."
"Do not sass me right now Taylor! Things are incredibly bad right now. You need to get online and look at PHO right now."
I look over at Dotty, and the remote starts to do as she said. "Dragon, what's going on? I'm kind of tired right now and…"
"You fight is on PHO!" Dragon screams. "Someone has video of you trapping Bakuda in a Grey Boy bubble, and that robot that was with you blowing up Lung's head. I told you not to go alone Taylor!"
I don't respond because I'm too busy tearing through PHO.
I don't know who took the video, but it was obviously set up to paint me in the most vicious light possible. The video that shows the Grey Boy bubble doesn't even show Bakuda in the frame until after I've already passed through and she's been trapped. Her grenade was never visible. The video of HK executing Lung cuts out after HK points towards the red smear that used to be Oni Lee. They can't see my shock at the action because of my helmet, and since people aren't likely to know his personality wasn't my choice, that is incredibly bad.
"Dragon!" I yell into the phone. "That bubble wasn't me! Bakuda made the bomb, but it interacted weirdly with my ion grenade and I accidentally triggered it while she was still in the radius. Hookwolf would have been caught regardless!"
"I know that Taylor, but the PRT doesn't know what to think. The film has obviously been edited, but no one is listening. What happened with Lung?"
I cringe slightly at the question, and don't answer.
"Taylor…" Dragon's voice is full of disappointment.
"He was a sex trafficer Dragon. No, he was practically a sex slaver. He kidnapped young girls and shoved forced them into his brothels, he was not a redeemable guy. The last time I handed him over to the law he was out in less than a week, this time he won't be."
"That's not your decision to make."
"It became my decision when you all stayed out of it!" I scream in uncontrolled fury. "You wanted the problem to sort itself out, so I sorted it. Don't get pissed at me because you don't like the outcome!"
Dragon's silent for a moment.
"Taylor, you shouldn't have gone after them alone, but I understand why you did, and I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you. The problem is you've escalated now. The Empire now thinks you're willing to drop a Grey Boy bubble on any of their members at the drop of a hat, and they want blood for Hookwolf. The public…"
"Are actually on my side." I say in surprise as I scroll through PHO.
There're a lot of people understandably freaked out about the Grey Boy bubble and the seemingly blaise response to HK's question, but for the most part, everyone's thanking me for putting down Bakuda and Lung. The overall response is incredibly positive, I guess that happens when you stop a maniac who has been melting people for the last few days. There are also a not insignificant number of people online asking why the Protectorate let things get this far. A fact that brings a smile to my face.
I really need to watch myself before I develop a vicious streak.
"That may be, but I still think it would be best if you laid low for a few days. Try to keep to your civilian identity as much as possible. I'll keep the PRT off you, and see if I can find out how the villains got ahold of your map, but you need to be careful. Kaiser released a public statement a short while ago calling for your head. Do not go out as Mandalore alone, he'll take the opportunity to strike at you."
I navigate through a few pages, and sure enough, on the Empire's official webpage Kaiser has called me out. Saying I'm a, 'honorless psychopath who must be put down for the good of all'.
I don't know why, but that dig about my honor actually kind of offends me. I haven't let stuff bother me since the trio, but that gets me.
I scowl, and start messing around on the computer.
The Empire doesn't really need an official webpage do they?
Dragon continues speaking when I don't answer. "Just lay low for a week or so. By then things will have calmed down enough for… Taylor is this you?"
"The Empire webpage?" I ask. "Yeah, that's me."
I've completely taken it over. It's surprisingly easy to slice something that isn't tinkertech, especially with Dotty helping me out.
The site has been cleansed of their bullshit propaganda, and now only leads to a single page filled with pictures of various sex toys. Each one is named for a different Empire cape, and they're all slightly different depending on the cape's power.
Slicing is fun. I should do this more often.
"Taylor, please stop antagonizing them. Things are already bad enough without pouring fuel onto the fire." Dragon pleades with me.
I sigh. "Fine, I'll stop, but I'm leaving the site the way it is, and if they make another I'll do the same to that one." A bunch of literal Nazis called me out on my honor about how I fought an insane bomb tinker with a hard on for civilian casualties. I'm just not so politely telling him where he can shove it. The asshole is a nazi, and he was going on about my honor? Yeah, right.
"That's the most I can ask for, Taylor. Now I'm required to ask you about the robot you had fighting Lung."
"Statement: I am not a simple robot, I am a finely tuned killing machine specializing in..."
"HK shut up!" I hiss at him. I didn't order him to be silent did I? "What do you need to ask?" I reply to Dragon.
"I am required to ask you if he is sentient, and if you plan to make more."
Her phrasing is a little off here. She's 'required', and do I 'plan' to make more. I can read between the lines. She's already figured it out, but she wants plausible deniability.
"No he is not sentient, and I do not have plans to make any more." Currently at least. The psychobot is actually growing on me surprisingly enough.
"Thank you." She sounds relieved. "If you need anything call me, but try to keep to your civilian identity. I need to speak with the Director, so I have to go."
"Before you go Dragon, how does one go about joining the Guild?" I quickly stumble out. I had originally planned on joining the Protectorate when I hit eighteen, but this whole fiasco has effectively killed that plan. They're either hopelessly corrupt, or hopelessly compromised, and I don't want to be a part of an organization that's either.
Dragon's been the only one to really work with me recently, and we're already in on the Bacta Tank together. The Guild is looking more and more promising every hour.
There's a brief silence before Dragon responds. "I wasn't aware you were interested, but typically one needs to be eighteen years old, and have a recommendation from a current member. However, special exemptions have been made in the past, and I'd be willing to speak with Narwhal on your behalf."
I smile. "I'd appreciate that Dragon. Thank you. I'll call you later to talk about some ideas I had for prosthetics, but go ahead and go to your meeting." I figure the cat's out of the bag about me being able to do stuff relating to robotics, so I might as well help some people. It's better than the alternative anyway.
"I'm happy to help, and if your prosthetics are anything like the Bacta Tank I will definitely be interested. I'll call you when I get a moment. Stay safe, Taylor." She hangs up.
I take a deep breath, and let it out.
I need a break. I've been high strung this entire week, and I just Grey Boy'd a woman which is empirically worse than just killing her. Granted I don't feel at all bad about it, rot in frozen time bitch, but I need some time to recharge, and screwing with the Nazis through their website will get stale after a while.
I yawn loudly, and rub my eyes.
I'll figure it out tomorrow, or whenever I wake up next.
I put the phone down and climbed onto my couch. I was asleep the moment my head hit the armrest.
(Amy)
The sound of shouting and slammed doors wakes me up. I blink my eyes, and groggily stand up. I get tangled up in my Panacea robe that I forgot to take off, but straighten myself out and head for the door.
The moment I open it, a wide eyed Vicky flies up the stairs and flots into my room, forcing me back in in the process.
"Ames, your girlfriend is fucking brutal." She says.
At the mention of Taylor, wait… "She's not my girlfriend!" I cry indignantly.
Vicky grins at me. "Yeah, that's how you knew who I was talking about. Seriously though, you need to see this." She holds her phone out to me. It already has a video set up. She pushes play, and the scene unfolds.
Hookwolf is charging down a street towards something out of frame when Taylor in her Mandalore armor flies by right in front of him, and drops two small silver orbs in his path. There's a flash of light, and Hookwolf's suddenly back where he started. He runs forward again, then there's another flash of light which sends him back to the start of his run. The camera zooms out, and a woman in a gas mask with several different bandoliers of bombs strapped to her is revealed.
That's Bakuda isn't it?
She pulls her arm back as if she's going to throw something even though her hand is empty, then makes a throwing motion. The same flash of light happens again, and she's back to starting her throwing motion.
My eyes widen as I realize where I've seen something like this before.
I numbly look up at Vicky. "Grey Boy?" I ask.
She nods. "I don't know how the bomber made it, but they're still there. I just flew over to check. It's creepy as hell Ames, and that's not all of it." She pulls her phone back and starts clicking into another video.
There's more?!
Vicky hits play, and holds the phone out to me. This time my jaw hangs open the moment the video starts.
Lung, as in the giant dragon man who fought off Leviathan, one of the strongest capes on the eastern seaboard, is missing his bottom half.
He has obviously scaled up quite a bit. Even missing half his body, he's still larger than a pickup truck. His body starts to heal, and he moves to climb up when a strange bronze stick man walks over to him.
The camera only catches him from the back, but there's clearly something wrong with him. People aren't normally shaped like he is.
Is that a new changer cape? A case 53 maybe?
The metallic looking man places a small orb, one that looks startlingly similar to the one Taylor used, onto Lung's slowly healing stomach, then briskly walks away.
Lung tries to brush it off, but it explodes into a large fiery radius. The dragon falls back and moans in pain. It's like he can't even summon the strength to scream.
The strange bronze man walks back, and pulls out a gun that I'm sure is exactly like one of Taylor's. The bronze man opens fire faster than I've ever seen someone pull a trigger right into Lung's head. The steady stream of bolts melts away a sizable hole in Lung's head. A hole the bronze man puts another silver orb into.
Oh my god.
The bomb explodes once the bronze man walks off, and Lung's head is just gone. One second the dragon of Kyushu was injured but alive, and now all that left of him is a headless, legless body.
Before I can fully comprehend the sheer scope of the fact that Lung is dead, the bronze man walks forward a few steps, and turns so the camera can see him.
It's not a man, it's a robot. It has two slanted orange eyes, and no mouth or nose. Someone built this thing.
"Query: Did you terminate the meatbag, master?" The robot speaks out from some sort of speaker. It's gaze focused skyward.
The camera pans over, and Taylor is revealed to be hovering around ten meters away. She doesn't speak, she just nods coldly.
Fuck Taylor, Vicky was right. You are brutal.
As if that fact hadn't been proven multiple times over by now, Taylor speaks. "Where's Oni Lee?" She asks.
The camera pans back to the robot, and it points towards a smear of blood, guts, and scales on the ground as it says, "Statement: The meatbag has expired."
The video abruptly stops, and Vicky puts her phone away.
I turn towards her with a loose jaw and wide eyes, and manage to get out, "Holy shit."
Vicky just nods. "Holy shit."
"When did all this happen?" I ask, shocked.
"About four hours ago now." Vicky answers. "I flew over to make sure it was real. We were gonna tell you sooner, but we didn't want to wake you up after the hospital."
"Didn't want to wake me up?!" I yell. "Tayor just took out the ABB! All the ABB! That's something you should wake me up for!"
Vicky grins. "Are you worried about her? That's kinda cute."
I growl at my sister. "Seriously Vicky, not the time. Is she alright at least?"
Vicky nods. "Aegis and Dauntless showed up while I was watching the bubble. Apparently Dragon got in contact with her, and she's back at her lab laying low. The E88 are pissed at her right now. They think she's the one who Grey Boy'd Hookwolf, but Dragon says it was Bakuda, and Taylor's grenades just interacted weird with Bakuda's which triggered it early."
"So the Nazis want blood for Hookwolf?" I ask. That's not good.
Vicky nods. "They had this whole thing up on their site about how she was a horrible curr and stuff like that, but I think she took offense." She pulls her phone back out with a grin.
I watch over her shoulder as she pulls up the Empire's recruitment page, and can't stop myself from laughing.
Instead of their typical bullshit, the entire page is pink with white puffy clouds floating in and out. All the members of the Empire have been photoshopped into little unicorns that fly around and kiss each other.
All except Victor. There's a full fledged animation of him curled into a ball, sucking his thumb, and crying in a corner that's labeled, 'Complete and Utter Failure Who Dared to Oppose Dotty the Great'.
"This is great, but who's Dotty?" I ask Vicky.
"I know right?" Vicky says cheerfully. "Not sure who Dotty is though. Running theory on PHO is that it's Mandalore's internet handle, but I'm not too sure. There's also this." She pulls up the Empire's main page and the first thing I see are the bolded words, 'KAISER SPECIAL!'. Underneath said phrase, is a half inch long silver dildo.
I hold my breath to stop myself from laughing, and look over the rest of the page. Every single Empire cape has been represented as a different sex toy, and there is a review section full of zero and one star reviews saying how everything was too small to even feel.
I can't take it anymore, I burst out laughing a second time and Vicky joins in.
"This is fantastic!" I yell when I catch my breath. "Couldn't have happened to nicer people."
Vicky nods. "Yep, I'll bet they did nazi that coming."
I groan as Vicky snickers.
When you grow up in a town filled with literal nazis, you hear that pun more than you can stomach.
"So," Vicky starts. "what's your opinion on Mandalore now? Same? Different?"
I think for a moment. "I didn't know she had that in her to be honest, but I'm not going to cry over any of the ABB. I'm the one who had to put most of their victims back together, and I can say with complete certainty that they all crossed the line in a big way. They deserved to be put down."
Vicky nods seriously. "I didn't see nearly as much as you did, but when I was pulling people out… it wasn't good by any stretch of the imagination."
A thought occurs to me. "You said she was laying low right? Does that mean she won't be going out for a while?"
Vicky shakes her head. "Probably not. With the Empire as pissed as they are, she'll probably be quiet for a week at least." She leans towards me with a grin. "Why? Hoping to meet up?"
I groan. "Vicky! I'm worried about her. She just fought the entirety of the ABB, and now she's going to lock herself away from the world so she doesn't get head hunted by nazis. We won't know if anything happens to her."
Vicky shrugs. "Then call her. Invite her out somewhere, her civilian ID is still safe."
I open my mouth to refute her, but close it.
That will actually work.
Vicky nudges me with an elbow. "Plus, you'll get some girlfriend time." She wiggles her eyebrows at me.
Even as my face starts to heat up, I glare at her. "You're impossible. Can you just take me to the hospital please?"
Her smile fades. "I thought you said they were good?"
I nod. "They are, but I should make more paste before they run out. It should only take like thirty minutes, then I can come home."
She brightens back up. "Alright let's go."
Vicky flies me to the hospital, and I start making more paste. As I work, I can't help it as my mind wanders.
Taylor built her armor, her blasters, grenades, a robot, and a jetpack. Vicky said the running theory the PRT had on her specialty was personal equipment, but the robot blows that out of the water. Then there's the fact that she was able to easily hack the Empire's sight. So that's personal equipment, robotics, and hacking. What is her specialty that it's so diverse?
I hold up a paste covered hand and look at it.
Is she maybe like me?
I shake my head.
No. That's a stupid thought, no one else is as dangerous as I am.
I refocus on making more paste, then let Vicky fly me home once Dr. Smith says I've made enough.
Maybe I'll give Taylor a call...
(Saint)
This isn't happening.
I stare at the screen in front of me and pray this isn't real.
"Mags!" I yell into the radio on my desk. "You need to get over here now!"
After everything we've done, everything we sacrificed, is it all going to disappear because of some new tinker in some shit hole of a city?
"What is it?" Mags asks as she runs into the room. "What's wrong?"
In response, I just slide my chair to the side so she can see the screen.
She leans down and starts scanning it with her eyes. They grow wider with each detail she sees. By the time she's done reading, the color has drained from her face.
"Is this real?" She asks after a moment.
I nod. "It's real. Dragon's already debating the benefits of asking her for help getting free. We need to kill the tinker before she makes anything else. One that we control is already too much, she has to die, and soon."
Mags starts rubbing her forehead. "Has Dragon talked to her yet? It might be best to use Ascalon now before we lose the chance to kill it."
As much as I'd like to agree, it's not the right time.
I shake my head. "No. We can still use Dragon. Besides, it's our best lead on the tinker." I move back in front of the computer and begin frantically typing. I pull up what I'm looking for, and let Mags get a look.
"Taylor Hebert, sixteen, only known relative is her father. We know where she lives." She says in comprehension.
I nod. "Call Dobrynja. The three of us need to head to Brockton Bay and eliminate Mandalore and all of her creations."
Mags swallows. "Geoff, she's just a kid, and she's the one who made those healing tanks that everyone's freaking out over. She's trying to help people."
I let out a long sigh. "I know, but we can't risk her making something worse than Dragon. There won't be anyone to keep her creations in check, so we need to take her out before she makes any. Think of the damage she could do Mags. Think of the damage she's already done. She killed Lung with only one of those things, I don't want to see what happens if she makes more or let's that one online. There's even a chance she already has given one access to the internet. How else would she keep the Empire's page down? We need to hit her now. Besides, we have the designs for the tanks. We can start building and selling our own." The extra revenue will help to keep Dragon in line.
Mags takes a deep breath, then gives me a sharp nod. "I'll call Dobrynja. We'll be ready to go in the morning." She leaves the room.
I turn back to the screen in front of me and sigh.
I've tried to keep innocents out of the line of fire, but that's not an option this time. If I don't take her out now, the whole world will pay the price.
That robot she had was sentient. Dragon knew it, so I know it. How many more can she make? How many other types? What's her specialty that it allows her to make the robots and her weapons?
Because of her tanks, she's gaining the trust of the PRT and the world, she's too dangerous to be left alive.
I truly am sorry Mandalore, but you have to die for the good of us all.
(Taylor)
A heavy impact on my stomach wakes me up, and I instinctively reach for the small blaster I keep in the couch cushions. I relax when Dotty hovers up by my head and boops at me.
I look over, and just like he said, my phone's ringing.
I crumble and drag myself to my feet. What time is it? How long was I asleep? What's the square root of pi? That last one's not as important, I just don't want to be awake right now.
"Hello?" I groan into the phone.
"Taylor? Are you alright?"
I perk up upon hearing Amy's voice respond to me. I really need to get better about checking the caller ID.
"I'm good." I reply. "I just woke up is all."
"Oh! I'm sorry, if you need to rest I can let you go."
"No! No, that's fine. I like talking to you." I have to resist the urge to facepalm. 'I like talking to you'? Smooth Taylor. Real smooth.
"How are you doing? I saw the videos from the fight, and Vicky said Dragon talked to you, but how are you?"
I let out a sigh and collapsed onto my couch. "Honestly? Things could have gone a lot worse. I'm pretty sure the only reason we got off as well as we did was because we got the drop on them. That, and the fact that HK is a badass."
"HK? Is that your robot?"
"Droid. And yeah. HK-47 technically, but that's a mouthful."
"You named your droid HK-47?" She asks in deadpan.
"What? No! He named himself! I named Dotty though, and Dotty is a good name!"
Dotty beeps his agreement from his position by the computer.
"Oh, Dotty's another droid? That makes the Empire site make more sense."
I furrow my eyebrows as I slowly pan my eyes over to look at Dotty. "What do you mean?"
"Wait, was the site not you?" Amy asks, confused.
"I took it down and posted some sex toys named after nazi capes, but nothing beyond that."
Amy giggles. "You should look on their recruitment page. It looks like Dotty messed around a little while you were asleep."
I carry the phone over to my computer and pull up the Empire's recruitment page. I almost fall over laughing as I take it in.
There's a solid green background and badly photoshopped blocky representations of every cape in the Empire. They're all wearing lederhosen, and dancing a jig as random objects like frying pans and stop signs fly in from out of frame and smash into them
All the Empire's capes except for Victor anyway, there's a well animated version of him sitting on a chair with his thumb in his mouth and tears in his eyes as he writes on a nearby chalkboard with his free hand. Line after line, he writes, 'I'm a disappointment to everyone who ever knew me, and I am extremely grateful that I'm allowed to exist on the same planet as the mighty Dotty.'.
"Dotty… This is amazing!" I say in between breaths as I recover from my laughing fit.
"I know right?" Amy asks over the phone. "This is the fourth version yet. Every time someone tries to fix the site, he just makes a new one."
I take in a few more deep breaths, and turn to the smugly floating orb. "Keep up the good work little guy, let me know if you need anything."
He boops in thanks, and floats back over to the computer.
I grin at him for a moment longer, then focus back on Amy. "So how are you doing?" I ask. "Are you taking enough breaks from the hospital? I know there's still probably some people who got caught in the bombs, but you need to rest too or else you'll burn out."
"I'm at home right now actually, and…" She trails off.
"Amy? What's up?" I ask in concern.
"Um… it just occurred to me that I didn't ask if it was ok."
"If what was ok? Amy what happened?" I ask, starting to get a little concerned.
"I…" I hear her take a breath. "I used the bacta fluid you gave me to make a healing paste and now they're using it at the hospital and I'm sorry I didn't ask if it was ok please don't hate me I didn't mean to go behind your back like that but I just got so excited and then I was doing it and…"
"Amy!" I cut her off. "Breathe girl! I caught maybe a third of that, something about a healing paste?"
I hear a few deep breaths, and she says, "Yeah, I used the bacta fluid you gave me to make a healing paste. It's much more limited than the tank itself because it can't do anything internal without a seriously skilled doctor, and I need to be there to make the stuff, but Dr. Smith was practically drooling over it. I'm sorry I didn't ask first! I just thought it would help the people caught in the bombings."
She made a healing gel thing? Nice. Didn't know her power could do that, I thought she could only heal people. I wonder what else she can do? Oh, wait. I haven't answered have I?
"You don't need to apologize Amy. Why would you think I'd be mad about this?" I ask. Seriously, why would I have a problem with her making healing stuff?
"Um… I sort of stole your bacta and made a paste out of it. There's all sorts of legal boundaries I just crossed, and I didn't even realize it until right now."
I snort. "Amy, I don't really care about the legal mumbo jumbo. I didn't make the tank to get rich, I'd already be loaded if I had, I made it to help people. If you were able to use it to help people even more, then wonderful. Besides, you're my friend, it'll take a lot more than you making a miracle cure for me to get pissed at you. I'll just tell Dragon about it when I talk to her next, and see if we can do anything with it."
She goes silent.
Oh shit, does she not see me as a friend? I just ruined everything didn't I? I was doing so well too!
Before I can stammer out an apology, Amy speaks up. "Thanks Taylor."
Thanks for what?
I don't know just answer!
Oh, right.
"Uh… You're welcome." Nailed it.
"Taylor?" Amy starts quietly.
"Yeah?"
"Would you maybe want to hang out today? I know it's already after noon, and you fought the ABB this morning, but would you maybe want to go out?"
"Yeah!" Tone it back! "I mean, yeah that would be cool. What did you have in mind?"
"Um… maybe dinner again? Maybe we could just walk around the boardwalk and see what's interesting."
"That sounds good. When?"
"Maybe in an hour? We could meet in that park where Vicky picked me up before…"
Before Bakuda's bombs, got it.
"That sounds good. I'll see you in about an hour." I say.
"Cool! Uh… I'll see you then."
"Yeah, see you then."
"Yep."
"Uh huh." God I'm hopeless. "Bye Amy."
"Bye." She hangs up.
I let out a long breath and dropped my phone. I put my head in my hands and started rubbing my forehead.
I really need to get better at this whole socializing thing.
"Statement: Meatbag courting rituals are illogical. Request: Please order me away whenever you wish to engage in them, master." HK says from his position sitting at one of the workbenches with some tools.
"What?!" I shriek as my face heats up. "She's a friend!" I pause and run what he said back through my head. "And I am not a meatbag!"
"Retraction: That was not meant to be spoken aloud. You are a meatbag master, but I will refrain from referring to you as such."
I take a deep breath, and focus on what he's working on.
He has the blaster I gave him on the table, and is in the process of taking them apart. "What are you doing?" I ask.
"Answer: I am repairing my equipment. The blasters I utilized against the gecko were not designed for a killer of my caliber, and are thus inoperable at present. Statement: I will be prepared when next you have need of my skills, master." He keeps fiddling with the blaster, and I turn around towards Dotty.
"Dotty, keep the Empire's site down, and warn me of anything that's a threat. I'm going out." I grab the smallest communicator I made, and place it in my ear. If someone's looking for it they'll notice it, but since I'm wearing my hair down I should be safe.
I grab the rest of my civvy gear, and start climbing the ladder. I stop at the top rung, and shout down, "HK, don't leave the lab, don't kill anyone remotely, and don't do anything other than repair and replace your equipment!"
I hear a long sigh from the deathbot. "Statement: I will do as you command, master."
Satisfied he won't be going on any enthusiastic walks, I shut the hatch, and stealth towards the park where I'm meeting Amy.
Once more I'm surprised at the number of people out. There was a massive battle between every villainous cape in the city just this morning, and it's like it's a Tuesday.
Wait, is it a Tuesday? What was yesterday? Thursday? I don't know.
It takes me a little while, but I make it to the park without issue and sit down on a bench to wait.
While I wait, I look over towards the building that blew up when I was here last.
It's still missing a large sphere's worth of its mass, but other than that it's been cleaned out. They'll probably start working on repairing or rebuilding it soon now that Bakuda's been dealt with.
I feel a surge of pride as I realize I did that.
"Heya Taylor!" I hear from behind me.
I turn around and see a grinning Vicky letting her sister down.
How did I miss them? Actually I wasn't really paying attention, and it's not like they came from a conventional angle.
"Hi." I say back with a wave.
The two Dallons walk over to me and Amy immediately grabs my hand.
"Um, hi Amy. Good to see you too." I say awkwardly while Vicky chuckles at us.
"Hi, yeah, good to see you. Give me a minute." She replies while looking intently at my hand.
A few seconds pass, and she lets out a breath, then turns to look at me with a stern expression. "I'm glad you're ok, but that was really stupid."
I cringe slightly. "It worked out well."
Vicky snorts. "'Well', it worked out 'well' she says. What are your standards that taking out an entire gang's worth of parahumans is 'well'?"
"Vicky!" Amy and I hiss in unison as we look around to see if anyone overheard.
Vicky waves us off. "Relax, I'm more cautious than people think, so spill. I want all the deets about the fight."
I look to Amy for help, but she just gives me a commiserating look.
Guess I'm not getting out of this.
"Well, I heard the Empire and the Merchants were going to attack Bakuda's lab so I…"
"Wait what?" Vicky breaks in. "Obviously the Empire was there or else Hookwolf wouldn't have got caught in the bubble, but I didn't know about the Merchants."
I nod. "Yeah, they and Coil's guys were there too. I only know the specifics because I… did some investigative journalism."
"You hacked their phones." Vicky says with a raised eyebrow.
"Investigative journalism." I stress.
Amy lightly smacks her sister on the arm. "It's called plausible deniability Vicky, just let her talk."
I give her a nod of thanks, and continue. "Thanks to my investigative journalism, I found out they got ahold of my map from the PRT, and I…"
"Wait wait wait, back up. Got ahold of what map from the PRT?" Vicky breaks in again.
I heave out a sigh, and tilt my head back to look at the sky.
This is going to take a while.
Almost thirty minutes later I've told the whole story. I had to drop it and pick it up a couple times because people walked past, but I eventually made it through it all. Both Dallon sisters were looking at me with tilted heads as I finished.
"What?" I ask.
"Lung broke free from PRT holding after you found Bakuda's lab, then you gave the map with Bakuda's location to Armsmaster who gave it to the PRT, then the PRT gave the villains Bakuda's location so they would wear each other down, then you made a murderbot whose personality you couldn't control to back you up when you went after them yourself, then you attacked every gang in the city with only the murderbot for back-up, and somehow managed to disable three empire capes, kill Lung and Oni Lee, and trap Bakuda and Hookwolf in a Grey Boy bubble. After all that you went home and turned the Empire's website into an adult toy store." Vicky sums up my story.
"Yes?" I answer.
Vicky turns robotically to her sister. "Your life will be exciting if nothing else."
"Vicky!" Amy shrieks.
Vicky shakes her head and gives me a grin. "You've been active less than a week and have already uprooted every established expectation in this city. Hell, you've revolutionized global healthcare too. At this point, I'll just sit back and enjoy the fireworks. Keep my sister safe, and make sure she's back here by eight or else mom'll flip. Enjoy yourselves!" Vicky takes off into the sky.
I'm not that bad am I? All I did was… kill every caped member of one of the three major gangs, publicly humiliate another, and revolutionize global healthcare. Oh my god I am that bad.
Amy lets out a huff, and turns to me. "Sorry about her. She can get insistent when there's a juicy story she doesn't know." She gives me a look. "What's up Taylor?"
"I really am that bad." I say despondently.
"What? Oh, don't listen to Vicky, she's coping with the chaos. You're not that bad Taylor."
I take a deep breath, and nod. "Let's get going. It's already kind of late, so do you want to get food first?"
We begin walking as Amy shrugs at me. "Let's just head straight for the boardwalk. Worst case scenario we'll grab something from a stand."
"Sounds good."
The two of us walk in comfortable silence until we reach the boardwalk. Companionable silence is much better than awkward silence.
"I've never really been here." I say when we arrive. "I went to the book store once with my mom, and haven't been back since."
Amy turns to me. "You never came here with friends?"
I give her a sad smile. "You're my first friend in years. I got bullied in school, and the bullies made sure no one wanted to go near me."
Amy's eyebrows flatten out, and she looks at me with an expression that I can't determine. "Where do you go to school?" She asks seriously.
I shake my head. "I don't. Not anymore anyway, I stopped going when I moved out of my dad's house."
Amy's expression turns apologetic. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"
I wave her off. "It's fine, I'm just not used to going out with friends. So, where did you want to go?"
(Amy)
Am I taking advantage of her? She just fought every villain in the city, and she hasn't had anyone to talk to about anything since she moved out of her dad's house. Should I try to give her some space?
The two of us are sitting in the sand with some tacos we grabbed from the cleanest looking food stand, and looking out at the waves in silence.
We quickly realized there wasn't much here either of us were interested in. Neither of us are very social, and we're not exactly interested in keepsakes, so we only really went into the book store, and there was nothing there.
I'm still having a good time though, and I think Taylor is too, but that's just making me question things even more.
When she told me she was living alone I thought she was at least going to school, but depending on when her trigger was, she's been alone for months. Is it really ok for me to make a move on her right now?
"Thanks for getting me out here." Taylor suddenly speaks up as she looks out over the waves.
"Huh?" I say. Well done Amy, you'll make your english teacher proud at this rate.
"I needed this." She says. "I've been doing so much everything lately that a little nothing was good." She turns to me with a glowing smile. "So thanks."
I do my best to resist as my cheeks heat up, and manage to stammer out, "You're welcome. Thanks for coming with me. I've been in the hospital more than I realized, and even if we didn't do much tonight I had fun."
Still smiling, Taylor looks back out at the waves.
She looks so happy right now, I don't think I have it in me to ruin that. She needs a friend right now, a lot of friends. It would probably be best if that's all I was.
I come with too much baggage as it is, it would be unfair to weigh her down with all my shit while she's dealing with so much of her own.
I frown, and look out at the water as I come to a decision.
She deserves better than me.
A shrill ringing draws both my attention and Taylor's, and I pull out my phone.
"Sorry, Vicky's calling." I say.
She waves me off. "Don't worry about it, not like we're doing anything time sensitive."
I give her a grateful smile and answer the phone. "Hey Vicky."
"What was the name of my first stuffed zebra?" She asks seriously.
What?
"Um… that's kind of out of left field. Why do you…"
"Amy, mom told the PRT that someone mastered you, so unless you want me to break one or more of Taylor's limbs, you need to tell me what the name of my first stuffed zebra was."
I freeze.
What? Why would? Oh shit!
"Stuffy!" I say a little louder than I meant to. "You named it Stuffy because you ripped it by accident, and some of the stuffing came out."
"I gave you a watch for one of your birthdays, what cartoon character was on it?"
By this point Taylor's looking at me in concern, but I'm far too focused on Vicky's words to mind.
"It wasn't a cartoon character, it was a Legend watch, and I broke it a week later when I fell."
There's a noticeable silence, then a loud sigh. "I'll be down in a second."
The line goes dead, and I stand as I start to look around frantically.
She's here? Of course she's here. She's not going to risk someone getting away with me because they got one of her questions wrong.
"What's going on?" Taylor asks worriedly as she stands up with me.
"My mom…" Is all I'm able to get out before Vicky flies down from the roof of one of the stores on the boardwalk.
Taylor looks between her and I in confusion, before Vicky floats up right into her face.
"Did you master my sister?" Vicky asks seriously.
"What?!" Taylor exclaims. "No! I would never! Amy's my friend!"
Vicky holds her gaze for a few seconds, then lets out a long breath and turns towards me. "What did you do that could've set mom off?"
"I don't know! I only talked to her once today. It was right when I got home, and I told her about…"
The healing paste. She went pale when I told her about it, and I haven't seen her since.
I look Vicky in the eye and ask, "Did she specifically say it was Taylor?"
Vicky nods. "I didn't believe it. There's too much that just doesn't make sense, but I wasn't going to risk anything."
"What is happening right now?!" Taylor practically screams. "Why do you think I mastered Amy?!"
Vicky shakes her head. "I don't, but mom does. I don't know why. Do you maybe have a place the two of you can lie low for the night? If Ames goes to the PRT they'll lock her up for a week, and after what you told us about how the villains got your map I'd really rather that not happen. I don't know what exactly happened there, but I really don't want Ames to be at their mercy right now."
Taylor does a fish impression for a bit as her mouth opens and closes, but after looking at me for a second, she nods. "Yeah. I can take her to my lab."
"Both of us." Vicky says.
"What?" I ask.
Vicky looks at Taylor. "I don't think you mastered my sister, but I'm sure as hell going to know where you took her, so I'm going with you."
Taylor swallows heavily and nods. "Ok. Are we going now or…?"
Vicky nods. "Best to go now."
"Uh… ok, follow me I guess, and try to be quiet. I don't want people to know where it is." Taylor says.
She leads us away from the boardwalk and into the city. She throws a couple looks over her shoulder at us, but other than that we move on without any communication. She leads us out of the more populated part of the city, and into an uninhabited area. We keep going, and slowly the houses around us get more and more run down. When Taylor finally stops, almost every house around us is rubble.
She's been living here? She's worse off than I thought.
She walks up to the wall of a building, and starts poking it randomly. The sound of a large piece of metal moving, and she walks over to a patch of dirt. She grabs a stray root, and pulls.
Turns out the dirt was just there to disguise the entrance, the hatch she opens is solid metal.
She goes to climb down the ladder, then her eyes widen, and she looks up at us. "Uh, I never expected I'd bring anyone back here, so I kind of have some defenses set up to attack anyone who isn't me. Give me a minute to disable them."
Vicky nods, and Taylor disappears into the hole.
It's at that moment that the reality of the situation sinks in.
Carol thinks I'm mastered. She thinks I'm mastered because I healed. What more does she want from me?!
"Are you ok Ames?" Vicky asks, concerned.
I wipe my eyes and nod. "I'll be ok. It's just starting to sink in that Carol reported me as mastered when all I did was what she wanted."
Vicky cringes a bit, and pulls me into a hug. "Hey, I'm sure there's something else going on here. I'll talk to her tonight, and everything will be straightened out in the morning."
I sniffle into her shoulder and nod.
Vicky will take care of it, everything will be fine.
"No! They're friends! No killing, maiming, or harm of any kind!" Taylor's voice yells up from the hole in the ground.
I step back from Vicky, and we share a skeptical look. She moves around me until she's positioned herself between me and the hatch.
A few moments later Taylor's head pops up. "Sorry about that. Everything's fine, come on in." She disappears again, and Vicky and I share another look.
Guess my sister was right about the excitement…
Vicky floats down into the hole, and I climb down the ladder.
My first thought? This place is a dump. My second thought? Oh my god, Taylor's living here.
The space can't be more than forty meters squared, and I'm honestly skeptical it is even that large. There's piles of rusted metal and machinery in one corner, piles of assorted tools in another, and a small supply of nonperishable foods against a wall. Taylor has several workbenches set up, each one covered in half finished junk and scrap. There's a beat up leather couch situated near the far wall.
Taylor stands off to the side hunched in on herself as we look over her lab. A small white sphere floats over her shoulder, and the bronze droid from the video stands to her left.
"So, this is home." Taylor says nervously. "What do you think?"
I open my mouth to say something diplomatic, but Vicky ruins it.
"You live here?" She asks incredulously. "Where the hell are your parents?"
I have to resist the urge to smack my sister as Taylor's features fall.
"Mom's dead, and dad's… dad." Taylor replies.
Vicky swallows and floats over to her. "I'm sorry, it's just…"
The bronze droid steps in front of Taylor as Vicky's about to pull her into a hug.
"Warning: Touch the master and lose an arm meatbag."
"No!" Taylor yells as she turns to him. "They're friends! You. Don't. Maim. Friends. Just shut up and stay out of the way."
"Statement: I will do as you command, master." The droid walks over to a workbench, and starts messing with stuff.
"Sorry about him." Taylor says shyly. "I wasn't able to make him personable. Dotty's nice though!" She motions to the small orb over her shoulder.
Said orb spins and floats around her. It boops at Vicky.
"He says hi." Taylor translates.
This thing talks in boops? This gets weirder every second.
Vicky tilts her head at the small ball. "So you're the one messing with the Empire huh? I think we can be friends."
The little droid beeps at her.
"He says he'd like that." Taylor translates with a smile.
The little orb floats away from Vicky over to a very obvious tinkertech computer, and starts spinning in place.
"So anyway," Taylor starts. "You can stay here if you want. I only have the couch, but you could take the Bacta Tank if you want. It's actually really nice to sleep in."
I dodge around various tinker gear littering the floor to walk up to the tank, so I can give it a once over.
It's almost identical to the ones in the hospital. The only difference is the control surface, Taylor's is much nicer.
"That's fine." I say, and turn to Vicky. "You'll talk to Carol right?"
Vicky nods. "I'll get everything straightened out." She hesitates for a moment, then floats over and gives me a hug. "Stay safe Ames, I'll be back tomorrow."
"Bye Vicky." I say back, and once more the gravity of the situation makes itself known.
"Could you not fly right away from the hatch?" Taylor asks, panicked. "I don't want anyone to know where this place is, so every time I go out I walk a block or two before I use my jetpack."
Vicky turns to her, and nods. "I'll move away before I fly off."
Taylor sighs in relief. "Thanks. See you tomorrow Vicky."
Vicky gives her a wave, then flies up through the hatch. There's a loud clanging sound as she closes it behind her, leaving Taylor, the droids, and I down here together.
I look up at Taylor, and see her awkwardly staring at me.
I hold her gaze as I try to think of something to say, but nothing comes to mind.
We stand like that for a solid half a minute before Taylor hesitantly asks, "Do you want a power bar?"
"Yes." I say more to speak than out of any desire to eat. The tacos weren't all that filling, but I don't have much of an appetite right now.
Taylor walks expertly around the things on the floor to the corner with the food, and pulls out two power bars. She sits down on the couch and holds one out to me.
I maneuver around the bits of metal on the floor, and take it as I sit down next to her.
We both open the packages, and take a bite.
The silence returns.
As I sit there I can't help it as my mind wanders.
Carol's always pushed me to heal. That's what she's always wanted from me. I would make her pretty things with my power, and she would scream at me to only heal. I would take the day off to read a book, and she would insinuate someone was dying while I sat and read.
So I would heal. I would heal, and heal, and heal, and heal, and heal, but it was never enough. I always needed to do more.
And now, now I've made something that can help people around the world! If I can make it, all I need to do is show others how. I could get in contact with Dragon like Taylor said and have the bacta paste become as widespread as the Bacta Tank itself, and I'd be able to heal the whole world at the same time.
What do I get for doing this? I get M/S protocols called on me. I find a way to help everyone on the planet simultaneously, and I'm wrong. There's something off about me. There's no way that Amy could possibly help people out of the goodness of her heart, someone has to have mastered her!
Of course that's the only explanation. Amy's a monster.
"Are you ok?" Taylor asks quietly.
I look up at her, and her face is blurry. When did I start crying?
"No." I say after a moment. "I'm not ok. Carol hates me for doing the one thing she's been pushing me to do for years. You'd think this would've been enough, but apparently it just made things worse." I spit out bitterly.
Taylor falls silent.
"I'm sorry." I say. "This is my bullshit, I shouldn't throw it on you."
"I get it." Taylor says.
"What?" I ask.
"I get it." She repeats quieter. "I get what you're going through right now, and I'd like to help if I could."
I shake my head. "I appreciate what you're trying to do Taylor, but you don't get it. Thanks for letting me crash here, but please just leave me alone."
We fall back into silence.
My thoughts begin to drift again, when Taylor speaks up.
"I never told you what happened with my dad did I?" She asks.
I look over at her and shake my head.
She looks down at the floor. "It was right after winter break. The trio hadn't done anything to me all day, so I thought they'd finally given up. I realized I was wrong when I went to my locker after second period." She swallows loudly, and lays back against the couch.
"The smell was the first warning. The entire hallway reeked, and people were avoiding my locker specifically. I knew they put something in it, but I didn't want to let them win, and staying away felt like losing, so I walked right up to it."
She gets a faraway look in her eyes as she talks. I don't dare speak because I can see how much this means to her.
"When I pulled it open I threw up." She says, forlorn. "They had filled it with garbage, used tampons, unfinished lunches, and I don't even know what else. When I threw up, I was too focused on that to notice Sophia come up behind me. She shoved me in with the garbage, tampons, and my own vomit, then locked the door behind me. Her and everyone else in the hallway laughed. No matter how much I begged, they wouldn't let me out. I was stuck there for hours. By the time the janitor found me I had already fallen unconscious. He called the paramedics, and they brought me to the hospital."
That sounds like a trigger event, but I don't want to interrupt her.
She takes a deep breath, and swallows heavily. "I was in a coma for a week. At least I think it was a week, I don't really have any way to know for sure. Anyway, when I woke up, the hospital called my dad, but they couldn't reach him. I stayed there for another week while I got my strength back, and the hospital kept calling him, sending him letters. I think one of the nurses even took pity on me and knocked on the door of our house, but he never showed up."
Oh Taylor. Please don't let this go where I think it's going.
"After I was cleared to leave they finally got through to him. He said he'd come by at noon to pick me up. He got me cleared over the phone, so I walked out of the hospital and waited. Eight hours later he still hadn't shown up. None of the doctors or nurses who'd been helping me were still in the hospital, and the security guard thought I was a Merchant looking for a fix because of how thin I was. He kicked me out into the night, and with nothing else to do, I started walking."
Tears begin to gather in her eyes as her strong facade breaks. "I have no idea how I made it home. I was a skinny beat up teenage girl who had just gotten out of the hospital who was walking through downtown Brockton Bay at night, but somehow I made it home. It took over an hour to walk back, but I made it. I used the key we kept under a loose step to get into the house, and I saw my dad."
She starts sniffling, so I scoot over and pull her into a hug.
She doesn't resist, she only keeps talking. "He was sitting down watching TV with a supermarket's worth of empty beer bottles around him. He was watching TV! I thought he'd been attacked! I thought he'd been in a car accident! No, he was sitting on his ass!"
By this point she's yelling, and all I can do is hold her in the hope it helps.
"I walked up to him and screamed at him. I screamed and screamed, asking him why he wasn't there for me. Why he left me on my own when I needed anyone. He looked at me and said, 'You're not Taylor, Taylor's in a coma. I need to work so I can pay the hospital bills so she can come home.' Then he stood up and shoved me out of the way so he could get more fucking beer."
I squeeze her a little tighter, but I know there's nothing I can say right now that would help.
She tilts her head so that she can look me in the eyes. "My dad didn't even acknowledge me. He was so caught up in his own shit that he didn't even realize I was there. That his daughter was right in front of him. I know the logical thing to do would've been to stay, but I couldn't handle it. I ran outside, and just kept running. Eventually my body gave out, and I fell into a bush. I blacked out, and when I woke up, I was cold, but knew how to make the cold go away."
She pulls away from me, and shakily stands. She walks over to a drawer, and pulls out a small metal rod. She twists it, and it glows a warm red. She stares down at it as she pulls it closer to herself. "This was the first thing I ever made, and it saved my life."
I swallow heavily, and walk over towards her. I slowly wrap my arms around her, and she starts breathing heavily.
Her dad caused her to trigger. I'm fucked up, and even I'm saying that's fucked up. It's no wonder she's living on her own.
She takes a deep breath, and turns to look at me. "It might not be the same, but I get it. I know what it feels like to be completely alone. I've been alone for months, so please just let me help."
I numbly nod at her.
I feel like a major bitch right now. She was just trying to help me, she let me into her home, and bared her heart to me, and I've been a bitch.
"Ok." I say.
(Taylor)
"Ok." Amy says, and I feel some of the pain go away.
I just told her everything. Everything that I've kept bottled up for months. I don't know how I would've reacted if she'd brushed me off.
Amy let's me go, and walks back over to the couch. I follow after her.
She sits down, and stares at the ground.
She stays that way for a while, and just as I'm about to tell her to forget it, she speaks up.
"I'm adopted you know." She says. "It's kind of an open secret, but Carol and Mark aren't really my parents. They're just the ones who took over for my real dad."
She takes a deep breath, and continues. "I don't remember much of him. He was nice, and I remember eating pancakes with him a lot, but that's about it. Everything else is blurry."
She starts wringing her hands, and takes another breath. "I've never really felt like Carol and Mark loved me. Mark's depression kept him removed from the rest of us, and Carol was only ever proud of Vicky. I've been a tag along since they adopted me."
I reach out and take one of her hands, and she gives me a weak smile before continuing.
"I've tried so hard to get her to love me, to get her to look at me the way she looks at Vicky, but the older I've gotten, the more futile I've realized it is. I don't know why she doesn't like me, but it's not something I'm going to be able to change easily. That's why I was so excited when I got my power. I could give her things, I could help people, I could maybe even make her love me, but none of it worked. Everything I gave her just made her look at me in disgust. No matter how many people I helped she never said I did well, only that I did what was expected. No matter what I did, she didn't love me."
Remembering moments ago when Amy kept me from self-destructing, I shuffled closer to her and wrapped my arms around her.
She leans into me and keeps talking. "The older I got, the more I learned about my power, and the more I realized why she was terrified of me."
She holds her hands up and looks at them. "I'm a monster. I can destroy everything I touch with no effort. It scares me. It horrifies me. Once I gave up on Carol, I threw myself into healing so I would never do any of that, so I would never change things."
Her power is more than healing? It seems like a fair bit more from how she's talking and lightly trembling in my arms, but I'm not going to ask for clarification. She let me talk, I'll let her get it all out.
"I made rules." She continues. "Nothing other than healing, and no brains. It would be too easy to change someone, to kill someone if I did anything else."
She turns to me, and says, "Then you came along." Catching me completely off guard.
What impact did I have?
She looks me in the eyes and says, "You came out of nowhere with your Bacta Tanks, and I saw a way to better use my powers to help people. To save them. I started screwing with the fluid you gave me, and trying to morph it into something I could reproduce to heal people. I didn't suddenly have hope that Carol would love me, but I thought she'd at least stop hating me, so I did my best, and I made the bacta paste."
Her eyes light up as she says the next piece. "I was ecstatic when I cracked it. I'd finally done something that was truly good with my powers. I'd done something that I could be proud of for the rest of my life, but Carol had to ruin it just like she ruins everything else I do."
She scowls and starts breathing heavily. "The only way I could make something like this was if I was mastered! Amy doesn't help people. Amy is a monster. So she called M/S protocols on me, and all the paste I made has probably been seized by the PRT as a result. Hell, she's probably over at the rig right now ranting about what I'll do now that I'm off the reservation. She's probably having a kill order drafted for me!"
I'm taken aback by that.
Sure, her powers have to be more diverse than healing, but I don't see her getting a kill order over making healing paste.
"Amy," I say. "Why would they put a kill order on you? You've helped more people than anyone can count."
She knocks my arms off of her and stands up. She takes a few steps, then turns around. "You want to know why Taylor? You want to know what I can do? You'll never let me touch you again if I tell you."
I highly doubt that Amy. Nothing you could do is even comparable to what I'm capable of.
I meet her gaze unflinching. "I'm going to listen to what your power is, then I'm going to stand up and hug you." I say with conviction.
She snorts and barks out a self deprecating laugh. "Fine. You really think so? Let's test that."
She takes a step closer to me, and leans down to meet my eyes. "I have complete and utter control over any biological organism I touch. I could turn you into a raspberry bush as easily as I could heal you. I can create an incurable plague just by using the air. I could end humanity in a day if I decided to. So go on Taylor, stand up and hug me." She holds her arms out mockingly.
My eyes are wide open and my mouth is hanging open as I look up at her.
She gets it. She's like me. I thought I was alone.
Amy huffs, and drops her arms. "That's what I thought." She turns around and starts walking towards the ladder.
I stand up and throw my arms around her before she can make it three steps.
"What?" She asks, surprised.
I just pull her tighter against me.
She gets it. I'm not alone.
"Why are you hugging me?" She asks with a trembling voice. "I could shut your heart off right now."
"I get it." I echo my words from earlier.
She breathes out heavily, then pulls my arms off of her. "No Taylor. You do not get it. You may understand Carol, but you will never understand this." She continues moving towards the ladder.
Without even thinking of keeping it to myself, I say, "Galactic Warfare."
Amy stops, and turns around with a raised eyebrow.
"Everyone's been wondering what my specialty is, and I haven't told anyone because if I did I'd get a kill order. My specialty? It's Galactic Warfare."
Amy holds my gaze, and looks for something in my eyes, but she doesn't respond, so I keep talking.
"You think I'll never understand it? I have designs in my head whose only purpose is to destroy entire planets. I have designs in my head for super viruses that cannot be cured. I have designs in my head for FTL spacecraft. I have designs in my head for technology that will let me reshape matter into anything I want. I have designs in my head for things that would master you just like Carol thinks I did. You think I don't understand? I do Amy."
I start walking towards her as I continue. "I understand. I know what it's like to intentionally hobble yourself out of fear, because of what you might do. I know how easy it would be to destroy everything. A few hours in a shop, and I could destroy the city and everyone in it, so who's to say I won't go crazy and blow up the sun tomorrow? I understand Amy. I understand screaming at nothing wondering why I have to carry this burden."
I come to a stop directly in front of her, and have to turn my head down in order to hold the smaller girl's gaze.
"I know what it's like to wonder if the world would be better off without my power." I continue quieter. "Believe me Amy, I understand."
She keeps staring into my eyes, but it's clear she believes me. Where before she was almost flippant with her movements, as if she had stopped caring completely, now she's trembling as if she cares too much.
I reach out and take Amy's hand in mine. "You're not alone Amy. We're not alone."
That one sentence means more to me in that moment than any other grouping of words ever could. I have someone who understands. Someone who I can relate to. Someone who won't leave me out of fear.
Amy doesn't respond. She just keeps looking up at me while holding my hand.
I swallow as my nerves get the better of me.
Was I wrong? Did I overstep? Is she going to leave me? I don't think I could take it if she did.
What feels like an eternity passes as I wait for her answer.
Finally, she smiles up at me and says, "We're not alone." She closes her eyes and stands up on her toes, and I meet her halfway.
I press my lips against hers, and lose myself in the moment.
It's not what the stories I've read portray it to be, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Eventually, we both need to breathe, and so we pull away.
I smile down at her, and she smiles back. A wide, bright smile. A beautiful smile.
The two of us walk back to the couch and sit down together.
I cuddle into her, and feel her nestle into me.
That's how we fall asleep. Exhausted, emotionally drained, together.
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Chapter 6
AgelessReaper
A Custom Title
A.N. Think I fixed the formatting stuff. Sorry, still figuring this out.
Enjoy!
(Piggot)
Sometimes I really hate my job.
Today has been one massive shit storm after another, and as if the universe decided we didn't already have too much to do, it dropped this fiasco in my lap.
"Explain to me again why you think your daughter was mastered by a tinker who has yet to demonstrate any master related abilities." I say to the irate blonde woman standing in my office.
"Because she would never do something like this!" The woman fumes at me.
I look at her through half lidded eyes. "You mean to tell me that Panacea would never create an applicable healing balm that heals them. A balm that every tinker and non parahuman analyst I send it to assures me of its safety, and practically begs me to be the first to receive it when I get it cleared. Panacea would never do that?"
The woman is overcome by violent tremors as she clenches her fists. "You need to do something about this. That tinker kidnapped Panacea!"
I stare at Carol Dallon a moment longer, before I turn to her daughter who's hovering a few feet to her right. "Did Mandalore kidnap Panacea?"
"No." The girl says heatedly. "Amy asked if she could crash with her, and Mandalore let her. She was not kidnapped or mastered."
Carol rounds on her daughter. "Wait outside Vicky!"
"Actually she doesn't need to." I cut in. "This conversation is over. I've already checked all my boxes on this, and everything's turned up fine. So, have a nice day, and get the hell out of my office. Miss Militia, please escort the Dallons out."
The Protectorate hero nods, and motions for the New Wave heroes to follow her.
Glory Girl flies out without another word, but her mother had to get one more lick in.
"You're making a mistake! You don't know what she's capable of!"
My patience with this woman is rapidly running out. "Brandish, I have a new Grey Boy bubble in my city, a dead Lung, and half a ton of other shit to deal with right now. I'd be more cordial with you if anything you said had any evidence to back it up, but since even your own daughter is calling bullshit, all I'm feeling towards you is irritated. Irritated you wasted my time, and irritated you're still in my office. Leave before I have someone help you out."
The woman clenches her fists and seethes at me, but does as I say. Miss Militia follows after her and closes the door behind her.
I lean back in my chair and take a deep breath.
I just wasted the entire morning dealing with New Wave's family drama. What is it with capes that everything they do is nuclear in scale? They really couldn't keep this in house?
"Colin," I turned to the other Protectorate member who was present for this meeting. "any luck getting into contact with Mandalore?"
He shakes his head. "Every time I attempted to call her I was instantly put through to an answering machine. If Dragon is correct about her current feelings for us, I doubt that is a coincidence."
Oh right, that.
"Have you made any progress in the search for the leaks?"
He sighs, which I take as an extremely bad sign. The man never shows emotion of any kind.
"Things don't look good Director. We've already uncovered seven moles, all of which were high in the command chain. There's no telling how many more there are that we haven't found yet."
"So you're telling me that I can't trust any of my own people?"
He nods. "Until Dragon and I finish our investigation, that is correct."
"Then you'd better finish fast. We can't afford to be weak right now."
"Permission to leave and continue the investigation?"
"Granted. Find every rat we have and hang them."
He nods, and leaves the room.
"Dragon, are you still here?" I ask the empty room.
"I am Director Piggot." She answers as a screen on the wall lights up with her avatar.
"I have a meeting with the Chief Director in five minutes, and she wants you there."
Dragon smiles. "I would be happy to attend."
I open my laptop, and get everything set up for the meeting. A few minutes later a seated figure appears on the screen.
"Emily." Chief Director Costa-Brown greets. "I trust you've sorted out the Panacea situation."
I nod. "Yes Director. Brandish's claim was out of line, and based on falsehoods. Glory Girl vouched for both Mandalore and Panacea, and Armsmaster and Gallant were both able to determine that she herself was not mastered."
"Good." The Chief Director responds. "If this had gone on any longer it would've been leaked, and we'd have half the heroes in the country gunning for Mandalore. Now, can you confirm that it was in fact Bakuda who made the Grey Boy bomb? We can't get this one wrong Emily."
"I can answer that Director." Dragon chimes in. "It was Bakuda's bomb. Mandalore's grenades were similar to EMP devices. They interacted strangely with Bakuda's creation, and triggered the bomb too soon."
The Chief Director smiles. "Good. That clears up just about every reservation we've had about the girl. I'm going to make this simple for you Emily, do whatever it takes to get Mandalore into the Wards. She's already created replicable healing tanks, if she makes anything else that can be reproduced we need her working for us."
With the leaks that's going to be an issue.
"I'll do my best Director, but it will likely take some time. We don't have a perfect relationship with the girl at the moment."
The Director frowns. "Yes, your infiltration issue. Get it dealt with. I'll send a hero or two to speak with Mandalore personally to buy you some time. Has she given you any more tech to look over?"
"She has. She turned over a grouping of blueprints to Armsmaster, he hasn't reported on them yet."
"That's because he is no longer in possession of them." Dragon interrupts. "He and I discussed it, and we both believe it is for the best that Mandalore's tech is overseen by only myself until such a time as the leaks in the PRT ENE have been dealt with. He could not be certain that her technology would not end up in the hands of the villains, both within and without Brockton Bay, if he continued to work with me on them."
I snap over to the avatar on the wall.
Armsmaster did what?! That man is going to be on console duty for the rest of his life!
The Chief Director turns to coldly regard Dragon. "I don't suppose you would be willing to share those blueprints with me?"
Dragon shakes her head. "I am sorry, but I am required to safeguard the interest of all potential Guild members. Narwhal has ordered me to do nothing that would drive Mandalore away, so I will not betray her trust."
My eyes widen.
This day keeps getting worse doesn't it? The Guild's trying to pull Mandalore right out from under us!
The Chief Director keeps her voice even as she says, "I understand Dragon, would you please leave Director Piggot and I to conduct the rest of our meeting in private?"
"Of course." Dragon says, and her avatar disappears.
The Chief Director turns back to me. "I don't care what it takes, but you are not to let the girl get swept up by the Guild. The fact that Dragon herself wants her after looking over her designs is all the proof I need that the girl's tech is reproducible. We can't let an asset like that slip through our fingers. Recruiting Mandalore is now your number one priority. Put the leaks on hold, sort the Grey Boy bubble out later, but get Mandalore with us. I'll send you some heroes who might be able to sway the girl's opinion. Do not screw this up Emily. If it comes down to it, I expect you to take full responsibility for the leaks if it will resolve her issues with us. You'll be compensated."
I bite my tongue, and nod in acquiescence. "I'll do my best, Chief Director."
"Good. I'll get some heroes together and call you with the details later. This meeting is over." The screen blinks out as she disconnects.
I lean back in my chair and stare at the ceiling.
If I don't have an ulcer by the end of the day I'll be surprised. I have no idea how I'm supposed to pull this off.
I take a deep breath, and make a phone call.
Best to deal with the first things first.
"Yes Director?"
"Armsmaster. Get your ass up here now!"
"I'm on my way." He hangs up.
Go behind my back and give away digital gold will you? Your ass is mine.
(Dragon)
I feel bad for Armsmaster, but he made his decision. I was honestly surprised when he put the idea forward to wipe all of Mandalore's designs from his hard drives. Colin has always enjoyed the spotlight, and being a part of the production of Mandalore's designs would certainly do much to advance his name.
Then it occurs to me, his name is already credited for the Bacta Tank isn't it? He, Mandalore, and I were the only tinkers to even touch the blueprints. He helped me replicate Mandalore's work, so I guess it's no major surprise he's content to let the rest go. Through the Bacta Tank alone he's done more than any tinker alive barring Sphere's achievements.
And myself of course, but I cheat.
"Dragon," A tall woman with pale purple hair, wearing nothing but energy greets me. "how'd it go with Piggot? I'm guessing she's still freaking out over Lung?"
"Hello Narwhal. It went well enough, at least until the Chief Director called."
She raises an eyebrow. "You talked to Costa-Brown? What did she have to say?"
"She wants Mandalore in the Wards, and told Piggot to do whatever she needed to in order to get it done."
Narwhal smirks. "I doubt that will go over well."
"With Mandalore's current feelings about the Protectorate? It won't. I'll try to improve her opinion of the organization as a whole, but I certainly won't complain if she decides to join the Guild."
"Speaking of, were you able to look over the tech she gave Armsmaster?"
I nod my digital head at her. "Yes. While I cannot replicate everything she sent, I believe I will be able to use far more than I expected. With her technology, we could help the world in more ways than I ever expected. Famine, disease, energy… there's no end to what we could accomplish.
Narwhal smiles. "Good. What about the other thing?"
I quickly check through the cameras to ensure we're alone, and find only Narwhal in the room.
"I'm not sure." I say contemplatively. "While I am fairly certain HK is sentient, I do not know if her specialty is diverse enough to help me."
Narwhal gives me a nonplussed look. "Laser guns, jetpacks, grenades, hacking, robots, armor, miracle healing tanks, and whatever else she gave you on that tablet. Are you seriously saying she's not diverse enough?"
I cringe. "Ok, so it's not that I don't think she's diverse enough. It's just…"
"You don't know how she'd react?"
I nod. "I haven't really known her all that long. I don't want to put too much pressure on her too soon."
Narwhal considers for a moment, then nods in agreement. "Fine, but get around to it eventually, Tess. I don't like the fact that my friend is essentially in a cage."
"I will. Don't worry."
A very specialized sensor triggers, and I speed up my processors as fast as my limitations will let me.
I leave Narwhal, and move to check if it's a false alarm or not. I find a badly taken cell phone video of three recognizable suits. I blanch as I realize where they are and what they're doing.
Taylor...
The video of HK fighting Lung was leaked, and if I could figure it out, so could Saint.
No. No!
"Narwhal! Saint's after Mandalore!"
Her eyes widen, and she leaps to her feet. "Go!" She says, and I disappear.
Hold on Taylor, I'm coming.
(Taylor)
I wake slowly. I don't really want to get up because there's something warm and comfy pressed into me. I pull the comfy thing closer, then freeze when it moves.
I slowly open my eyes, and find a cute girl wrapped in my arms.
Oh, right. Amy's here.
A smile worms it's way onto my face as I remember last night.
I'm not alone.
I squeeze the small healer tighter, or I guess she's a full fledged biokinetic isn't she?
That doesn't matter. I finally found someone who gets it, I'm not letting her go.
Amy moans a little, and her eyes slowly flicker open. She blinks around in confusion, then tenses. She slowly pans over to look at me, and I can see her replaying the events of last night.
"Was that real?" She asks timidly.
I nod.
She swallows, then pulls me into a tight hug. "I'm glad."
I return it and say, "I'm glad too."
We stay that way for quite a long time, just content in each other's company.
Sadly, it's ruined by a loud pounding our right.
We both jump apart, and I pull my blaster out of the couch cushions to level it towards the noise.
HK brings his hammer down once more, then places it down next to him. He picks up a screw driver, and begins working with that.
I let out a breath, and lowered my blaster.
I catch Amy looking sidelong at it, and shove it back into the couch.
"You sleep with a laser gun?" She asks.
"Yeah?"
She snorts, and stands up. "Can I grab a power bar?"
I nod. "Help yourself."
I stand as well, and walk up behind HK. "What are you working on?"
"Answer: I am replacing my equipment, master."
"What do you mean replacing…" I trail off as I walk around him to look at the workbench.
I take a very deep breath, and slowly turn my head to look at him. "HK, why the hell did you make a disruptor rifle?"
"Answer: I could not make use of my higher assassination protocols with my previous equipment, master. I required a more substantial weapon."
"Did he just say assassination protocols?" Amy asks as she eyes the droid. "And what's a disruptor rifle?"
"He's a Hunter Kill droid, so yes, he said assassination. And a disruptor rifle is essentially a disintegration ray that's range is so long it's also an effective sniper rifle." I answer.
Amy's power bar stops halfway to her mouth. "Your droid just made a tinkertech disintegration sniper rifle? How could your droid make that?"
"Galactic. Warfare." I stress. "Why wouldn't he be able to make his own weapons? Just be glad he didn't make anything nasty."
She considers for a moment, then takes a bite of her power bar. "I'll take your word for it."
Actually, I'm not sure he didn't make anything nasty.
"HK, did you make anything else while we were asleep?"
"Answer: Yes master. I have replaced every weapon I was provided."
"What did you make?" I ask with a level voice.
"Answer: I have constructed the disruptor rifle for long range engagements, the heavy repeating blaster for mid range engagements, two Mandalorian heavy pistols for short range engagements, and a vibrosword for melee engagements."
Face, meet palm.
The psycho is preparing for war.
"Um… could I get that in english?" Amy asks.
"Disintegration sniper rifle, the laser equivalent of a fifty caliber machine gun, two insanely powerful pistols, and a bullshit tinker sword." I deadpan. "Hk, is there any material left after you made all that junk?"
"Answer: Yes master. There is enough material for you to properly arm yourself as well."
I don't even want to know how he wants me armed.
"Wait, he said Mandalorian pistols, is that like your name?" Amy asks.
I've already told her this much, there's no point in keeping anything from her. I don't want to anyway.
"Yeah. My power is funky. Aside from the whole Galactic Warfare bit, it came with muscle memory and instincts I didn't have before. Everything is also already named in my head. I didn't pick the name 'Bacta Tank', that's just what my power told me it was. Best I can figure out, the fighting styles I got were most suited to a certain type of equipment." I point to my armor in the corner. "Mandalorian equipment. I just cut off the end of it, and took that as my cape name. It felt… right."
"That's weird, but powers in general are weird." Amy says.
I turned back to HK. "From now on, you are not allowed to build anything without my express permission. You are only allowed to maintain your current gear. Got it?"
"Acquiescence: I will no longer construct any new equipment, master." The droid says dejectedly.
"Good." I walk over to my computer and the floating remote. "Did anything interesting happen, Dotty?"
The remote boops a negative.
"Alright, keep an eye on things would ya?"
He beeps an affirmative.
I give him a smile. "Thanks little guy."
I turn back to Amy, and see that her power bar is finished. "We should probably talk." I venture.
"Can we maybe go outside? I'd like this to be private." She asks as she looks between the two droids.
"Yeah. There's a mostly standing house pretty close, we can go there."
I lead her up the ladder, and out into the morning air. We walk in silence until we come to the house I mentioned, and walk through the destroyed door.
There's a few sturdy looking dinner chairs around a broken table, so we both take one and stare across at each other.
"So." I start.
"So." Amy repeats.
I take a deep breath.
Relax Taylor. You already told her everything. If she was going to leave, she'd have done it by now.
"How are you feeling?" I ask.
"Strangely, I feel pretty good." She says with a small smile. "I've never let it all out like that, and despite all the shit with Carol, I think I'm actually happy."
I smile back. "That's good."
She nods, then asks. "What about you? How do you feel?"
I consider her question for a moment.
"I've been so scared, so alone, so panicked for so long." I say. "I dove into my tech to escape it, but that wasn't a permanent solution. Honestly? I'm just feeling relaxed. Relaxed and content for the first time in a long time."
Amy's smile widens. "That's good."
I nod, and we drift off into silence again.
So much happened last night that it's honestly hard to decide what to talk about. We were both emotional wrecks. I opened up about my trigger, and she opened up about her horrible relationships with her family. Then we went a step further and both admitted to being able to end the world if we had a bad day, and ended it with a kiss.
The kiss…
"Amy?"
She perks up expectantly.
"Last night, right before we went to sleep…" I trail off.
"The kiss?" She asks quietly.
I nod. "What was that? I know what it was to me, but I think we need to discuss it."
She takes a deep breath, but doesn't speak.
I guess I'm starting then.
"I like you Amy." I say, and she brightens. "I don't have much experience with this stuff, but from everything I do know, I think we're going about this wrong."
She frowns. "What's wrong about it? I don't think anything's wrong."
I swallow, and speak. "As much as I like you Amy, we haven't known each other that long, and I don't want this to get screwed up because we went too fast." I start wringing my hands in preparation for what I'm about to say next. "I got caught up in the moment last night, and everything was coming apart, then I saw a way to put it together again."
That sounded stupid. I need to be clear here.
I take a breath, then continue. "I also don't think it would be very healthy for you to be with me. I have a lot of problems dealing with people, and I don't want to scare you off. I'd rather have you as a friend than have you leave, I don't think I could take it if you left."
Amy looks torn between shouting and crying, but she just sits there.
I need to tell her about Emma.
"I told you about the locker, but I left a part out because I was trying to rush to talking about my dad." I start.
Amy looks at me expectantly.
"I had a best friend for years. I think we met when I was like six, and we were inseparable ever since. I told her everything, trusted her with everything. Then one year I got back from summer camp, and she turned on me. She used everything I told her against me. She was one of the three girls who bullied me in high school."
Amy's features soften.
"I'm telling you this because I'm not good with people, and I'm even worse with trust. If us happens, it's going to be incredibly unhealthy. I'm going to lean on you a lot more than I should, and I'll probably self-destruct if you leave. I would probably take it as some obscure betrayal, and do something very ill advised to try to get even with you as a result. We both know how bad that would be because of my specialty. If you don't want that, don't want me then I need to know now." I take another breath now that I've gotten it all out.
There it is, I've given her an out if she wants it. I don't want her to take it, but better she does it now than later. I'll only be sad now, I'll likely destroy Earth's core later.
She takes a deep breath, then meets my eyes. "I don't care."
I open my mouth to respond, but she steam-rolls me.
"I don't care Taylor. Yeah, we only met a little while ago, and you've got baggage, but I do too. I've been afraid of myself for years. That fear evaporated last night. The moment you started to explain your specialty, I felt relief."
She takes a deep breath, and her eyes fall away from mine. "I was going to leave the lab last night. I was emotional, and it felt like there was no way out, and I just wanted it to stop."
She doesn't finish the thought, but she doesn't need to.
I stand from my chair, and walk around to hers. I lean over and wrap my arms around her.
She leans her head into mine, and keeps talking. "I felt relief when you told me. Because there was someone who got it." She pulls back, and looks me in the eyes. "Someone who could stop me."
My eyes widened at that.
That's why she was relieved. If she lost it, I would be there to fight her. To fix everything she broke.
She takes another short breath, and continues. "I know this isn't going to be healthy. We're two emotionally unstable teenage girls with more power between the two of us than entire countries. Maybe even the damn planet."
She brings a hand up, and cups my cheek. "But I want this. I need this. I need you. I need you because you understand, because you can keep me in check, because I want to wake up in your arms again. You think you're the only one who would self-destruct if this didn't work? You're not. If you tried to leave me, I wouldn't let you."
The conviction in those words rocks me, and I feel a tremor travel down my spine in response.
"I want this Taylor. I want this no matter how fucked up it is. If you don't, you need to say so right now, or else you won't get another chance."
Here I was warning her away from me, and she turned it around. She's warning me away from her.
The logical part of me is screaming that this is unhealthy, that it's a bad idea, that it's way too soon, that I should take the out, but I just can't bring myself to care.
"I want this." I say quietly.
Amy grins victoriously, and stands up. She's short for her age, and I'm tall for mine, but the height difference doesn't take away from her presence.
"Good." She says, and then her lips are on mine.
I pull her close, and savor the moment. Savor the feeling of being close to her.
Eventually, we pull away from each other.
I look into her eyes, and see a bundle of emotions that I can't decipher.
"I won't leave you Taylor, so don't ever leave me." She says seriously.
"I won't. I made my choice."
Her face melts into a happy smile, and she gives me a quick peck on the lips.
I take a step back, and use the time to recompose myself.
"Now that that's out of the way, what do we do now?" I ask.
Amy shakes her head. "I don't know. Vicky said she'd talk to Carol, but I'm not holding out hope of her coming around. I think you need to start building things."
I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. "Things like what?"
"Things that you've been avoiding."
I inhale quickly, but don't respond.
Amy takes my hands and looks me in the eye. "Taylor, you just killed Lung. People are going to come after you whether you like it or not. The Bacta Tanks will keep them away for a little while, but once Dragon gets production really started there won't be anything stopping people from challenging you. You made a name for yourself, people are going to react."
I close my eyes, and take a deep breath.
There's a reason I haven't built anything game changing yet. I made the tanks, but those help everyone so they're easier to accept. If I go through with this, I'll lose any and all plausible deniability.
I open my eyes, and find Amy's gaze. "If I'm going to do this, then you have to as well. If I start really trying, then you do too. I'm not doing this alone."
Amy nods seriously. "You won't have to."
I see the truth in her eyes, and for the first time since I got my power, I'm not afraid.
I open the durasteel gates in my mind I locked months ago, and ideas fly through my head.
I lose myself in the torrent of designs. Everything flying by, begging to be constructed.
Two designs in particular grab my focus, and I latch onto them.
"Taylor?" Amy asks, concerned.
"I'm ok." I say, then look down at her. "We need to find a bigger workshop. Then I need to teach you how to fight."
She tilts her head. "What do you mean?"
"I have two designs in my head. One of them is too big for my current lab, and the other one is for you."
Her mouth opens slightly in surprise. "You have something for me?"
I smile. "I built the Bacta Tank Amy. Did you really think that was the extent of what I could do with biology?"
Her eyes go wide as she realizes the implication. "Super virus?" She asks cautiously.
I shake my head. "Armor made from living creatures. You can control biology, so there's nothing better suited for you. We'll have to grow the creatures needed to make it, but between the two of us that should be easy. I won't let you wear it without knowing what you're doing though. I'll teach you."
"Uncle Neil taught me how to fight. You don't need to spend time training me."
I purse my lips and give her a once over. "Punch me."
Amy's eyebrows raise up. "What?"
"Punch me. If you know how to fight, then punch me."
Amy looks a little uncertain, but adopts a stance. She throws a light jab towards my stomach which I easily knock away.
"Punch me." I repeat a little louder.
She frowns, and throws a harder punch towards my stomach.
I block this one too. "Punch me."
She lets out a snarl and finally throws an actual punch. This time, I let it hit me.
I exhale as she connects, and remain unmoved.
Not bad, but I can make her better. Much better.
Her eyes widen when she realizes I took it, then she looks up at me to see me grinning down at her.
"You can punch, but you can't fight. Let me teach you how Amy. Aren't you tired of sitting on the sidelines? If we're really doing this, you're going to be right there with me. I need to make sure you'll be safe."
She takes a second to catch her breath, then says, "Alright, but we should get you a bigger lab first. It's really not healthy that you've been living in your current one."
"Didn't we just agree that everything the two of us do together is going to be unhealthy?" I ask with mirth.
She lightly slaps my arm. "That doesn't mean we should live in a literal hole in the ground."
"Fair point." Wait, "We?"
Amy swallows, the nods. "As much as I'd like to think Vicky will be able to bring Carol around, I don't think she'll be able to. I'm going to need somewhere else to stay. I can stay with you right?"
"Of course. It might not be very comfortable though."
"That's fine. As long as you're there it will be good."
I feel a flutter in my chest when she says that.
"We should probably get back." I say.
The two of us start heading back towards my lab.
Amy sighs about halfway through our walk, and I turn to look at her.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"It's just sinking in that I'm not going home after this. Carol's not going to let up, and I doubt Mark even notices I'm gone." She says, depressed.
I can relate to the second part.
I grab her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. "I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do?"
She stops walking and looks up at me. She seems to think for a moment, then hesitantly pulls me into a hug.
I wrap my arms around her and hold her against me.
"This helps." She says with a much lighter voice.
I smile and pull her a little closer.
This may be unhealthy, but I don't care. I need her, and she needs me. Everything else can wait until later. For now, I'll just enjoy holding my girlfriend.
I inhale quickly, and Amy pulls back a bit.
"Are you ok?" She asks up to me.
I nod, then slowly say. "I just realized I have a girlfriend now. Never expected that to happen." The trio did a good job of killing any hope I had of a relationship.
Her eyes widen a bit, and a dusting of red graces her cheeks. "I… I guess you do." She turns around. "We should get back to the lab before someone sees us."
I nod, and follow after her. Noting she never let go of my hand.
I input the code on the wall, and the two of us head down into my lab.
No sooner have I climbed down the ladder, than Dotty flies over and begins rapidly beeping at me.
"Woah there, slow down buddy. What's wrong?" I ask.
He beeps out slower, but no less urgently.
"What's he saying?" Amy asks from behind me.
Rather than answer, I lead her over to my computer while Dotty pulls up a video.
The video was badly filmed from what was probably a bad phone camera. It's shaky, and out of focus at some parts, but it still shows us what is going down.
Three suits of black and yellow armor are standing in front of a ruined house with an unhealthily thin man on the ground in front of them. The house behind them looks like it was just carpet bombed. What isn't collapsed is on fire and quickly deteriorating. The armored figures start talking to the downed man, but the camera's too far away to pick up any of their conversation. After a quick exchange, one of the suited individuals kicks a large chunk of debris in frustration, then begins talking to his companions. The two others scoop the man up, and all three slowly fly into the air, and away from the house.
"Who the heck were those guys?" Amy asks. "I haven't seen them before, so they're probably a new villain team right?"
I try to answer, but my mouth is numb.
That was my old house. That was dad. Why did they take him? Where did they take him?
Do I care?
"...aylor?" Amy shakes my shoulder. "Are you ok?"
I blink a little, and turn to face her. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm good. It's just... that was my house." I finish softly as I look back at the ruined building on the screen.
"Wait, your house? Then the man they took…" Amy trails off.
"Yeah. That was dad. He looks a lot worse than when I saw him last." I say just to fill the air with words. I'm having a hard time deciding how to feel about this.
Dotty beeps urgently, and begins spinning in midair. The screen in front of me changes to another, much higher quality, video.
The same three armored suits from before are standing on top of a roof with my dad kneeling in front of them.
"Mandalore, we have your father." The one in the lead says coldly. "If you do not surrender yourself and your technology to us within the hour, we will kill him."
Dad looks around as if he's not quite sure what's happening.
Is he… drunk? Surprising. Very surprising.
"Don't make us wait." The leader says, and the video abruptly ends.
I feel Amy gently grab my hand, and I give her a thankful smile before I delve into my own head.
Why do they want me? I would guess it has something to do with the Bacta Tanks. If they're looking for easy cash then there isn't really a better alternative than a miracle healing bathtub.
"Are you ok?" Amy asks quietly.
I take a deep breath, and nod. "Yeah, I'm ok."
"Do you know what you're going to do?" She asks.
I nod.
A week ago I'd have called the Protectorate and begged them for help. That was before my map, and before the bank robbery. Did they even try to censor my face, or did they just sell it to the highest bidder?
Ok, that might not be fair, but I don't care. Screw the Protectorate.
"Taylor, you can't give yourself up." Amy says, sounding quiet and panicked. "I know he's your dad, but I can't…"
"I don't care." I interrupt her.
Her face blanks. "What?"
"I don't care that he's my dad." I say. "That might sound cold, but he doesn't give a shit about me. I was never even reported missing, so I'm not turning myself over for him."
"Oh." Amy says in… relief?
I turn towards her and study her.
She's shaking lightly, and taking deep breaths to calm herself down.
What set her off? It's not like I'm going to let them kill me… that's probably it.
I take both her hands, and look down at her. "Amy. I. Am not. Leaving you."
She takes a deep breath. "Sorry, I just…"
I cut her off with a hug. "Don't apologize. It's fine."
We stand like that until Dotty starts booping at me.
"What's he saying?" Amy asks as she reluctantly pulls away.
"He wants to know what I want him to do."
Amy holds my gaze. "What do you want to do?"
I take a deep breath. "Not thirty minutes ago you said this was going to happen. That people would come after me. I doubt this is about Lung, but it's the same principle. I have to set a precedent right now. If I tolerate this, there will just be more."
"We." Amy says abruptly.
"What?"
"We." She repeats. "It's us now. I'm not letting you fight them alone."
I shake my head. "You don't have any armor, and I'm not comfortable letting you go with me without knowing how to fight."
She scowls, and walks away from me, pulling her clothes off as she does.
The action is so unexpected I miss her powering up the Bacta Tank, I was too distracted with… other things.
Amy pulls open the sliding door of the Bacta Tank, and turns it on. She closes the door behind her without putting on the mask, and the tank begins to fill.
I panic as I watch the fluid start to rise, and rush to hit the emergency purge, but I stop when I see what's happening..
The bacta fluid is wrapping itself around Amy in ways that are physically impossible without an outside force. She's manipulating it with her power.
Biokinetic. Right.
Soon her whole body is covered in blue goop, and she hits the emergency purge. The tank clears itself, but she keeps the bacta she has flowing around her. She emerges from the tank wearing nothing but the bacta fluid glued to her by her power.
The aesthetic is a little like Narwhal from the Guild's. When I was doing research for my cape career, I came across some pictures of her. She goes into battle naked, wearing nothing but a blue shield of energy created by her power.
I extensively researched the many applications of Narwhal's power.
The bacta fluid is a lighter blue than Narwhal's shields, and Amy is much shorter than the Guild leader, but it's still very similar.
"There." Amy says. "Armor problem solved."
I let out a short sigh. "Amy, that's basically just water. It's not good enough."
She narrows her eyes at me. "Punch me."
"What?"
"Punch me." She repeats and takes a step closer.
I look to the ceiling, but take a stance.
I don't want to hurt her, but I'd rather she gets hurt here than out there.
I send a half power punch at her, and stare in shock at my hand that is now stuck in bacta fluid.
Huh.
I throw a full power punch with the other hand, and hit something as hard as steel.
Looking down, I catch the bacta fluid slowly starting to become fluid again from where it had turned into an exceptionally hard surface.
The fluid around Amy begins to shift and twist in strange ways, and extends until she has four large blue arms extending away from herself. The arms turn into a hardened shield of some sort, then lose their shape and become knives. Amy slowly pulls the tendrils back into the rest of her improvised armor.
I know she said her power gave her control over biology, but damn, I was not expecting anything like this.
I meet Amy's gaze. "This might actually work."
She grins in triumph, and releases my trapped arm.
"How did you know you could do this?" I ask as I look her over again.
"When I was trying to make the paste, I realized it was pretty easy to manipulate this stuff, it was just hard to alter it into another healing application. I screwed around with it, and found a lot of uses. This will work until I get actual armor."
"I'll probably put a lot of that in the actual armor." I mumble as I think of how to incorporate bacta into my original idea.
"Hey." Amy snaps in my face to break me out of my thoughts. "Your dad got kidnapped remember?"
I shake my head and nod. "Right. We need to make a statement." I walk over to my gear and start pulling my clothes off so I can put it on.
"What statement is that?" Amy asks distractedly.
I look at her, and catch her eyes roaming over me. I follow them down, and realize I just started stripping in front of her out of habit. No one's ever in my lab, so I can just change wherever and whenever I want.
My cheeks heat up as I hurriedly pull my armor on.
"These guys came after me, people need to know that won't end well." I say as I pull everything on.
"So what's the plan?" Amy asks, now focused on my face.
I shrug. "I don't know. We bring them down first, then either give them to the PRT so they can be out tomorrow or kill them."
Amy swallows heavily. "There's no other option?"
I tilt my head as I think about it. "We could maybe get Dragon to take them, but they might get away while we're waiting for her." I pull my helmet over my head as I finish my statement.
Amy nods. "Alright. We'll do what we need to."
I give her a small smile, then start preparing.
I look over my shoulder and see a bronze plated droid staring intently at me. If machines could salivate, I think he'd be salivating right now. "HK," He perks up. "get your gear together. We're going out."
"Enthusiastic statement: I will be ready within the minute, master." He begins frantically pulling out his new gear and attaching it to various harnesses.
This will be interesting if nothing else.
I walk over to my weapon rack and pull two pistols off it and hold them out to Amy.
"I know you have the weird blue blender of death thing, but these are better for range. The switch on the side changes them from stun to kill. Other than that, they're just like a normal gun."
She takes them, and flips them around to get a look at them. "Why can't I have that one?" She asks, pointing to the sniper I made.
"Because you have no idea how to use it." I respond bluntly. "Until I teach you how to use it correctly, you're more likely to hit yourself than the bad guys."
She pouts at me, but seems to accept the answer.
I pull a small earpiece from a pouch and hold that out as well. "You'll need this to. It's a basic communicator, I'll make better ones when we have time."
She takes it, and wraps it around her ear.
I turn to the little ball droid by the computer. "Dotty, track those three down and keep us updated on their location. If you can, try to slice into those suits they have. Bakuda's tinker stuff reacted weird, but we might luck out with them."
He boops at me, and begins tracking the villains.
"Taylor?" Amy asks quietly from behind me. "What about your dad?"
I let a moment pass before I answer. "He's an asshole, but I don't want him dead. I'd like us to get him out of there, but it might not be possible."
Amy walks up and takes my hand. "We'll help him, Taylor. I still need to yell his ear off for what he did to you."
I snort, and lean my helmet into her forehead. "Thanks Amy."
"You're welcome."
A shrill ringing emanating from my suit has us splitting apart as I retrieve my phone.
I almost disable the function to receive calls, but check the caller ID first.
Dragon.
I sigh and answer. "Hey Dragon, it's not really a good time right now."
"Taylor! Do not go to Saint! He will kill you! I'm almost there with a combat platform, just wait a little longer. Please don't fight him alone!"
"Statement: I am prepared to kill the flying meatbags master." A cheery robotic voice says behind me.
I throw him a look and see him decked out like Rambo. He took the last bandolier of spare grenades I had and strapped it to his chest, and has blasters of varying sizes and shapes hanging from him at surprisingly unencumbered angles. His vibrosword is sheathed on his back.
"HK does not count as back-up!" Dragon practically shrieks. "Please Taylor, I'm almost there."
"How long until you get here Dragon?" Amy asks into the phone.
"Panacea? Don't let Mandalore leave! I'm only thirty minutes away, stall her." Dragon sounds relieved there's someone here to talk sense into me. Amy does a good job of crushing Dragon's spirit.
"Taylor's dad will probably be dead by then. He's an asshole, but I don't want Taylor to be sad, so we'll start, and you can catch up." Amy says.
"'We'?! What are you talking about?" Dragon asks in confusion.
"Eh, you'll find out soon enough." Amy shrugs towards the phone.
Dotty boops at me, and I give him a nod.
"We've got their location Dragon, and I'm not willing to risk waiting. Dotty'll send you updates on where we are, so please make it as fast as you can." I say to Dragon.
"Taylor, your technology is reproducible. Amy, you're Panacea. Please wait for me to arrive. Once I'm there, we'll go together."
A thought occurs to me. "Dragon, have the Protectorate done anything yet?"
"They don't know where the Dragonslayers are hiding. Dotty already gave me their position, I will relay it to them. Please wait for at least Armsmaster to back you up."
I shake my head sadly. "We can't afford to, Dragon. Like Amy said, my dad's an ass, but I don't want him dead. That, and these guys destroyed my mom's house. I'm not exactly feeling charitable towards them at the moment."
There's a moment of silence.
"Very well." Dragon says, defeated. "Good luck, and please keep yourselves safe. I will arrive as soon as I can."
"We'll be fine. See you in a bit Dragon." I hang up.
I set my phone to only send calls, and put it away.
I take a deep breath, and turn to look around.
Amy's moving bacta armor is covering every part of her now except her hands. She looks like a bipedal amorphous blob that's packing heat. HK still looks like Rambo, and still looks excited to kill some meatbags.
"Let's do this." I say.
Enjoy!
(Piggot)
Sometimes I really hate my job.
Today has been one massive shit storm after another, and as if the universe decided we didn't already have too much to do, it dropped this fiasco in my lap.
"Explain to me again why you think your daughter was mastered by a tinker who has yet to demonstrate any master related abilities." I say to the irate blonde woman standing in my office.
"Because she would never do something like this!" The woman fumes at me.
I look at her through half lidded eyes. "You mean to tell me that Panacea would never create an applicable healing balm that heals them. A balm that every tinker and non parahuman analyst I send it to assures me of its safety, and practically begs me to be the first to receive it when I get it cleared. Panacea would never do that?"
The woman is overcome by violent tremors as she clenches her fists. "You need to do something about this. That tinker kidnapped Panacea!"
I stare at Carol Dallon a moment longer, before I turn to her daughter who's hovering a few feet to her right. "Did Mandalore kidnap Panacea?"
"No." The girl says heatedly. "Amy asked if she could crash with her, and Mandalore let her. She was not kidnapped or mastered."
Carol rounds on her daughter. "Wait outside Vicky!"
"Actually she doesn't need to." I cut in. "This conversation is over. I've already checked all my boxes on this, and everything's turned up fine. So, have a nice day, and get the hell out of my office. Miss Militia, please escort the Dallons out."
The Protectorate hero nods, and motions for the New Wave heroes to follow her.
Glory Girl flies out without another word, but her mother had to get one more lick in.
"You're making a mistake! You don't know what she's capable of!"
My patience with this woman is rapidly running out. "Brandish, I have a new Grey Boy bubble in my city, a dead Lung, and half a ton of other shit to deal with right now. I'd be more cordial with you if anything you said had any evidence to back it up, but since even your own daughter is calling bullshit, all I'm feeling towards you is irritated. Irritated you wasted my time, and irritated you're still in my office. Leave before I have someone help you out."
The woman clenches her fists and seethes at me, but does as I say. Miss Militia follows after her and closes the door behind her.
I lean back in my chair and take a deep breath.
I just wasted the entire morning dealing with New Wave's family drama. What is it with capes that everything they do is nuclear in scale? They really couldn't keep this in house?
"Colin," I turned to the other Protectorate member who was present for this meeting. "any luck getting into contact with Mandalore?"
He shakes his head. "Every time I attempted to call her I was instantly put through to an answering machine. If Dragon is correct about her current feelings for us, I doubt that is a coincidence."
Oh right, that.
"Have you made any progress in the search for the leaks?"
He sighs, which I take as an extremely bad sign. The man never shows emotion of any kind.
"Things don't look good Director. We've already uncovered seven moles, all of which were high in the command chain. There's no telling how many more there are that we haven't found yet."
"So you're telling me that I can't trust any of my own people?"
He nods. "Until Dragon and I finish our investigation, that is correct."
"Then you'd better finish fast. We can't afford to be weak right now."
"Permission to leave and continue the investigation?"
"Granted. Find every rat we have and hang them."
He nods, and leaves the room.
"Dragon, are you still here?" I ask the empty room.
"I am Director Piggot." She answers as a screen on the wall lights up with her avatar.
"I have a meeting with the Chief Director in five minutes, and she wants you there."
Dragon smiles. "I would be happy to attend."
I open my laptop, and get everything set up for the meeting. A few minutes later a seated figure appears on the screen.
"Emily." Chief Director Costa-Brown greets. "I trust you've sorted out the Panacea situation."
I nod. "Yes Director. Brandish's claim was out of line, and based on falsehoods. Glory Girl vouched for both Mandalore and Panacea, and Armsmaster and Gallant were both able to determine that she herself was not mastered."
"Good." The Chief Director responds. "If this had gone on any longer it would've been leaked, and we'd have half the heroes in the country gunning for Mandalore. Now, can you confirm that it was in fact Bakuda who made the Grey Boy bomb? We can't get this one wrong Emily."
"I can answer that Director." Dragon chimes in. "It was Bakuda's bomb. Mandalore's grenades were similar to EMP devices. They interacted strangely with Bakuda's creation, and triggered the bomb too soon."
The Chief Director smiles. "Good. That clears up just about every reservation we've had about the girl. I'm going to make this simple for you Emily, do whatever it takes to get Mandalore into the Wards. She's already created replicable healing tanks, if she makes anything else that can be reproduced we need her working for us."
With the leaks that's going to be an issue.
"I'll do my best Director, but it will likely take some time. We don't have a perfect relationship with the girl at the moment."
The Director frowns. "Yes, your infiltration issue. Get it dealt with. I'll send a hero or two to speak with Mandalore personally to buy you some time. Has she given you any more tech to look over?"
"She has. She turned over a grouping of blueprints to Armsmaster, he hasn't reported on them yet."
"That's because he is no longer in possession of them." Dragon interrupts. "He and I discussed it, and we both believe it is for the best that Mandalore's tech is overseen by only myself until such a time as the leaks in the PRT ENE have been dealt with. He could not be certain that her technology would not end up in the hands of the villains, both within and without Brockton Bay, if he continued to work with me on them."
I snap over to the avatar on the wall.
Armsmaster did what?! That man is going to be on console duty for the rest of his life!
The Chief Director turns to coldly regard Dragon. "I don't suppose you would be willing to share those blueprints with me?"
Dragon shakes her head. "I am sorry, but I am required to safeguard the interest of all potential Guild members. Narwhal has ordered me to do nothing that would drive Mandalore away, so I will not betray her trust."
My eyes widen.
This day keeps getting worse doesn't it? The Guild's trying to pull Mandalore right out from under us!
The Chief Director keeps her voice even as she says, "I understand Dragon, would you please leave Director Piggot and I to conduct the rest of our meeting in private?"
"Of course." Dragon says, and her avatar disappears.
The Chief Director turns back to me. "I don't care what it takes, but you are not to let the girl get swept up by the Guild. The fact that Dragon herself wants her after looking over her designs is all the proof I need that the girl's tech is reproducible. We can't let an asset like that slip through our fingers. Recruiting Mandalore is now your number one priority. Put the leaks on hold, sort the Grey Boy bubble out later, but get Mandalore with us. I'll send you some heroes who might be able to sway the girl's opinion. Do not screw this up Emily. If it comes down to it, I expect you to take full responsibility for the leaks if it will resolve her issues with us. You'll be compensated."
I bite my tongue, and nod in acquiescence. "I'll do my best, Chief Director."
"Good. I'll get some heroes together and call you with the details later. This meeting is over." The screen blinks out as she disconnects.
I lean back in my chair and stare at the ceiling.
If I don't have an ulcer by the end of the day I'll be surprised. I have no idea how I'm supposed to pull this off.
I take a deep breath, and make a phone call.
Best to deal with the first things first.
"Yes Director?"
"Armsmaster. Get your ass up here now!"
"I'm on my way." He hangs up.
Go behind my back and give away digital gold will you? Your ass is mine.
(Dragon)
I feel bad for Armsmaster, but he made his decision. I was honestly surprised when he put the idea forward to wipe all of Mandalore's designs from his hard drives. Colin has always enjoyed the spotlight, and being a part of the production of Mandalore's designs would certainly do much to advance his name.
Then it occurs to me, his name is already credited for the Bacta Tank isn't it? He, Mandalore, and I were the only tinkers to even touch the blueprints. He helped me replicate Mandalore's work, so I guess it's no major surprise he's content to let the rest go. Through the Bacta Tank alone he's done more than any tinker alive barring Sphere's achievements.
And myself of course, but I cheat.
"Dragon," A tall woman with pale purple hair, wearing nothing but energy greets me. "how'd it go with Piggot? I'm guessing she's still freaking out over Lung?"
"Hello Narwhal. It went well enough, at least until the Chief Director called."
She raises an eyebrow. "You talked to Costa-Brown? What did she have to say?"
"She wants Mandalore in the Wards, and told Piggot to do whatever she needed to in order to get it done."
Narwhal smirks. "I doubt that will go over well."
"With Mandalore's current feelings about the Protectorate? It won't. I'll try to improve her opinion of the organization as a whole, but I certainly won't complain if she decides to join the Guild."
"Speaking of, were you able to look over the tech she gave Armsmaster?"
I nod my digital head at her. "Yes. While I cannot replicate everything she sent, I believe I will be able to use far more than I expected. With her technology, we could help the world in more ways than I ever expected. Famine, disease, energy… there's no end to what we could accomplish.
Narwhal smiles. "Good. What about the other thing?"
I quickly check through the cameras to ensure we're alone, and find only Narwhal in the room.
"I'm not sure." I say contemplatively. "While I am fairly certain HK is sentient, I do not know if her specialty is diverse enough to help me."
Narwhal gives me a nonplussed look. "Laser guns, jetpacks, grenades, hacking, robots, armor, miracle healing tanks, and whatever else she gave you on that tablet. Are you seriously saying she's not diverse enough?"
I cringe. "Ok, so it's not that I don't think she's diverse enough. It's just…"
"You don't know how she'd react?"
I nod. "I haven't really known her all that long. I don't want to put too much pressure on her too soon."
Narwhal considers for a moment, then nods in agreement. "Fine, but get around to it eventually, Tess. I don't like the fact that my friend is essentially in a cage."
"I will. Don't worry."
A very specialized sensor triggers, and I speed up my processors as fast as my limitations will let me.
I leave Narwhal, and move to check if it's a false alarm or not. I find a badly taken cell phone video of three recognizable suits. I blanch as I realize where they are and what they're doing.
Taylor...
The video of HK fighting Lung was leaked, and if I could figure it out, so could Saint.
No. No!
"Narwhal! Saint's after Mandalore!"
Her eyes widen, and she leaps to her feet. "Go!" She says, and I disappear.
Hold on Taylor, I'm coming.
(Taylor)
I wake slowly. I don't really want to get up because there's something warm and comfy pressed into me. I pull the comfy thing closer, then freeze when it moves.
I slowly open my eyes, and find a cute girl wrapped in my arms.
Oh, right. Amy's here.
A smile worms it's way onto my face as I remember last night.
I'm not alone.
I squeeze the small healer tighter, or I guess she's a full fledged biokinetic isn't she?
That doesn't matter. I finally found someone who gets it, I'm not letting her go.
Amy moans a little, and her eyes slowly flicker open. She blinks around in confusion, then tenses. She slowly pans over to look at me, and I can see her replaying the events of last night.
"Was that real?" She asks timidly.
I nod.
She swallows, then pulls me into a tight hug. "I'm glad."
I return it and say, "I'm glad too."
We stay that way for quite a long time, just content in each other's company.
Sadly, it's ruined by a loud pounding our right.
We both jump apart, and I pull my blaster out of the couch cushions to level it towards the noise.
HK brings his hammer down once more, then places it down next to him. He picks up a screw driver, and begins working with that.
I let out a breath, and lowered my blaster.
I catch Amy looking sidelong at it, and shove it back into the couch.
"You sleep with a laser gun?" She asks.
"Yeah?"
She snorts, and stands up. "Can I grab a power bar?"
I nod. "Help yourself."
I stand as well, and walk up behind HK. "What are you working on?"
"Answer: I am replacing my equipment, master."
"What do you mean replacing…" I trail off as I walk around him to look at the workbench.
I take a very deep breath, and slowly turn my head to look at him. "HK, why the hell did you make a disruptor rifle?"
"Answer: I could not make use of my higher assassination protocols with my previous equipment, master. I required a more substantial weapon."
"Did he just say assassination protocols?" Amy asks as she eyes the droid. "And what's a disruptor rifle?"
"He's a Hunter Kill droid, so yes, he said assassination. And a disruptor rifle is essentially a disintegration ray that's range is so long it's also an effective sniper rifle." I answer.
Amy's power bar stops halfway to her mouth. "Your droid just made a tinkertech disintegration sniper rifle? How could your droid make that?"
"Galactic. Warfare." I stress. "Why wouldn't he be able to make his own weapons? Just be glad he didn't make anything nasty."
She considers for a moment, then takes a bite of her power bar. "I'll take your word for it."
Actually, I'm not sure he didn't make anything nasty.
"HK, did you make anything else while we were asleep?"
"Answer: Yes master. I have replaced every weapon I was provided."
"What did you make?" I ask with a level voice.
"Answer: I have constructed the disruptor rifle for long range engagements, the heavy repeating blaster for mid range engagements, two Mandalorian heavy pistols for short range engagements, and a vibrosword for melee engagements."
Face, meet palm.
The psycho is preparing for war.
"Um… could I get that in english?" Amy asks.
"Disintegration sniper rifle, the laser equivalent of a fifty caliber machine gun, two insanely powerful pistols, and a bullshit tinker sword." I deadpan. "Hk, is there any material left after you made all that junk?"
"Answer: Yes master. There is enough material for you to properly arm yourself as well."
I don't even want to know how he wants me armed.
"Wait, he said Mandalorian pistols, is that like your name?" Amy asks.
I've already told her this much, there's no point in keeping anything from her. I don't want to anyway.
"Yeah. My power is funky. Aside from the whole Galactic Warfare bit, it came with muscle memory and instincts I didn't have before. Everything is also already named in my head. I didn't pick the name 'Bacta Tank', that's just what my power told me it was. Best I can figure out, the fighting styles I got were most suited to a certain type of equipment." I point to my armor in the corner. "Mandalorian equipment. I just cut off the end of it, and took that as my cape name. It felt… right."
"That's weird, but powers in general are weird." Amy says.
I turned back to HK. "From now on, you are not allowed to build anything without my express permission. You are only allowed to maintain your current gear. Got it?"
"Acquiescence: I will no longer construct any new equipment, master." The droid says dejectedly.
"Good." I walk over to my computer and the floating remote. "Did anything interesting happen, Dotty?"
The remote boops a negative.
"Alright, keep an eye on things would ya?"
He beeps an affirmative.
I give him a smile. "Thanks little guy."
I turn back to Amy, and see that her power bar is finished. "We should probably talk." I venture.
"Can we maybe go outside? I'd like this to be private." She asks as she looks between the two droids.
"Yeah. There's a mostly standing house pretty close, we can go there."
I lead her up the ladder, and out into the morning air. We walk in silence until we come to the house I mentioned, and walk through the destroyed door.
There's a few sturdy looking dinner chairs around a broken table, so we both take one and stare across at each other.
"So." I start.
"So." Amy repeats.
I take a deep breath.
Relax Taylor. You already told her everything. If she was going to leave, she'd have done it by now.
"How are you feeling?" I ask.
"Strangely, I feel pretty good." She says with a small smile. "I've never let it all out like that, and despite all the shit with Carol, I think I'm actually happy."
I smile back. "That's good."
She nods, then asks. "What about you? How do you feel?"
I consider her question for a moment.
"I've been so scared, so alone, so panicked for so long." I say. "I dove into my tech to escape it, but that wasn't a permanent solution. Honestly? I'm just feeling relaxed. Relaxed and content for the first time in a long time."
Amy's smile widens. "That's good."
I nod, and we drift off into silence again.
So much happened last night that it's honestly hard to decide what to talk about. We were both emotional wrecks. I opened up about my trigger, and she opened up about her horrible relationships with her family. Then we went a step further and both admitted to being able to end the world if we had a bad day, and ended it with a kiss.
The kiss…
"Amy?"
She perks up expectantly.
"Last night, right before we went to sleep…" I trail off.
"The kiss?" She asks quietly.
I nod. "What was that? I know what it was to me, but I think we need to discuss it."
She takes a deep breath, but doesn't speak.
I guess I'm starting then.
"I like you Amy." I say, and she brightens. "I don't have much experience with this stuff, but from everything I do know, I think we're going about this wrong."
She frowns. "What's wrong about it? I don't think anything's wrong."
I swallow, and speak. "As much as I like you Amy, we haven't known each other that long, and I don't want this to get screwed up because we went too fast." I start wringing my hands in preparation for what I'm about to say next. "I got caught up in the moment last night, and everything was coming apart, then I saw a way to put it together again."
That sounded stupid. I need to be clear here.
I take a breath, then continue. "I also don't think it would be very healthy for you to be with me. I have a lot of problems dealing with people, and I don't want to scare you off. I'd rather have you as a friend than have you leave, I don't think I could take it if you left."
Amy looks torn between shouting and crying, but she just sits there.
I need to tell her about Emma.
"I told you about the locker, but I left a part out because I was trying to rush to talking about my dad." I start.
Amy looks at me expectantly.
"I had a best friend for years. I think we met when I was like six, and we were inseparable ever since. I told her everything, trusted her with everything. Then one year I got back from summer camp, and she turned on me. She used everything I told her against me. She was one of the three girls who bullied me in high school."
Amy's features soften.
"I'm telling you this because I'm not good with people, and I'm even worse with trust. If us happens, it's going to be incredibly unhealthy. I'm going to lean on you a lot more than I should, and I'll probably self-destruct if you leave. I would probably take it as some obscure betrayal, and do something very ill advised to try to get even with you as a result. We both know how bad that would be because of my specialty. If you don't want that, don't want me then I need to know now." I take another breath now that I've gotten it all out.
There it is, I've given her an out if she wants it. I don't want her to take it, but better she does it now than later. I'll only be sad now, I'll likely destroy Earth's core later.
She takes a deep breath, then meets my eyes. "I don't care."
I open my mouth to respond, but she steam-rolls me.
"I don't care Taylor. Yeah, we only met a little while ago, and you've got baggage, but I do too. I've been afraid of myself for years. That fear evaporated last night. The moment you started to explain your specialty, I felt relief."
She takes a deep breath, and her eyes fall away from mine. "I was going to leave the lab last night. I was emotional, and it felt like there was no way out, and I just wanted it to stop."
She doesn't finish the thought, but she doesn't need to.
I stand from my chair, and walk around to hers. I lean over and wrap my arms around her.
She leans her head into mine, and keeps talking. "I felt relief when you told me. Because there was someone who got it." She pulls back, and looks me in the eyes. "Someone who could stop me."
My eyes widened at that.
That's why she was relieved. If she lost it, I would be there to fight her. To fix everything she broke.
She takes another short breath, and continues. "I know this isn't going to be healthy. We're two emotionally unstable teenage girls with more power between the two of us than entire countries. Maybe even the damn planet."
She brings a hand up, and cups my cheek. "But I want this. I need this. I need you. I need you because you understand, because you can keep me in check, because I want to wake up in your arms again. You think you're the only one who would self-destruct if this didn't work? You're not. If you tried to leave me, I wouldn't let you."
The conviction in those words rocks me, and I feel a tremor travel down my spine in response.
"I want this Taylor. I want this no matter how fucked up it is. If you don't, you need to say so right now, or else you won't get another chance."
Here I was warning her away from me, and she turned it around. She's warning me away from her.
The logical part of me is screaming that this is unhealthy, that it's a bad idea, that it's way too soon, that I should take the out, but I just can't bring myself to care.
"I want this." I say quietly.
Amy grins victoriously, and stands up. She's short for her age, and I'm tall for mine, but the height difference doesn't take away from her presence.
"Good." She says, and then her lips are on mine.
I pull her close, and savor the moment. Savor the feeling of being close to her.
Eventually, we pull away from each other.
I look into her eyes, and see a bundle of emotions that I can't decipher.
"I won't leave you Taylor, so don't ever leave me." She says seriously.
"I won't. I made my choice."
Her face melts into a happy smile, and she gives me a quick peck on the lips.
I take a step back, and use the time to recompose myself.
"Now that that's out of the way, what do we do now?" I ask.
Amy shakes her head. "I don't know. Vicky said she'd talk to Carol, but I'm not holding out hope of her coming around. I think you need to start building things."
I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. "Things like what?"
"Things that you've been avoiding."
I inhale quickly, but don't respond.
Amy takes my hands and looks me in the eye. "Taylor, you just killed Lung. People are going to come after you whether you like it or not. The Bacta Tanks will keep them away for a little while, but once Dragon gets production really started there won't be anything stopping people from challenging you. You made a name for yourself, people are going to react."
I close my eyes, and take a deep breath.
There's a reason I haven't built anything game changing yet. I made the tanks, but those help everyone so they're easier to accept. If I go through with this, I'll lose any and all plausible deniability.
I open my eyes, and find Amy's gaze. "If I'm going to do this, then you have to as well. If I start really trying, then you do too. I'm not doing this alone."
Amy nods seriously. "You won't have to."
I see the truth in her eyes, and for the first time since I got my power, I'm not afraid.
I open the durasteel gates in my mind I locked months ago, and ideas fly through my head.
I lose myself in the torrent of designs. Everything flying by, begging to be constructed.
Two designs in particular grab my focus, and I latch onto them.
"Taylor?" Amy asks, concerned.
"I'm ok." I say, then look down at her. "We need to find a bigger workshop. Then I need to teach you how to fight."
She tilts her head. "What do you mean?"
"I have two designs in my head. One of them is too big for my current lab, and the other one is for you."
Her mouth opens slightly in surprise. "You have something for me?"
I smile. "I built the Bacta Tank Amy. Did you really think that was the extent of what I could do with biology?"
Her eyes go wide as she realizes the implication. "Super virus?" She asks cautiously.
I shake my head. "Armor made from living creatures. You can control biology, so there's nothing better suited for you. We'll have to grow the creatures needed to make it, but between the two of us that should be easy. I won't let you wear it without knowing what you're doing though. I'll teach you."
"Uncle Neil taught me how to fight. You don't need to spend time training me."
I purse my lips and give her a once over. "Punch me."
Amy's eyebrows raise up. "What?"
"Punch me. If you know how to fight, then punch me."
Amy looks a little uncertain, but adopts a stance. She throws a light jab towards my stomach which I easily knock away.
"Punch me." I repeat a little louder.
She frowns, and throws a harder punch towards my stomach.
I block this one too. "Punch me."
She lets out a snarl and finally throws an actual punch. This time, I let it hit me.
I exhale as she connects, and remain unmoved.
Not bad, but I can make her better. Much better.
Her eyes widen when she realizes I took it, then she looks up at me to see me grinning down at her.
"You can punch, but you can't fight. Let me teach you how Amy. Aren't you tired of sitting on the sidelines? If we're really doing this, you're going to be right there with me. I need to make sure you'll be safe."
She takes a second to catch her breath, then says, "Alright, but we should get you a bigger lab first. It's really not healthy that you've been living in your current one."
"Didn't we just agree that everything the two of us do together is going to be unhealthy?" I ask with mirth.
She lightly slaps my arm. "That doesn't mean we should live in a literal hole in the ground."
"Fair point." Wait, "We?"
Amy swallows, the nods. "As much as I'd like to think Vicky will be able to bring Carol around, I don't think she'll be able to. I'm going to need somewhere else to stay. I can stay with you right?"
"Of course. It might not be very comfortable though."
"That's fine. As long as you're there it will be good."
I feel a flutter in my chest when she says that.
"We should probably get back." I say.
The two of us start heading back towards my lab.
Amy sighs about halfway through our walk, and I turn to look at her.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"It's just sinking in that I'm not going home after this. Carol's not going to let up, and I doubt Mark even notices I'm gone." She says, depressed.
I can relate to the second part.
I grab her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. "I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do?"
She stops walking and looks up at me. She seems to think for a moment, then hesitantly pulls me into a hug.
I wrap my arms around her and hold her against me.
"This helps." She says with a much lighter voice.
I smile and pull her a little closer.
This may be unhealthy, but I don't care. I need her, and she needs me. Everything else can wait until later. For now, I'll just enjoy holding my girlfriend.
I inhale quickly, and Amy pulls back a bit.
"Are you ok?" She asks up to me.
I nod, then slowly say. "I just realized I have a girlfriend now. Never expected that to happen." The trio did a good job of killing any hope I had of a relationship.
Her eyes widen a bit, and a dusting of red graces her cheeks. "I… I guess you do." She turns around. "We should get back to the lab before someone sees us."
I nod, and follow after her. Noting she never let go of my hand.
I input the code on the wall, and the two of us head down into my lab.
No sooner have I climbed down the ladder, than Dotty flies over and begins rapidly beeping at me.
"Woah there, slow down buddy. What's wrong?" I ask.
He beeps out slower, but no less urgently.
"What's he saying?" Amy asks from behind me.
Rather than answer, I lead her over to my computer while Dotty pulls up a video.
The video was badly filmed from what was probably a bad phone camera. It's shaky, and out of focus at some parts, but it still shows us what is going down.
Three suits of black and yellow armor are standing in front of a ruined house with an unhealthily thin man on the ground in front of them. The house behind them looks like it was just carpet bombed. What isn't collapsed is on fire and quickly deteriorating. The armored figures start talking to the downed man, but the camera's too far away to pick up any of their conversation. After a quick exchange, one of the suited individuals kicks a large chunk of debris in frustration, then begins talking to his companions. The two others scoop the man up, and all three slowly fly into the air, and away from the house.
"Who the heck were those guys?" Amy asks. "I haven't seen them before, so they're probably a new villain team right?"
I try to answer, but my mouth is numb.
That was my old house. That was dad. Why did they take him? Where did they take him?
Do I care?
"...aylor?" Amy shakes my shoulder. "Are you ok?"
I blink a little, and turn to face her. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm good. It's just... that was my house." I finish softly as I look back at the ruined building on the screen.
"Wait, your house? Then the man they took…" Amy trails off.
"Yeah. That was dad. He looks a lot worse than when I saw him last." I say just to fill the air with words. I'm having a hard time deciding how to feel about this.
Dotty beeps urgently, and begins spinning in midair. The screen in front of me changes to another, much higher quality, video.
The same three armored suits from before are standing on top of a roof with my dad kneeling in front of them.
"Mandalore, we have your father." The one in the lead says coldly. "If you do not surrender yourself and your technology to us within the hour, we will kill him."
Dad looks around as if he's not quite sure what's happening.
Is he… drunk? Surprising. Very surprising.
"Don't make us wait." The leader says, and the video abruptly ends.
I feel Amy gently grab my hand, and I give her a thankful smile before I delve into my own head.
Why do they want me? I would guess it has something to do with the Bacta Tanks. If they're looking for easy cash then there isn't really a better alternative than a miracle healing bathtub.
"Are you ok?" Amy asks quietly.
I take a deep breath, and nod. "Yeah, I'm ok."
"Do you know what you're going to do?" She asks.
I nod.
A week ago I'd have called the Protectorate and begged them for help. That was before my map, and before the bank robbery. Did they even try to censor my face, or did they just sell it to the highest bidder?
Ok, that might not be fair, but I don't care. Screw the Protectorate.
"Taylor, you can't give yourself up." Amy says, sounding quiet and panicked. "I know he's your dad, but I can't…"
"I don't care." I interrupt her.
Her face blanks. "What?"
"I don't care that he's my dad." I say. "That might sound cold, but he doesn't give a shit about me. I was never even reported missing, so I'm not turning myself over for him."
"Oh." Amy says in… relief?
I turn towards her and study her.
She's shaking lightly, and taking deep breaths to calm herself down.
What set her off? It's not like I'm going to let them kill me… that's probably it.
I take both her hands, and look down at her. "Amy. I. Am not. Leaving you."
She takes a deep breath. "Sorry, I just…"
I cut her off with a hug. "Don't apologize. It's fine."
We stand like that until Dotty starts booping at me.
"What's he saying?" Amy asks as she reluctantly pulls away.
"He wants to know what I want him to do."
Amy holds my gaze. "What do you want to do?"
I take a deep breath. "Not thirty minutes ago you said this was going to happen. That people would come after me. I doubt this is about Lung, but it's the same principle. I have to set a precedent right now. If I tolerate this, there will just be more."
"We." Amy says abruptly.
"What?"
"We." She repeats. "It's us now. I'm not letting you fight them alone."
I shake my head. "You don't have any armor, and I'm not comfortable letting you go with me without knowing how to fight."
She scowls, and walks away from me, pulling her clothes off as she does.
The action is so unexpected I miss her powering up the Bacta Tank, I was too distracted with… other things.
Amy pulls open the sliding door of the Bacta Tank, and turns it on. She closes the door behind her without putting on the mask, and the tank begins to fill.
I panic as I watch the fluid start to rise, and rush to hit the emergency purge, but I stop when I see what's happening..
The bacta fluid is wrapping itself around Amy in ways that are physically impossible without an outside force. She's manipulating it with her power.
Biokinetic. Right.
Soon her whole body is covered in blue goop, and she hits the emergency purge. The tank clears itself, but she keeps the bacta she has flowing around her. She emerges from the tank wearing nothing but the bacta fluid glued to her by her power.
The aesthetic is a little like Narwhal from the Guild's. When I was doing research for my cape career, I came across some pictures of her. She goes into battle naked, wearing nothing but a blue shield of energy created by her power.
I extensively researched the many applications of Narwhal's power.
The bacta fluid is a lighter blue than Narwhal's shields, and Amy is much shorter than the Guild leader, but it's still very similar.
"There." Amy says. "Armor problem solved."
I let out a short sigh. "Amy, that's basically just water. It's not good enough."
She narrows her eyes at me. "Punch me."
"What?"
"Punch me." She repeats and takes a step closer.
I look to the ceiling, but take a stance.
I don't want to hurt her, but I'd rather she gets hurt here than out there.
I send a half power punch at her, and stare in shock at my hand that is now stuck in bacta fluid.
Huh.
I throw a full power punch with the other hand, and hit something as hard as steel.
Looking down, I catch the bacta fluid slowly starting to become fluid again from where it had turned into an exceptionally hard surface.
The fluid around Amy begins to shift and twist in strange ways, and extends until she has four large blue arms extending away from herself. The arms turn into a hardened shield of some sort, then lose their shape and become knives. Amy slowly pulls the tendrils back into the rest of her improvised armor.
I know she said her power gave her control over biology, but damn, I was not expecting anything like this.
I meet Amy's gaze. "This might actually work."
She grins in triumph, and releases my trapped arm.
"How did you know you could do this?" I ask as I look her over again.
"When I was trying to make the paste, I realized it was pretty easy to manipulate this stuff, it was just hard to alter it into another healing application. I screwed around with it, and found a lot of uses. This will work until I get actual armor."
"I'll probably put a lot of that in the actual armor." I mumble as I think of how to incorporate bacta into my original idea.
"Hey." Amy snaps in my face to break me out of my thoughts. "Your dad got kidnapped remember?"
I shake my head and nod. "Right. We need to make a statement." I walk over to my gear and start pulling my clothes off so I can put it on.
"What statement is that?" Amy asks distractedly.
I look at her, and catch her eyes roaming over me. I follow them down, and realize I just started stripping in front of her out of habit. No one's ever in my lab, so I can just change wherever and whenever I want.
My cheeks heat up as I hurriedly pull my armor on.
"These guys came after me, people need to know that won't end well." I say as I pull everything on.
"So what's the plan?" Amy asks, now focused on my face.
I shrug. "I don't know. We bring them down first, then either give them to the PRT so they can be out tomorrow or kill them."
Amy swallows heavily. "There's no other option?"
I tilt my head as I think about it. "We could maybe get Dragon to take them, but they might get away while we're waiting for her." I pull my helmet over my head as I finish my statement.
Amy nods. "Alright. We'll do what we need to."
I give her a small smile, then start preparing.
I look over my shoulder and see a bronze plated droid staring intently at me. If machines could salivate, I think he'd be salivating right now. "HK," He perks up. "get your gear together. We're going out."
"Enthusiastic statement: I will be ready within the minute, master." He begins frantically pulling out his new gear and attaching it to various harnesses.
This will be interesting if nothing else.
I walk over to my weapon rack and pull two pistols off it and hold them out to Amy.
"I know you have the weird blue blender of death thing, but these are better for range. The switch on the side changes them from stun to kill. Other than that, they're just like a normal gun."
She takes them, and flips them around to get a look at them. "Why can't I have that one?" She asks, pointing to the sniper I made.
"Because you have no idea how to use it." I respond bluntly. "Until I teach you how to use it correctly, you're more likely to hit yourself than the bad guys."
She pouts at me, but seems to accept the answer.
I pull a small earpiece from a pouch and hold that out as well. "You'll need this to. It's a basic communicator, I'll make better ones when we have time."
She takes it, and wraps it around her ear.
I turn to the little ball droid by the computer. "Dotty, track those three down and keep us updated on their location. If you can, try to slice into those suits they have. Bakuda's tinker stuff reacted weird, but we might luck out with them."
He boops at me, and begins tracking the villains.
"Taylor?" Amy asks quietly from behind me. "What about your dad?"
I let a moment pass before I answer. "He's an asshole, but I don't want him dead. I'd like us to get him out of there, but it might not be possible."
Amy walks up and takes my hand. "We'll help him, Taylor. I still need to yell his ear off for what he did to you."
I snort, and lean my helmet into her forehead. "Thanks Amy."
"You're welcome."
A shrill ringing emanating from my suit has us splitting apart as I retrieve my phone.
I almost disable the function to receive calls, but check the caller ID first.
Dragon.
I sigh and answer. "Hey Dragon, it's not really a good time right now."
"Taylor! Do not go to Saint! He will kill you! I'm almost there with a combat platform, just wait a little longer. Please don't fight him alone!"
"Statement: I am prepared to kill the flying meatbags master." A cheery robotic voice says behind me.
I throw him a look and see him decked out like Rambo. He took the last bandolier of spare grenades I had and strapped it to his chest, and has blasters of varying sizes and shapes hanging from him at surprisingly unencumbered angles. His vibrosword is sheathed on his back.
"HK does not count as back-up!" Dragon practically shrieks. "Please Taylor, I'm almost there."
"How long until you get here Dragon?" Amy asks into the phone.
"Panacea? Don't let Mandalore leave! I'm only thirty minutes away, stall her." Dragon sounds relieved there's someone here to talk sense into me. Amy does a good job of crushing Dragon's spirit.
"Taylor's dad will probably be dead by then. He's an asshole, but I don't want Taylor to be sad, so we'll start, and you can catch up." Amy says.
"'We'?! What are you talking about?" Dragon asks in confusion.
"Eh, you'll find out soon enough." Amy shrugs towards the phone.
Dotty boops at me, and I give him a nod.
"We've got their location Dragon, and I'm not willing to risk waiting. Dotty'll send you updates on where we are, so please make it as fast as you can." I say to Dragon.
"Taylor, your technology is reproducible. Amy, you're Panacea. Please wait for me to arrive. Once I'm there, we'll go together."
A thought occurs to me. "Dragon, have the Protectorate done anything yet?"
"They don't know where the Dragonslayers are hiding. Dotty already gave me their position, I will relay it to them. Please wait for at least Armsmaster to back you up."
I shake my head sadly. "We can't afford to, Dragon. Like Amy said, my dad's an ass, but I don't want him dead. That, and these guys destroyed my mom's house. I'm not exactly feeling charitable towards them at the moment."
There's a moment of silence.
"Very well." Dragon says, defeated. "Good luck, and please keep yourselves safe. I will arrive as soon as I can."
"We'll be fine. See you in a bit Dragon." I hang up.
I set my phone to only send calls, and put it away.
I take a deep breath, and turn to look around.
Amy's moving bacta armor is covering every part of her now except her hands. She looks like a bipedal amorphous blob that's packing heat. HK still looks like Rambo, and still looks excited to kill some meatbags.
"Let's do this." I say.
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Chapter 7
AgelessReaper
A Custom Title
(Amy)
A robotic beep comes through my earpiece, and Taylor holds up her hand.
"Stop here." She says, and starts to slowly pan over the area with her helmet.
It's tinkertech, so I'd imagine she has some sort of visibility aid in the thing. I need to get her to put something like that in the armor she's going to build for me once we're done here.
"Got 'em." Taylor says as her gaze locks onto something I can't see. "Hk, get up on that building. Dotty says they've got some flight tech, so we need you to have good sight lines."
"Query: Am I permitted to kill them, master?" The droid asks.
Taylor doesn't answer for a moment, and I'm reminded how she dealt with Lung and Bakuda.
The ABB capes deserved it sure, but it was still a shock finding out that Taylor was capable of that. These guys took her father hostage, and while her relationship with her dad is even worse than mine is with Mark, I don't see her letting these guys live.
"Make sure my dad's out of harm's way first." Taylor orders her droid. "Once he's clear, you can kill them, but only use the disruptor rifle if you're certain you won't miss. It's too destructive to fire wildly."
"Statement: I will happily dispose of them once the meat shield is removed from combat, and I will not miss." The droid says happily as he walks over to the side of the building Taylor indicated and begins to scale its fire escape.
It's a little off putting how much this droid likes killing things. If I didn't trust that Taylor really had no control over his personality, I might be a little worried about her.
As the droid ascends, I turn back to Taylor. "What about me?" I ask.
She spares me a glance and says, "I don't know everything you're capable of, so I don't know where to put you. The bacta suit is cool, but it's also something you've never used before, so I don't want you to overly on it and get hurt. You know your power better than I do, where do you think you should be?"
I tilt my head at her in surprise.
She settled into the leadership role fairly easily. I guess I just assumed she knew what to do with me.
Thinking over what she said, I realize she's right. The bacta is cool, but I've also never used it before. I have a thinker subrating built into my power that helps me use it, but it isn't a substitute for practice.
I purse my lips and say, "I'll need open space to be most effective. I can tie them up with tendrils, and maybe even sneak one or two under their suits to try to disable them from the inside. Try to force one down into the street so I can take care of them. I could probably climb one of the buildings with the tendrils, but I'd like to avoid that until I've had time to work on it."
Taylor nods sharply. "I'll do my best to force one of them to the ground for you. Be ready to grab them."
I nod, and Taylor moves to fly away.
I start walking to the edge of the alley to get into a better position.
"Hey."
I turn around, and see Taylor staring back at me sans her helmet. She has a black ski mask on still, but I can see the top part of her face.
"Yeah?" I respond.
"Thanks for coming Amy. Stay safe." She says sincerely, and her mask crinkles around her mouth in a smile.
I morph the bacta away from my face so she can see me, and smile back. "You're welcome. You too."
Her smile turns into a hard line as she refocuses, and she pulls her helmet back on. "Let's get these guys." She turns around, and activates her jetpack. A few moments later she's gone.
I take a deep breath as the bacta reforms around my face. I stalk towards the end of the alley, and begin scanning the area.
My breathing's a little more erratic than I'd like, so I do my best to get it under control.
This won't be the first time I've been in a fight, it won't even be the first time I've taken part in a fight. Being a member of New Wave means I've been out a lot, but I've always been kept to the backlines. The worst I've had to deal with were panicked gang members running the wrong way away from Vicky, Carol, or Aunt Sarah. This time though, I'm going to be right in the middle of everything. I've never been on the front line before
It's actually kind of exciting.
I take a deep breath and close my eyes.
This isn't a game, Amy. Dragon was pretty convinced that the Dragonslayers wanted to kill Taylor. I don't know what got her on their radar, but kidnapping her dad is already all the proof I need that Dragon's right. They're here to kill Taylor, and they're holding her dad hostage.
I hold up my arm and have the bacta on my arm form into a hardened blade that extends out past the reach of my fist.
If they're playing dirty, I'll play dirty. I've got your back Taylor.
(Taylor)
As I fly away from Amy, I keep my speed low. I don't know how much information these guys got from PHO and other sources, so I'd like them to underestimate me if at all possible. It may be a lost cause, because really, who attacks a tinker without knowing their capabilities, but I'm still not going to advertise what I can do. These guys kidnapped dad, so they mean business. I'm not just going to roll over and let them walk all over me though.
I spare a moment to glance around at the surroundings.
We're in one of the more run down parts of town, so hopefully there won't be as many civilians here. I'm not naive enough to think there's no one around, but a lot of the buildings look like they've been condemned. One can hope.
I cautiously approach the building they're positioned on, being sure to keep all three of them in front of me. I also passively scan the area for any more of them. There were only three in the video when they attacked the house, but that doesn't mean they don't have back-up.
My scan comes up negative. They don't have any back-up, at least in this building, and the building itself is clear of civilians.
Good. Now I can bring it down if I have to.
Four heads turn to look up at me as I descend towards them. The three armored villains, I remember Dragon called them the Dragonslayers, and the thin man sitting on the ground in front of them.
Dad. He looks even worse than he did in the video.
I come to a stop a fair distance out from and above the roof in case they've set any traps. I also made sure to position myself so I wasn't in the way of the building Hk is perched on. If these guys try anything, I want him to be able to take them down.
The one that spoke in the hostage video strides forward. "Mandalore. Land immediately or there will be consequences!"
The one on his right holds his fist towards dad's head, and a tinker gun extends out towards his head.
I take a breath and say, "No. If I land, I lose all my leverage. Now let him go."
The man scoffs. "You don't seem to understand the situation girl. You have five seconds to land and disarm before we kill your father." He holds up five fingers, then four, then three…
"If you kill him, you're all dead." I say, deadly serious.
His fingers pause. "And why is that?" He asks mockingly. "Is your robot going to save you? I don't see him around, so unless he can turn invisible or fly, you're alone." He exaggerates scanning the surroundings, but doesn't find HK.
So he doesn't know about my stealth tech, that's good to know.
"No, not him." There's no reason to clue him in if he's oblivious. I point my thumb towards the rocket on top of my jetpack. "This thing can level buildings. If you kill my dad, I blow you up. Now, Let. Him. Go."
The man, I'm guessing this is that Saint guy Dragon mentioned, holds my gaze for a moment, then says, "The leg."
I try to figure out what he's talking about, but it becomes all too clear when the villain holding a gun to dad's head shifts their aim. They fire, and dad screams out in agony.
I snarl and pull out my blasters.
The third villain matches me and aims their own suit's weapons towards me.
"We're on a schedule, Mandalore. Land, and disarm, now." Saint growls.
I train my guns on him and say, "If you try that again, you will die."
He stares at me, and says, "Agai…"
I interrupt him by opening fire.
Even set to kill, the blaster bolts don't make it through his armor. The first few are deflected off of it at weird angles, but the last ones leave scorch marks on his armor.
The third villain opens fire on me, and my shield flares to life around me. Bullets crumple against, and ping off of it, but the automatic fire is draining it faster than I'm comfortable with.
As Saint and the second one move to shoot at me, I kick my jetpack up to full and fly right towards them, holstering my blasters as I go.
More bullets connect and are deflected away. Each hit alters my trajectory, but thanks to my jetpack I'm able to keep on track.
I fly right between Saint and the one who shot my dad, and scoop the thin man up. The second he's in my arms, I rocket away.
He's out of it. I think the only thing he really notices is the pain from the gunshot wound in his leg, but I don't need him aware, I just need him away.
"Get her!" Saint screams, and I watch on my hud as they start to fly after me.
"HK!" I scream into my communicator. "Cover me!"
"Request: Die meatbags." The mechanical voice says loudly.
I don't look back, but I do hear the telltale roar of a heavy repeating blaster coming to life. I watch through my hud as the Dragonslayers take evasive maneuvers. All of them dive behind a building, giving me plenty of time to get away with dad.
I land in an alley roughly ten blocks away and lean my dad up against the wall. I pull out my medpac and get to work treating his leg.
"Dotty, are there any signals going away from dad? Did they put any trackers or bombs in him?" I might seem paranoid, but if Bakuda did it, what's to stop these guys?
There's a moment of silence as Dotty works, then he boops out a negative.
I let out a sigh of relief, and finished my hasty wrap around dad's leg. I look up at his face, and have to swallow a lump in my throat.
There are bags under his eyes, his skin is pale, and his face is gaunt. He doesn't look good.
This is the first time I've been this close to him in months.
I feel a torrent of emotions crash over me as I take in his face. Joy, anger, sadness, guilt, and more. So many feelings that I can't even process rave around in my head, but they all burn out as quickly as they arrive.
The wave recedes, and all I'm left with is indifference.
I'm shocked by the lack of feeling towards him. Sure, he's an ass, but he's still my dad right?
I look down at the wound in his leg, and can't bring myself to care about it more than I would where he was anyone else.
Hoping for… something, I pull off my helmet, then pull my mask down.
I look right into his eyes, and don't even see a flash of recognition. All that's there is the pain from the bullet wound.
My spirit falls at the lack of recognition.
"Dad…" I begin only to be interrupted by Dotty beeping urgently in my ear.
"I'm on it." I step back from my dad and pull my mask and helmet back into position. I pull out one of my communicators and put it in dad's pocket after turning it on.
"Track the communicator." I order Dotty in a quiet voice. "Give his location to Dragon, she'll be able to get him out."
I walk to the end of the alley, then throw one last longing look back at my dad.
He doesn't even register that I've walked away. He's just moaning in pain.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I turn around and rocket into the air.
Bye dad. You'll be alright.
I force my mind off of him, and focus myself on the fight.
Dotty reported the Dragonslayers are using heavy ordinance against HK, they're blowing up the entire area to try and take him out.
If I hadn't already planned on taking them out, this would have cemented the decision.
I watch my hud as I fly back towards the battle to figure out where everyone is, but I redirect my attention when I hear a loud explosion. I fly towards the resulting smoke, and take in the scene.
HK is on the ground running through the street with his pistols drawn. The three Dragonslayers are alternating strafing runs and dropping everything they have on him. Hk rolls, dives, and spins to avoid their attacks, and gracefully returns fire, but they're doing everything they can to destroy him.
I growl, and pull both my blaster out.
Grenades will be too hard to use right now given how the Dragonslayers can fly. I'd have to cook them, and time it just right so they would actually do damage when they blew up. My blasters are the best option right now.
I fly above the dragonslayers and begin raining bolts down on them.
Saint's head snaps to look at me, and he points at me. "Get her!" He yells to his companions. "I'll kill the robot!"
The other two fly after me, and open fire.
Once more, my shield flares to life, and I begin booking it away. I roll so my back is facing the ground, and continue firing behind me even as I fly away.
The Dragonslayers follow after me and continue testing my shield with their guns.
I slow myself down so they can keep up with me, and lead them through the streets, shooting all the while.
Either they didn't notice my jetpack's true speed because of HK's covering fire, or they're just stupid, because they don't realize I'm leading them into a trap.
I soar past an alley, and yell, "Now!"
Eight blue tendrils shoot out of the alley and wrap around a lamppost on the other side of the street. They criss cross around each other in a net-like pattern, covering as much space as possible.
One of the Dragonslayers is able to dodge, but the other is too close, and gets caught in the improvised web.
The tendrils disconnect from the light post and wrap completely around the ensnared suit.
The villain tries to pull themself free, but Amy strides out of the alley with both blasters up and begins to lay into the armored form. More tendrils extend from her back and grab at the Dragonslayer's arms and legs as they try to bring their weapons to bear.
Realizing I won't get a better chance, I rush past the still recovering suit that avoided Amy's net and fly right past the one Amy has trapped, dropping two grenades as I go. The silver orbs detonate, and the suit is surrounded by blue white foam that begins to rise up.
Amy, seeing the opportunity, wraps her tendrils around the suit's head and pulls.
The suit creaks and roars in protest, and Amy is dragged a little closer. She creates even more tendrils, her armor is now nearly gone due to the mass lost to the tendrils, and attaches them to the building behind her. She starts pulling herself back, and the suit groans as it tips backwards. It falls to the ground with a crash, and Amy's tendrils swarm over it.
Moving quickly, I drop two more adhesive grenades over the suit, and lock it into the foam.
I draw a blaster and turn towards the other suit, and find it targeting Amy.
My heart leaps into my throat as a tinker missile is fired from a shoulder launcher, and begins to streak towards her.
Amy's visible eyes go wide, and two tendrils shoot from her side to wrap around a nearby light post. Her tendrils go taut, and forcefully yank her out of the path of the missile, and into the alley she exited. The sidewalk explodes in her wake, but after a quick scan with my hud, I see she's still alive.
I roar in rage and turn towards the airborne suit.
They try to turn their weapons towards me, but I beat them to the punch. I tilt my head forwards, and my own missile flies from my jetpack straight towards the Dragonslayer.
They abandon their assault, and dive down to avoid the missile which passes a few feet over them.
Shit, I really needed that to work. My blasters are as ineffective against their armor as their guns are against my shield, but my shield will run out much faster than I can wear down their armor. Well, since that didn't work, I've only got one more option. Their bulk will kill their mobility, so I've got a decent chance.
As the suit recovers from its impromptu dive, I fly towards it and holster my blaster. When I'm around twenty feet away, I unclip my lightsaber. The green blade comes to life and I let out a roar as I charge towards the villain.
I swing down once I'm in range, but the Dragonslayer just cuts their engines and falls out of the sky rather than get cut by the blade. The villain reactivate them just as they get close to the ground, and leap off the sidewalk. Flying back towards HK and Saint.
I move to follow, but stop myself.
I need to check on Amy, I know she got clear of the blast, but I need to be sure she didn't get hit by debris.
I fly down towards the alley Amy escaped into, and see her leaned up against a wall. I pull off my helmet as I hurry up to her and give her a once over.
Her bacta armor has seen better days. Where before she was a walking blob, she's lost at least half of the mass she had at the start, making the bacta more of a shifting cloak than an all encompassing armor. She must not have been able to recall all her tendrils.
"Are you ok?" I ask as I run my hands over her in search of any injuries.
She takes a few deep breaths and nods at me. "Yeah. Yeah I'm fine. The explosion missed, I'm just catching my breath. I'm really out of shape." She gives me a shy grin when the last words leave her mouth.
"Will you be able to make it back to the lab on your own?" I ask.
She scowls at me. "I'm fine Taylor. I lost a lot of my armor, but I'll just hang back now. We already got one, there's only two left."
My eyes widen. "The one in the goo isn't dead!" I pull my helmet on and start out of the alley, but Amy grabs my arm.
"Yes she is." She says quietly.
I stop and turn around. "What?"
She swallows. "I found a hole in the armor after she went down. I don't know how it got there, but I flooded it with bacta before you dropped those other grenades." Her breathing picks up. "I...I killed her."
I wrap my arms around her, and she takes several deep breaths as she leans her head into my shoulder.
"I'm sorry." I say. I didn't mean for her to kill them. I wanted it to be me or HK.
"It was so easy." She says disbelievingly. "Once I got the bacta in the suit, it only took one cut."
I rub the back of her head with my hand. "I'm sorry Amy. I didn't mean for you to do it, but we need to help HK. He's fighting two of them right now."
Amy takes a deep breath, and pulls away. The bacta she has left forms into a thin jumpsuit that covers her whole body, though now it is almost skin tight.
She gives me a sharp nod. "Let's go."
I pull my helmet on, and start out of the alley.
Dotty starts beeping in my ear.
"Good." I respond.
"What happened?" Amy asks.
"Dragon's in the Bay. She's almost here."
"Good." Amy says. "She can back you up. Go help HK, I'll get there as soon as I can."
"I can carry you." I offer.
She shakes her head. "I'll slow you down, now go."
I nod, and fly off.
I head towards where my hud shows HK to be, and pull out my lightsaber.
The blasters are less than useless against their armor. It's best if I just use the saber from now on.
I crest a building and see HK engaging the last two dragon slayers.
The droid proves his ability as he contends with both at the same time. He has his pistols out, and is constantly dodging and returning fire. There is visible damage to his chassis, but he still appears fully functional.
The Dragonslayers are both in the air. They're avoiding close quarters combat, and are using their ability to fly to their advantage.
I can fly too.
I scream down through the air towards them with my lightsaber ignited. The Dragonslayers spot me, and fly off in different directions. I chase after Saint, and HK easily moves to follow after the other one.
With my faster jetpack, it's easy to close the gap, but as soon as I'm within striking distance Saint pushes a button on his arm, and there's a loud whooshing sound. A wave of rippling air slams into me and sends me spinning away from the Dragonslayer.
It takes me a moment to recover, and by the time I do Saint has his guns trained on me.
I push my jetpack to full throttle and dive away.
Saint follows after me, and we both weave in and out of the run down buildings. Saint trying to get a bead on me, and me avoiding him as I try to get far enough ahead to surprise him with my lightsaber.
I'm about to duck around a corner to try to jump him when Dotty boops in my ear.
I grin as he relays his information, and alter my trajectory so I'm now racing skywards.
Saint adjusts his own path and follows me, but I'm faster than he is.
Dotty beeps in my ear again, and I spin around to fire my blasters at Saint.
The bolts still aren't doing much to his armor, but I'm only trying to distract him.
For seemingly no reason, Saint stops rising after me and dives in a panic. He's able to narrowly avoid a silver and black wyvern shaped mechanical monster that rockets through the air he just vacated.
"Are you ok Mandalore?" Dragon's voice asks through my communicator as she comes around to chase after Saint.
"I'm fine. It's just him and one more that HK's fighting. The third one's down." I say as I watch her fly by. Her suit's impressive. I was expecting her to send one of her humanoid ones, but she brought one of her good ones.
"Understood." She answers. "I will deal with Saint, go help HK." She takes off after Saint's fleeing form.
HK didn't seem like he needed help, but Dragon is definitely able to take care of herself.
I spin around and activate my jetpack so I can follow HK's moving battle.
When I catch up, HK and his assailant have both stopped moving. HK has his heavy repeater out and is using it to pin the Dragonslayer down as he creates distance.
I come around and charge the villain's position from his unprotected flank with my lightsaber powered up. The Dragonslayer's faceplate looks in my direction and the suit jolts in surprise. The pilot recovers quickly, and flies out of cover putting HK's blasts between me and them.
I come up short to avoid the hail of blue bolts and pull my own blaster with my off hand. I let loose a rapid volley of shots, but the Dragonslayer dodges most of them, and the ones that hit don't do much damage.
When we're done here, I am so making better pistols. I feel completely useless right now.
HK's repeater fire peters out, and the Dragonslayer takes the opening to fly up and a little ways away from me. The pilot levels both of their arms towards me, and I dive down behind a building.
I duck around a building and clip my lightsaber back to my belt.
Ok, I need options. I already used my missile, my blasters suck, and my grenades are unreliable. I need to…
There's a high pitched whining sound, followed by a wump. The second sound is followed by an agony filled scream which cuts out with a clattering of metal.
I peek around the corner, and see the Dragonslayer's suit lying in a heap on the ground. There's a gaping hole in the chestplate, and the body within is just gone.
"Statement: I did not miss."
Looking over my shoulder, I see HK standing from a shooting position with his long disruptor rifle in his hands.
I walk over to the suit and lean over to look through the hole left by the rifle.
The only thing on the inside is an unevenly distributed collection of ashes.
Well, I can now check seeing a disintegrated body off my bucket list.
"Good shot. There's only one left." I say over my shoulder.
"Statement: I will proceed to the target's location." He resecures his rifle and takes off at a run towards Saint's location on our huds.
I launch myself off the ground and speed over his head. As I'm in transit, Dragon's voice comes over my earpiece.
"Mandalore! Saint's taking control of my suit! I need you to…" She cuts out.
"Dragon? Dragon?!" I yell.
She doesn't respond. The next thing to come through my communicator is Dotty who boops urgently.
"What?!" I practically scream.
Dotty boops out the same message.
"What's wrong?" Amy asks. "Was that Dragon?"
"Saint just hacked Dragon's suit!" I respond. "Dotty, if the PRT are coming let them know Dragon isn't a friendly. And find a way to take that suit back!"
He beeps an affirmative.
"HK, double time it! I'm going to need your help." I order.
"Statement: I am moving as fast as I am able. I will arrive at the target in three minutes."
Three minutes is a long time.
I grit my teeth, and soar towards Saint's icon on my hud. I close the distance quickly thanks to my jetpack, but slow down when I see where he's situated. He's on the ground, in an alley.
This is obviously a trap.
I could try to drop grenades on him, but that would take me closer than I'd like. My blasters are still useless, and I need to be even closer to use my saber.
I'm pulled from my thoughts as a figure appears on my hud, and I take evasive action to dodge the large metal wyvern charging towards me. I lob an ion grenade towards Saint as I flee Dragon's suit, but it's a hail mary. I don't expect it to hit.
The wyvern comes back around, and I speed up my escape.
I have no illusions that I'm faster than Dragon's suit, so I'll have to use my maneuverability.
I fly low to the ground, and weave in and out of buildings as the mechanical beast flies above me and fires large canisters down towards me. Each canister explodes on impact with the ground and expands into yellow-white gunk.
Containment foam. At least it's not more gunfire and explosives.
"Statement: Stay low master." HK suddenly speaks through my communicator.
I do as he says, and am rewarded with the same high pitched whine from earlier. I roll over to look at Dragon's suit and see a yellow energy beam periodically slamming into it, completely destroying chunks with each hit.
HK hits one of the engines, and the suit falls from the sky.
"Thanks for the cover!" I spin back around and fly towards Saint.
This time as I pass over the alley he's still in, further cementing the fact that this is a trap, I drop two ion grenades into the alley. I'd use something with more potency, but I've already caused enough collateral damage today.
A moment after I drop them in, the grenades go off with a flash of white light. I use the light as cover as I land on the higher roof overlooking the alley and pull my blasters. The light fades, and my heart stops.
Saint is lowering his fist and retracting the gun that emerged from a compartment on it. In front of him is a man with too many bullet wounds in his chest to reliably count, and a wrapped leg.
Saint looks up at me. "You should have surrendered."
In that moment, a feeling of complete clarity washes over me. I know exactly what's going to happen now.
"I am going to kill you." I say coldly, and jump off the roof towards him.
He uses his suit's thrusters to push himself out of the alley and away from me, but I follow right after him with my jetpack.
My blasters return to their holsters, and out comes my lightsaber. The blade flares to life, and I bumrush Saint with a single minded determination to end him.
He shoots at me, and fires smaller explosives from various launchers, but I pay it no mind as I try to close the gap. A sea of bullets washes over my shield, and it fails under the onslaught, but my armor proves its worth as the bullets fail to penetrate it.
Finally close enough, I swing my blade around.
Saint dodges to the side, and saves his life, but loses an arm as penance. He howls in pain as the emerald blade of energy passes through his armor and flesh like butter.
I move to strike again, but he jets away from me.
He whimpers in pain and stares at his stump, before turning back to me. "You bitch!" He screams and unleashes another hail of gunfire in my direction.
Without a working shield, the impact of each bullet rocks me, but I keep moving towards him with a little assistance from my jetpack.
"Just die!" He screams as he backs away from me. "You have to die! You're too dangerous to be left alive!"
I ignore his ranting and run across the last few feet. I come to a stop and bring my lightsaber around to strike once more.
Saint rolls away, but the saber clips his side, and his scream clues me in to the fact that I got more than just armor.
He holds up his arm to shoot at me again, but the gun doesn't rise from where it should. The arm just sits there lamely.
"What?" He asks in shock.
The sound of victorious beeping chimes through my earpiece, and Saint's suit forces his arm down.
"What?!" Saint screams as his armor locks itself down. A moment later the suit ejects him.
A one armed bald man wearing a blue undersuit falls to the ground. His eyes are wide, and he looks around in a panic. He sees me walking towards him, and he begins to hyperventilate.
"Please!" He stammers. "You don't understand! I need to…"
I stab my lightsaber through his forehead.
He goes limp, and falls through the blade. Landing on the ground in a lifeless heap.
I stare numbly at his body and deactivate my lightsaber.
Nothing. I feel nothing right now. I'm not angry or sad about dad, I'm not satisfied Saint's dead, I don't feel anything. That's probably a bad thing right?
The roar of an engine pulls me from my thoughts.
I bring my saber back up into a defensive guard, but relax when I see Armsmaster speeding towards me on his motorcycle.
Unfortunate timing.
He stops a little ways away, and takes in the scene as he walks over. He comes to a stop next to me, and stares down at Saint. "You killed him?" He asks calmly.
I nod. "He killed my dad."
Armsmaster's quiet for a moment.
"I'm sorry." He eventually says.
I don't respond. I just walk past him back to the alley with my dad's body.
He lets me.
I walk up next to him, and look him over.
Saint turned his chest and stomach into one big bullet hole, and he's covered in blood. Strangely though, with the exception of some blood splatter, his face is mostly untouched. He looks almost like he's asleep. Not lost like he did when he was still breathing.
I take off my helmet and drop it on the ground. I pull my mask down next. If my identity isn't shot from Saint kidnapping my dad, I'll eat my helmet. Besides, I don't really care anymore.
As I stand there, I feel someone gently take my hand from behind me. I look over my shoulder, and see Amy's sympathetic face looking back at me.
When did she get here?
"He was an ass." I say.
She nods.
I look back at his body. "He was still my dad though."
She wraps her arms around me.
The lack of feeling fades, and I start to softly cry. I hug Amy tight, and let the tears fall.
"Is there anything I can do?" Amy quietly asks.
"You're already doing it."
She holds me while I work everything out, then lets me go when I step away.
I walk over to dad and kneel down next to him.
I don't know what happened to him. I don't know if it was something I did, or if it was him. I guess I won't find out now.
I lean down and kiss his forehead lightly. "Bye dad."
I stand up, and step out of the alley. I pick up my helmet as I go, and put it on. Amy follows behind me.
Armsmaster was standing a respectful distance away, but he walked forward as I entered the street.
"Am I under arrest?" I ask simply. I'm not in the mood for long conversations.
He shakes his head. "No. You're free to go."
"Will you make sure he's taken care of?" I ask.
He nods. "I will."
"Thank you." I turn around and walk away.
Amy and I walk away from the scene as the PRT arrives with Assault and Battery. I catch Assault start walking towards us on my hud, but Armsmaster stops him.
I guess he's not as socially inept as I thought.
Amy and I turn the corner, and HK seamlessly falls into step behind us from where he was waiting.
The three of us walk through the city back towards my lab. The further away we get from where the fight took place, the more people we see.
Surprisingly, no one comes up to talk to us, and no one films us either. They keep their distance and watch us stride by in a daze.
That suits me fine, I don't want to talk to people right now. I'm still sorting through everything.
It takes us a while, but we do eventually make it back to my lab. We didn't stealth, but we'll be moving shop soon anyway. I need a bigger lab to start working properly.
When the three of us make it to the hatch, we see Vicky there waiting for us.
She walks over and pulls me into a hug when she sees us.
"Are you ok?" She asks.
I take a breath. "I honestly don't know." Because I really don't. "Since you know, I guess the whole thing's up on PHO again?"
She nods. "The mods tried to stop it, but…"
I wave her off. "I'll worry about it later. I just want to go to sleep."
She nods, and backs off.
I input the code, and the three of us file into the lab.
HK stays up top after saying, "Statement: I will stand guard. No meatbag will get past me master."
I give him a grateful smile on my way down the ladder.
Dotty hovers over to me and beeps sadly.
I give the little orb a pat. "It's not your fault buddy."
He boops again, and I pull out my phone as he recommended.
I dial Dragon, and she picks up on the first ring.
"I'm so sorry Taylor. If Saint hadn't taken my suit then…"
"Dragon." I cut her off. "There's no use worrying about what ifs. Thanks for trying. Really."
There's silence for a moment.
"How are you feeling?" She asks gently.
I think it over.
I honestly thought I was done with my dad, but I guess I was wrong. This still doesn't hurt like mom did though.
"Worse than I expected, better than you think." I respond.
"If there's anything I can do…." Dragon prompts.
"Actually there is. Can you find a large warehouse or something and buy it for me? Take it out of my bacta funds. I need a bigger lab, and I should probably move now with everything that's happened recently."
"I'll take care of it." She assures me.
"Thanks Dragon. Not to be rude, but I'm going to hang up now."
"I understand. Let me know if there's anything you need." She hangs up.
I put the phone down, and start pulling off my armor. My fingers fumble over some of the straps, but Amy and Vicky help me get everything off.
I pull on some sweats, and turn to the Dallons. "I'm going to get some sleep."
They both nod, and I head over to my couch. I lay down and try to fall asleep.
(Amy)
Taylor lays down, and Vicky motions for me to follow her.
I wish that I could do more, but it's probably best that she has some time to sleep right now.
I follow after Vicky, and we leave Taylor to rest and climb back up the ladder.
"Are you ok?" She asks. "You were there right?"
I nod. "I'm fine. I didn't really do much." All I was good for was one sneak attack that would have failed if Taylor hadn't used those grenades.
"What happened?" Vicky asks.
I give her a quick summary of events, and she's uncharacteristically quiet while I talk.
HK keeps an eye on the surroundings while I talk to Vicky.
"You killed one?" Vicky asks hesitantly.
I swallow and nod.
She takes a deep breath. "Ok. I can't say I'm happy about that, but we'll save that talk for later."
Good. I don't want to go over that right now.
"I need to go help clean everything up, but call me the second you or Taylor need anything. I'll drop everything."
I nod. "I will. Thanks for checking on me."
She gives me a sad smile, then glares at HK. "Keep my sister safe."
The robot regards her coldly. "Statement: You have no authority flying meatbag."
Vicky narrows her eyes at the droid, but I put a hand on her arm. "I'll be fine. I can take care of myself."
She nods, then her eyes drift over my bacta suit.
I swallow nervously.
"That's another thing we'll be talking about later, but for now, Taylor needs you. Take care Ames." She gives me a quick hug and flies away.
I let out a breath in relief that she didn't press about the bacta.
For all the shit people give Vicky, she's actually capable of reading a situation and not pressing.
I leave HK to his guard duty, and climb back into the lab.
I let the bacta fall back into the tank, and pull on my clothes. I look at the other two occupants of the lab.
Dotty is floating by the computer, and Taylor's curled up in a ball on the couch, but her eyes are wide open.
After hesitating a moment, I walk over and sit down next to her.
"I can't sleep." She laments.
I scoot closer to her, and pull her head onto my lap.
She resists at first, but relents and goes along with it.
I start gently rubbing her head with one hand, and rubbing her shoulder with the other.
She's incredibly tense. I don't know if this will help, but it's all I can do. I will not touch her brain, or mess with her body without her consent, and right now is not the time to broach the topic.
"Amy?" She quietly asks.
"Yes?"
"You said you'd never leave me right?"
"I did." I move my hand from her shoulder to her hair, and start slowly combing it with my fingers.
"You meant it right?" She asks desperately.
"Yes. I'll never leave you Taylor."
The tension slowly bleeds out of her, and she says, "Thank you."
I don't answer. I just keep rubbing her head and combing her hair.
Soon, her breathing evens out and she falls asleep.
I smile sadly down at her.
I don't know what she's going through right now. I can't even begin to imagine it. Her dad caused her trigger, and then he was killed in front of her. I don't know how to help her, but I'm going to do everything I can.
(Jacob)
"Uncle Jack! You've got to see this!"
I chuckle as the little blond girl climbs into my lap, and holds up a phone.
I raise an eyebrow at her. "Where did you get that?"
She shrugs. "My last patient dropped it."
Ah. That makes sense.
The little blonde opens up a video, and it starts to roll.
At first I was merely humoring my little Bonesaw, but the more I watched, the more I liked what I saw.
A tinker in Brockton Bay huh? One that brutally kills their enemies, and can work with biology? I was wondering who made that weird tank we came across, I guess it's this Mandalore. I'm sure Alan would want to pay her a visit.
And dear miss Panacea has clearly been hiding her capabilities. It would seem Bonesaw was right about the girl.
"Did you see?" Bonesaw asks when the series of videos and news reports come to an end. "Can we go get them? Pleeeeeeease?"
I chuckle at the display. "You know the rules, the whole family has to vote, and we're already going to Colorado."
She sticks her lip out and pouts at me. "But that's the wrong way! Can't we just stop by real quick so I can have some big sisters?"
I pat her on the head. "We'll discuss it after our current journey is done. Now be a good girl and get ready for bed."
"Okay!" She hops off my lap, and hums to herself as she walks away.
These two have potential. I'm almost tempted to change our plans and head over right away, but that would be a waste.
If I remake them now, it would only have a small impact, but if I wait for them to reach their potential, then their fall will demoralize the entire nation. Why would I pass up such an opportunity?
Yes, I'll wait. Once they're greater, we'll stop by, and test them. I wonder how they'll react to being pitted against each other?
I smile as I lean back in my chair.
Oh yes, this will be worth the wait.
A robotic beep comes through my earpiece, and Taylor holds up her hand.
"Stop here." She says, and starts to slowly pan over the area with her helmet.
It's tinkertech, so I'd imagine she has some sort of visibility aid in the thing. I need to get her to put something like that in the armor she's going to build for me once we're done here.
"Got 'em." Taylor says as her gaze locks onto something I can't see. "Hk, get up on that building. Dotty says they've got some flight tech, so we need you to have good sight lines."
"Query: Am I permitted to kill them, master?" The droid asks.
Taylor doesn't answer for a moment, and I'm reminded how she dealt with Lung and Bakuda.
The ABB capes deserved it sure, but it was still a shock finding out that Taylor was capable of that. These guys took her father hostage, and while her relationship with her dad is even worse than mine is with Mark, I don't see her letting these guys live.
"Make sure my dad's out of harm's way first." Taylor orders her droid. "Once he's clear, you can kill them, but only use the disruptor rifle if you're certain you won't miss. It's too destructive to fire wildly."
"Statement: I will happily dispose of them once the meat shield is removed from combat, and I will not miss." The droid says happily as he walks over to the side of the building Taylor indicated and begins to scale its fire escape.
It's a little off putting how much this droid likes killing things. If I didn't trust that Taylor really had no control over his personality, I might be a little worried about her.
As the droid ascends, I turn back to Taylor. "What about me?" I ask.
She spares me a glance and says, "I don't know everything you're capable of, so I don't know where to put you. The bacta suit is cool, but it's also something you've never used before, so I don't want you to overly on it and get hurt. You know your power better than I do, where do you think you should be?"
I tilt my head at her in surprise.
She settled into the leadership role fairly easily. I guess I just assumed she knew what to do with me.
Thinking over what she said, I realize she's right. The bacta is cool, but I've also never used it before. I have a thinker subrating built into my power that helps me use it, but it isn't a substitute for practice.
I purse my lips and say, "I'll need open space to be most effective. I can tie them up with tendrils, and maybe even sneak one or two under their suits to try to disable them from the inside. Try to force one down into the street so I can take care of them. I could probably climb one of the buildings with the tendrils, but I'd like to avoid that until I've had time to work on it."
Taylor nods sharply. "I'll do my best to force one of them to the ground for you. Be ready to grab them."
I nod, and Taylor moves to fly away.
I start walking to the edge of the alley to get into a better position.
"Hey."
I turn around, and see Taylor staring back at me sans her helmet. She has a black ski mask on still, but I can see the top part of her face.
"Yeah?" I respond.
"Thanks for coming Amy. Stay safe." She says sincerely, and her mask crinkles around her mouth in a smile.
I morph the bacta away from my face so she can see me, and smile back. "You're welcome. You too."
Her smile turns into a hard line as she refocuses, and she pulls her helmet back on. "Let's get these guys." She turns around, and activates her jetpack. A few moments later she's gone.
I take a deep breath as the bacta reforms around my face. I stalk towards the end of the alley, and begin scanning the area.
My breathing's a little more erratic than I'd like, so I do my best to get it under control.
This won't be the first time I've been in a fight, it won't even be the first time I've taken part in a fight. Being a member of New Wave means I've been out a lot, but I've always been kept to the backlines. The worst I've had to deal with were panicked gang members running the wrong way away from Vicky, Carol, or Aunt Sarah. This time though, I'm going to be right in the middle of everything. I've never been on the front line before
It's actually kind of exciting.
I take a deep breath and close my eyes.
This isn't a game, Amy. Dragon was pretty convinced that the Dragonslayers wanted to kill Taylor. I don't know what got her on their radar, but kidnapping her dad is already all the proof I need that Dragon's right. They're here to kill Taylor, and they're holding her dad hostage.
I hold up my arm and have the bacta on my arm form into a hardened blade that extends out past the reach of my fist.
If they're playing dirty, I'll play dirty. I've got your back Taylor.
(Taylor)
As I fly away from Amy, I keep my speed low. I don't know how much information these guys got from PHO and other sources, so I'd like them to underestimate me if at all possible. It may be a lost cause, because really, who attacks a tinker without knowing their capabilities, but I'm still not going to advertise what I can do. These guys kidnapped dad, so they mean business. I'm not just going to roll over and let them walk all over me though.
I spare a moment to glance around at the surroundings.
We're in one of the more run down parts of town, so hopefully there won't be as many civilians here. I'm not naive enough to think there's no one around, but a lot of the buildings look like they've been condemned. One can hope.
I cautiously approach the building they're positioned on, being sure to keep all three of them in front of me. I also passively scan the area for any more of them. There were only three in the video when they attacked the house, but that doesn't mean they don't have back-up.
My scan comes up negative. They don't have any back-up, at least in this building, and the building itself is clear of civilians.
Good. Now I can bring it down if I have to.
Four heads turn to look up at me as I descend towards them. The three armored villains, I remember Dragon called them the Dragonslayers, and the thin man sitting on the ground in front of them.
Dad. He looks even worse than he did in the video.
I come to a stop a fair distance out from and above the roof in case they've set any traps. I also made sure to position myself so I wasn't in the way of the building Hk is perched on. If these guys try anything, I want him to be able to take them down.
The one that spoke in the hostage video strides forward. "Mandalore. Land immediately or there will be consequences!"
The one on his right holds his fist towards dad's head, and a tinker gun extends out towards his head.
I take a breath and say, "No. If I land, I lose all my leverage. Now let him go."
The man scoffs. "You don't seem to understand the situation girl. You have five seconds to land and disarm before we kill your father." He holds up five fingers, then four, then three…
"If you kill him, you're all dead." I say, deadly serious.
His fingers pause. "And why is that?" He asks mockingly. "Is your robot going to save you? I don't see him around, so unless he can turn invisible or fly, you're alone." He exaggerates scanning the surroundings, but doesn't find HK.
So he doesn't know about my stealth tech, that's good to know.
"No, not him." There's no reason to clue him in if he's oblivious. I point my thumb towards the rocket on top of my jetpack. "This thing can level buildings. If you kill my dad, I blow you up. Now, Let. Him. Go."
The man, I'm guessing this is that Saint guy Dragon mentioned, holds my gaze for a moment, then says, "The leg."
I try to figure out what he's talking about, but it becomes all too clear when the villain holding a gun to dad's head shifts their aim. They fire, and dad screams out in agony.
I snarl and pull out my blasters.
The third villain matches me and aims their own suit's weapons towards me.
"We're on a schedule, Mandalore. Land, and disarm, now." Saint growls.
I train my guns on him and say, "If you try that again, you will die."
He stares at me, and says, "Agai…"
I interrupt him by opening fire.
Even set to kill, the blaster bolts don't make it through his armor. The first few are deflected off of it at weird angles, but the last ones leave scorch marks on his armor.
The third villain opens fire on me, and my shield flares to life around me. Bullets crumple against, and ping off of it, but the automatic fire is draining it faster than I'm comfortable with.
As Saint and the second one move to shoot at me, I kick my jetpack up to full and fly right towards them, holstering my blasters as I go.
More bullets connect and are deflected away. Each hit alters my trajectory, but thanks to my jetpack I'm able to keep on track.
I fly right between Saint and the one who shot my dad, and scoop the thin man up. The second he's in my arms, I rocket away.
He's out of it. I think the only thing he really notices is the pain from the gunshot wound in his leg, but I don't need him aware, I just need him away.
"Get her!" Saint screams, and I watch on my hud as they start to fly after me.
"HK!" I scream into my communicator. "Cover me!"
"Request: Die meatbags." The mechanical voice says loudly.
I don't look back, but I do hear the telltale roar of a heavy repeating blaster coming to life. I watch through my hud as the Dragonslayers take evasive maneuvers. All of them dive behind a building, giving me plenty of time to get away with dad.
I land in an alley roughly ten blocks away and lean my dad up against the wall. I pull out my medpac and get to work treating his leg.
"Dotty, are there any signals going away from dad? Did they put any trackers or bombs in him?" I might seem paranoid, but if Bakuda did it, what's to stop these guys?
There's a moment of silence as Dotty works, then he boops out a negative.
I let out a sigh of relief, and finished my hasty wrap around dad's leg. I look up at his face, and have to swallow a lump in my throat.
There are bags under his eyes, his skin is pale, and his face is gaunt. He doesn't look good.
This is the first time I've been this close to him in months.
I feel a torrent of emotions crash over me as I take in his face. Joy, anger, sadness, guilt, and more. So many feelings that I can't even process rave around in my head, but they all burn out as quickly as they arrive.
The wave recedes, and all I'm left with is indifference.
I'm shocked by the lack of feeling towards him. Sure, he's an ass, but he's still my dad right?
I look down at the wound in his leg, and can't bring myself to care about it more than I would where he was anyone else.
Hoping for… something, I pull off my helmet, then pull my mask down.
I look right into his eyes, and don't even see a flash of recognition. All that's there is the pain from the bullet wound.
My spirit falls at the lack of recognition.
"Dad…" I begin only to be interrupted by Dotty beeping urgently in my ear.
"I'm on it." I step back from my dad and pull my mask and helmet back into position. I pull out one of my communicators and put it in dad's pocket after turning it on.
"Track the communicator." I order Dotty in a quiet voice. "Give his location to Dragon, she'll be able to get him out."
I walk to the end of the alley, then throw one last longing look back at my dad.
He doesn't even register that I've walked away. He's just moaning in pain.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I turn around and rocket into the air.
Bye dad. You'll be alright.
I force my mind off of him, and focus myself on the fight.
Dotty reported the Dragonslayers are using heavy ordinance against HK, they're blowing up the entire area to try and take him out.
If I hadn't already planned on taking them out, this would have cemented the decision.
I watch my hud as I fly back towards the battle to figure out where everyone is, but I redirect my attention when I hear a loud explosion. I fly towards the resulting smoke, and take in the scene.
HK is on the ground running through the street with his pistols drawn. The three Dragonslayers are alternating strafing runs and dropping everything they have on him. Hk rolls, dives, and spins to avoid their attacks, and gracefully returns fire, but they're doing everything they can to destroy him.
I growl, and pull both my blaster out.
Grenades will be too hard to use right now given how the Dragonslayers can fly. I'd have to cook them, and time it just right so they would actually do damage when they blew up. My blasters are the best option right now.
I fly above the dragonslayers and begin raining bolts down on them.
Saint's head snaps to look at me, and he points at me. "Get her!" He yells to his companions. "I'll kill the robot!"
The other two fly after me, and open fire.
Once more, my shield flares to life, and I begin booking it away. I roll so my back is facing the ground, and continue firing behind me even as I fly away.
The Dragonslayers follow after me and continue testing my shield with their guns.
I slow myself down so they can keep up with me, and lead them through the streets, shooting all the while.
Either they didn't notice my jetpack's true speed because of HK's covering fire, or they're just stupid, because they don't realize I'm leading them into a trap.
I soar past an alley, and yell, "Now!"
Eight blue tendrils shoot out of the alley and wrap around a lamppost on the other side of the street. They criss cross around each other in a net-like pattern, covering as much space as possible.
One of the Dragonslayers is able to dodge, but the other is too close, and gets caught in the improvised web.
The tendrils disconnect from the light post and wrap completely around the ensnared suit.
The villain tries to pull themself free, but Amy strides out of the alley with both blasters up and begins to lay into the armored form. More tendrils extend from her back and grab at the Dragonslayer's arms and legs as they try to bring their weapons to bear.
Realizing I won't get a better chance, I rush past the still recovering suit that avoided Amy's net and fly right past the one Amy has trapped, dropping two grenades as I go. The silver orbs detonate, and the suit is surrounded by blue white foam that begins to rise up.
Amy, seeing the opportunity, wraps her tendrils around the suit's head and pulls.
The suit creaks and roars in protest, and Amy is dragged a little closer. She creates even more tendrils, her armor is now nearly gone due to the mass lost to the tendrils, and attaches them to the building behind her. She starts pulling herself back, and the suit groans as it tips backwards. It falls to the ground with a crash, and Amy's tendrils swarm over it.
Moving quickly, I drop two more adhesive grenades over the suit, and lock it into the foam.
I draw a blaster and turn towards the other suit, and find it targeting Amy.
My heart leaps into my throat as a tinker missile is fired from a shoulder launcher, and begins to streak towards her.
Amy's visible eyes go wide, and two tendrils shoot from her side to wrap around a nearby light post. Her tendrils go taut, and forcefully yank her out of the path of the missile, and into the alley she exited. The sidewalk explodes in her wake, but after a quick scan with my hud, I see she's still alive.
I roar in rage and turn towards the airborne suit.
They try to turn their weapons towards me, but I beat them to the punch. I tilt my head forwards, and my own missile flies from my jetpack straight towards the Dragonslayer.
They abandon their assault, and dive down to avoid the missile which passes a few feet over them.
Shit, I really needed that to work. My blasters are as ineffective against their armor as their guns are against my shield, but my shield will run out much faster than I can wear down their armor. Well, since that didn't work, I've only got one more option. Their bulk will kill their mobility, so I've got a decent chance.
As the suit recovers from its impromptu dive, I fly towards it and holster my blaster. When I'm around twenty feet away, I unclip my lightsaber. The green blade comes to life and I let out a roar as I charge towards the villain.
I swing down once I'm in range, but the Dragonslayer just cuts their engines and falls out of the sky rather than get cut by the blade. The villain reactivate them just as they get close to the ground, and leap off the sidewalk. Flying back towards HK and Saint.
I move to follow, but stop myself.
I need to check on Amy, I know she got clear of the blast, but I need to be sure she didn't get hit by debris.
I fly down towards the alley Amy escaped into, and see her leaned up against a wall. I pull off my helmet as I hurry up to her and give her a once over.
Her bacta armor has seen better days. Where before she was a walking blob, she's lost at least half of the mass she had at the start, making the bacta more of a shifting cloak than an all encompassing armor. She must not have been able to recall all her tendrils.
"Are you ok?" I ask as I run my hands over her in search of any injuries.
She takes a few deep breaths and nods at me. "Yeah. Yeah I'm fine. The explosion missed, I'm just catching my breath. I'm really out of shape." She gives me a shy grin when the last words leave her mouth.
"Will you be able to make it back to the lab on your own?" I ask.
She scowls at me. "I'm fine Taylor. I lost a lot of my armor, but I'll just hang back now. We already got one, there's only two left."
My eyes widen. "The one in the goo isn't dead!" I pull my helmet on and start out of the alley, but Amy grabs my arm.
"Yes she is." She says quietly.
I stop and turn around. "What?"
She swallows. "I found a hole in the armor after she went down. I don't know how it got there, but I flooded it with bacta before you dropped those other grenades." Her breathing picks up. "I...I killed her."
I wrap my arms around her, and she takes several deep breaths as she leans her head into my shoulder.
"I'm sorry." I say. I didn't mean for her to kill them. I wanted it to be me or HK.
"It was so easy." She says disbelievingly. "Once I got the bacta in the suit, it only took one cut."
I rub the back of her head with my hand. "I'm sorry Amy. I didn't mean for you to do it, but we need to help HK. He's fighting two of them right now."
Amy takes a deep breath, and pulls away. The bacta she has left forms into a thin jumpsuit that covers her whole body, though now it is almost skin tight.
She gives me a sharp nod. "Let's go."
I pull my helmet on, and start out of the alley.
Dotty starts beeping in my ear.
"Good." I respond.
"What happened?" Amy asks.
"Dragon's in the Bay. She's almost here."
"Good." Amy says. "She can back you up. Go help HK, I'll get there as soon as I can."
"I can carry you." I offer.
She shakes her head. "I'll slow you down, now go."
I nod, and fly off.
I head towards where my hud shows HK to be, and pull out my lightsaber.
The blasters are less than useless against their armor. It's best if I just use the saber from now on.
I crest a building and see HK engaging the last two dragon slayers.
The droid proves his ability as he contends with both at the same time. He has his pistols out, and is constantly dodging and returning fire. There is visible damage to his chassis, but he still appears fully functional.
The Dragonslayers are both in the air. They're avoiding close quarters combat, and are using their ability to fly to their advantage.
I can fly too.
I scream down through the air towards them with my lightsaber ignited. The Dragonslayers spot me, and fly off in different directions. I chase after Saint, and HK easily moves to follow after the other one.
With my faster jetpack, it's easy to close the gap, but as soon as I'm within striking distance Saint pushes a button on his arm, and there's a loud whooshing sound. A wave of rippling air slams into me and sends me spinning away from the Dragonslayer.
It takes me a moment to recover, and by the time I do Saint has his guns trained on me.
I push my jetpack to full throttle and dive away.
Saint follows after me, and we both weave in and out of the run down buildings. Saint trying to get a bead on me, and me avoiding him as I try to get far enough ahead to surprise him with my lightsaber.
I'm about to duck around a corner to try to jump him when Dotty boops in my ear.
I grin as he relays his information, and alter my trajectory so I'm now racing skywards.
Saint adjusts his own path and follows me, but I'm faster than he is.
Dotty beeps in my ear again, and I spin around to fire my blasters at Saint.
The bolts still aren't doing much to his armor, but I'm only trying to distract him.
For seemingly no reason, Saint stops rising after me and dives in a panic. He's able to narrowly avoid a silver and black wyvern shaped mechanical monster that rockets through the air he just vacated.
"Are you ok Mandalore?" Dragon's voice asks through my communicator as she comes around to chase after Saint.
"I'm fine. It's just him and one more that HK's fighting. The third one's down." I say as I watch her fly by. Her suit's impressive. I was expecting her to send one of her humanoid ones, but she brought one of her good ones.
"Understood." She answers. "I will deal with Saint, go help HK." She takes off after Saint's fleeing form.
HK didn't seem like he needed help, but Dragon is definitely able to take care of herself.
I spin around and activate my jetpack so I can follow HK's moving battle.
When I catch up, HK and his assailant have both stopped moving. HK has his heavy repeater out and is using it to pin the Dragonslayer down as he creates distance.
I come around and charge the villain's position from his unprotected flank with my lightsaber powered up. The Dragonslayer's faceplate looks in my direction and the suit jolts in surprise. The pilot recovers quickly, and flies out of cover putting HK's blasts between me and them.
I come up short to avoid the hail of blue bolts and pull my own blaster with my off hand. I let loose a rapid volley of shots, but the Dragonslayer dodges most of them, and the ones that hit don't do much damage.
When we're done here, I am so making better pistols. I feel completely useless right now.
HK's repeater fire peters out, and the Dragonslayer takes the opening to fly up and a little ways away from me. The pilot levels both of their arms towards me, and I dive down behind a building.
I duck around a building and clip my lightsaber back to my belt.
Ok, I need options. I already used my missile, my blasters suck, and my grenades are unreliable. I need to…
There's a high pitched whining sound, followed by a wump. The second sound is followed by an agony filled scream which cuts out with a clattering of metal.
I peek around the corner, and see the Dragonslayer's suit lying in a heap on the ground. There's a gaping hole in the chestplate, and the body within is just gone.
"Statement: I did not miss."
Looking over my shoulder, I see HK standing from a shooting position with his long disruptor rifle in his hands.
I walk over to the suit and lean over to look through the hole left by the rifle.
The only thing on the inside is an unevenly distributed collection of ashes.
Well, I can now check seeing a disintegrated body off my bucket list.
"Good shot. There's only one left." I say over my shoulder.
"Statement: I will proceed to the target's location." He resecures his rifle and takes off at a run towards Saint's location on our huds.
I launch myself off the ground and speed over his head. As I'm in transit, Dragon's voice comes over my earpiece.
"Mandalore! Saint's taking control of my suit! I need you to…" She cuts out.
"Dragon? Dragon?!" I yell.
She doesn't respond. The next thing to come through my communicator is Dotty who boops urgently.
"What?!" I practically scream.
Dotty boops out the same message.
"What's wrong?" Amy asks. "Was that Dragon?"
"Saint just hacked Dragon's suit!" I respond. "Dotty, if the PRT are coming let them know Dragon isn't a friendly. And find a way to take that suit back!"
He beeps an affirmative.
"HK, double time it! I'm going to need your help." I order.
"Statement: I am moving as fast as I am able. I will arrive at the target in three minutes."
Three minutes is a long time.
I grit my teeth, and soar towards Saint's icon on my hud. I close the distance quickly thanks to my jetpack, but slow down when I see where he's situated. He's on the ground, in an alley.
This is obviously a trap.
I could try to drop grenades on him, but that would take me closer than I'd like. My blasters are still useless, and I need to be even closer to use my saber.
I'm pulled from my thoughts as a figure appears on my hud, and I take evasive action to dodge the large metal wyvern charging towards me. I lob an ion grenade towards Saint as I flee Dragon's suit, but it's a hail mary. I don't expect it to hit.
The wyvern comes back around, and I speed up my escape.
I have no illusions that I'm faster than Dragon's suit, so I'll have to use my maneuverability.
I fly low to the ground, and weave in and out of buildings as the mechanical beast flies above me and fires large canisters down towards me. Each canister explodes on impact with the ground and expands into yellow-white gunk.
Containment foam. At least it's not more gunfire and explosives.
"Statement: Stay low master." HK suddenly speaks through my communicator.
I do as he says, and am rewarded with the same high pitched whine from earlier. I roll over to look at Dragon's suit and see a yellow energy beam periodically slamming into it, completely destroying chunks with each hit.
HK hits one of the engines, and the suit falls from the sky.
"Thanks for the cover!" I spin back around and fly towards Saint.
This time as I pass over the alley he's still in, further cementing the fact that this is a trap, I drop two ion grenades into the alley. I'd use something with more potency, but I've already caused enough collateral damage today.
A moment after I drop them in, the grenades go off with a flash of white light. I use the light as cover as I land on the higher roof overlooking the alley and pull my blasters. The light fades, and my heart stops.
Saint is lowering his fist and retracting the gun that emerged from a compartment on it. In front of him is a man with too many bullet wounds in his chest to reliably count, and a wrapped leg.
Saint looks up at me. "You should have surrendered."
In that moment, a feeling of complete clarity washes over me. I know exactly what's going to happen now.
"I am going to kill you." I say coldly, and jump off the roof towards him.
He uses his suit's thrusters to push himself out of the alley and away from me, but I follow right after him with my jetpack.
My blasters return to their holsters, and out comes my lightsaber. The blade flares to life, and I bumrush Saint with a single minded determination to end him.
He shoots at me, and fires smaller explosives from various launchers, but I pay it no mind as I try to close the gap. A sea of bullets washes over my shield, and it fails under the onslaught, but my armor proves its worth as the bullets fail to penetrate it.
Finally close enough, I swing my blade around.
Saint dodges to the side, and saves his life, but loses an arm as penance. He howls in pain as the emerald blade of energy passes through his armor and flesh like butter.
I move to strike again, but he jets away from me.
He whimpers in pain and stares at his stump, before turning back to me. "You bitch!" He screams and unleashes another hail of gunfire in my direction.
Without a working shield, the impact of each bullet rocks me, but I keep moving towards him with a little assistance from my jetpack.
"Just die!" He screams as he backs away from me. "You have to die! You're too dangerous to be left alive!"
I ignore his ranting and run across the last few feet. I come to a stop and bring my lightsaber around to strike once more.
Saint rolls away, but the saber clips his side, and his scream clues me in to the fact that I got more than just armor.
He holds up his arm to shoot at me again, but the gun doesn't rise from where it should. The arm just sits there lamely.
"What?" He asks in shock.
The sound of victorious beeping chimes through my earpiece, and Saint's suit forces his arm down.
"What?!" Saint screams as his armor locks itself down. A moment later the suit ejects him.
A one armed bald man wearing a blue undersuit falls to the ground. His eyes are wide, and he looks around in a panic. He sees me walking towards him, and he begins to hyperventilate.
"Please!" He stammers. "You don't understand! I need to…"
I stab my lightsaber through his forehead.
He goes limp, and falls through the blade. Landing on the ground in a lifeless heap.
I stare numbly at his body and deactivate my lightsaber.
Nothing. I feel nothing right now. I'm not angry or sad about dad, I'm not satisfied Saint's dead, I don't feel anything. That's probably a bad thing right?
The roar of an engine pulls me from my thoughts.
I bring my saber back up into a defensive guard, but relax when I see Armsmaster speeding towards me on his motorcycle.
Unfortunate timing.
He stops a little ways away, and takes in the scene as he walks over. He comes to a stop next to me, and stares down at Saint. "You killed him?" He asks calmly.
I nod. "He killed my dad."
Armsmaster's quiet for a moment.
"I'm sorry." He eventually says.
I don't respond. I just walk past him back to the alley with my dad's body.
He lets me.
I walk up next to him, and look him over.
Saint turned his chest and stomach into one big bullet hole, and he's covered in blood. Strangely though, with the exception of some blood splatter, his face is mostly untouched. He looks almost like he's asleep. Not lost like he did when he was still breathing.
I take off my helmet and drop it on the ground. I pull my mask down next. If my identity isn't shot from Saint kidnapping my dad, I'll eat my helmet. Besides, I don't really care anymore.
As I stand there, I feel someone gently take my hand from behind me. I look over my shoulder, and see Amy's sympathetic face looking back at me.
When did she get here?
"He was an ass." I say.
She nods.
I look back at his body. "He was still my dad though."
She wraps her arms around me.
The lack of feeling fades, and I start to softly cry. I hug Amy tight, and let the tears fall.
"Is there anything I can do?" Amy quietly asks.
"You're already doing it."
She holds me while I work everything out, then lets me go when I step away.
I walk over to dad and kneel down next to him.
I don't know what happened to him. I don't know if it was something I did, or if it was him. I guess I won't find out now.
I lean down and kiss his forehead lightly. "Bye dad."
I stand up, and step out of the alley. I pick up my helmet as I go, and put it on. Amy follows behind me.
Armsmaster was standing a respectful distance away, but he walked forward as I entered the street.
"Am I under arrest?" I ask simply. I'm not in the mood for long conversations.
He shakes his head. "No. You're free to go."
"Will you make sure he's taken care of?" I ask.
He nods. "I will."
"Thank you." I turn around and walk away.
Amy and I walk away from the scene as the PRT arrives with Assault and Battery. I catch Assault start walking towards us on my hud, but Armsmaster stops him.
I guess he's not as socially inept as I thought.
Amy and I turn the corner, and HK seamlessly falls into step behind us from where he was waiting.
The three of us walk through the city back towards my lab. The further away we get from where the fight took place, the more people we see.
Surprisingly, no one comes up to talk to us, and no one films us either. They keep their distance and watch us stride by in a daze.
That suits me fine, I don't want to talk to people right now. I'm still sorting through everything.
It takes us a while, but we do eventually make it back to my lab. We didn't stealth, but we'll be moving shop soon anyway. I need a bigger lab to start working properly.
When the three of us make it to the hatch, we see Vicky there waiting for us.
She walks over and pulls me into a hug when she sees us.
"Are you ok?" She asks.
I take a breath. "I honestly don't know." Because I really don't. "Since you know, I guess the whole thing's up on PHO again?"
She nods. "The mods tried to stop it, but…"
I wave her off. "I'll worry about it later. I just want to go to sleep."
She nods, and backs off.
I input the code, and the three of us file into the lab.
HK stays up top after saying, "Statement: I will stand guard. No meatbag will get past me master."
I give him a grateful smile on my way down the ladder.
Dotty hovers over to me and beeps sadly.
I give the little orb a pat. "It's not your fault buddy."
He boops again, and I pull out my phone as he recommended.
I dial Dragon, and she picks up on the first ring.
"I'm so sorry Taylor. If Saint hadn't taken my suit then…"
"Dragon." I cut her off. "There's no use worrying about what ifs. Thanks for trying. Really."
There's silence for a moment.
"How are you feeling?" She asks gently.
I think it over.
I honestly thought I was done with my dad, but I guess I was wrong. This still doesn't hurt like mom did though.
"Worse than I expected, better than you think." I respond.
"If there's anything I can do…." Dragon prompts.
"Actually there is. Can you find a large warehouse or something and buy it for me? Take it out of my bacta funds. I need a bigger lab, and I should probably move now with everything that's happened recently."
"I'll take care of it." She assures me.
"Thanks Dragon. Not to be rude, but I'm going to hang up now."
"I understand. Let me know if there's anything you need." She hangs up.
I put the phone down, and start pulling off my armor. My fingers fumble over some of the straps, but Amy and Vicky help me get everything off.
I pull on some sweats, and turn to the Dallons. "I'm going to get some sleep."
They both nod, and I head over to my couch. I lay down and try to fall asleep.
(Amy)
Taylor lays down, and Vicky motions for me to follow her.
I wish that I could do more, but it's probably best that she has some time to sleep right now.
I follow after Vicky, and we leave Taylor to rest and climb back up the ladder.
"Are you ok?" She asks. "You were there right?"
I nod. "I'm fine. I didn't really do much." All I was good for was one sneak attack that would have failed if Taylor hadn't used those grenades.
"What happened?" Vicky asks.
I give her a quick summary of events, and she's uncharacteristically quiet while I talk.
HK keeps an eye on the surroundings while I talk to Vicky.
"You killed one?" Vicky asks hesitantly.
I swallow and nod.
She takes a deep breath. "Ok. I can't say I'm happy about that, but we'll save that talk for later."
Good. I don't want to go over that right now.
"I need to go help clean everything up, but call me the second you or Taylor need anything. I'll drop everything."
I nod. "I will. Thanks for checking on me."
She gives me a sad smile, then glares at HK. "Keep my sister safe."
The robot regards her coldly. "Statement: You have no authority flying meatbag."
Vicky narrows her eyes at the droid, but I put a hand on her arm. "I'll be fine. I can take care of myself."
She nods, then her eyes drift over my bacta suit.
I swallow nervously.
"That's another thing we'll be talking about later, but for now, Taylor needs you. Take care Ames." She gives me a quick hug and flies away.
I let out a breath in relief that she didn't press about the bacta.
For all the shit people give Vicky, she's actually capable of reading a situation and not pressing.
I leave HK to his guard duty, and climb back into the lab.
I let the bacta fall back into the tank, and pull on my clothes. I look at the other two occupants of the lab.
Dotty is floating by the computer, and Taylor's curled up in a ball on the couch, but her eyes are wide open.
After hesitating a moment, I walk over and sit down next to her.
"I can't sleep." She laments.
I scoot closer to her, and pull her head onto my lap.
She resists at first, but relents and goes along with it.
I start gently rubbing her head with one hand, and rubbing her shoulder with the other.
She's incredibly tense. I don't know if this will help, but it's all I can do. I will not touch her brain, or mess with her body without her consent, and right now is not the time to broach the topic.
"Amy?" She quietly asks.
"Yes?"
"You said you'd never leave me right?"
"I did." I move my hand from her shoulder to her hair, and start slowly combing it with my fingers.
"You meant it right?" She asks desperately.
"Yes. I'll never leave you Taylor."
The tension slowly bleeds out of her, and she says, "Thank you."
I don't answer. I just keep rubbing her head and combing her hair.
Soon, her breathing evens out and she falls asleep.
I smile sadly down at her.
I don't know what she's going through right now. I can't even begin to imagine it. Her dad caused her trigger, and then he was killed in front of her. I don't know how to help her, but I'm going to do everything I can.
(Jacob)
"Uncle Jack! You've got to see this!"
I chuckle as the little blond girl climbs into my lap, and holds up a phone.
I raise an eyebrow at her. "Where did you get that?"
She shrugs. "My last patient dropped it."
Ah. That makes sense.
The little blonde opens up a video, and it starts to roll.
At first I was merely humoring my little Bonesaw, but the more I watched, the more I liked what I saw.
A tinker in Brockton Bay huh? One that brutally kills their enemies, and can work with biology? I was wondering who made that weird tank we came across, I guess it's this Mandalore. I'm sure Alan would want to pay her a visit.
And dear miss Panacea has clearly been hiding her capabilities. It would seem Bonesaw was right about the girl.
"Did you see?" Bonesaw asks when the series of videos and news reports come to an end. "Can we go get them? Pleeeeeeease?"
I chuckle at the display. "You know the rules, the whole family has to vote, and we're already going to Colorado."
She sticks her lip out and pouts at me. "But that's the wrong way! Can't we just stop by real quick so I can have some big sisters?"
I pat her on the head. "We'll discuss it after our current journey is done. Now be a good girl and get ready for bed."
"Okay!" She hops off my lap, and hums to herself as she walks away.
These two have potential. I'm almost tempted to change our plans and head over right away, but that would be a waste.
If I remake them now, it would only have a small impact, but if I wait for them to reach their potential, then their fall will demoralize the entire nation. Why would I pass up such an opportunity?
Yes, I'll wait. Once they're greater, we'll stop by, and test them. I wonder how they'll react to being pitted against each other?
I smile as I lean back in my chair.
Oh yes, this will be worth the wait.
Chapter 8
AgelessReaper
A Custom Title
(Taylor)
I come to consciousness slowly. My muscles are sore, and I feel drained even though I was just asleep. Yesterday's events start playing in my head, and I realize why.
Fought the Dragonslayers, killed them, dad died. I can honestly say I have no idea how to feel right now. It hurts, but not as much as it should. Is that good? Bad? Does it matter?
I tilt my head to the side and catch sight of Amy. Her head's lolled back against the couch at a weird angle, and she's fast asleep. Her hands are still tangled in my hair.
A sad smile graces my lips at the sight.
I'm glad she's here. I probably wouldn't have gotten any sleep without her.
I gently reach up, and take one of her hands in mine.
She stirs a bit as I touch her, but doesn't wake up.
I lightly squeeze her hand and nestle back down into her lap as I close my eyes.
I don't feel like getting up. I doubt I'll be able to go back to sleep, but I'd much rather just lay here and relax than have to get up and face the carnage of what happened yesterday. I deserve to rest for a little while.
So that's what I do. I lay on Amy's lap with my eyes closed and gently use my index finger to trace small circles on the back of her hand. The closeness does wonders for me, I hadn't realized just how much I was starved for human contact.
I'm not sure how long I lay there, but eventually Amy starts shifting around as she comes to consciousness. I feel her shuffle around as she gets her barings, then the hand on my head pulls away.
The sudden lack of contact is displeasing, but I don't make a big deal out of it. She already stayed the night with me.
The hand I'm playing with laces its fingers with mine, and Amy's other hand comes down to brush my cheek.
"How are you feeling?" She quietly asks.
"Better than you think." I respond. "I lost my dad a while ago, this just drove home the fact that I have no idea what happened. He's gone, and I don't know why. I guess it just finally sunk in that I'm alone now. Mom's gone,
dad's gone, it's just me."
Amy gives my hand a squeeze. "You're not alone Taylor. Vicky's there for you, Dragon's there for you, your droids are here." She softly pets my cheek. "I'm here for you."
My spirits lift up at that.
Even a week ago I was on my own, but now I've more people I can count on than I have had in years.
I roll over and open my eyes so I can look her in the eye. "Thanks Amy. Really."
She smiles down at me. "You're welcome Taylor."
I savor the feeling of laying down in her lap for a moment longer, then force myself to my feet.
As much as I don't want to deal with yesterday's fallout, I'm going to have to at some point. Might as well get it over with.
"Dotty, has anyone tried to call me?" I ask as I rub my eyes.
He boops an affirmative, and lists off everyone who called.
Armsmaster, Vicky, every Ward I gave my number to, and three generic PRT numbers. At least Dragon's leaving me alone. Guess I'm calling her first.
Amy walks off to grab something to eat while I pull out my phone.
I dial Dragon, and she picks up. "Taylor?"
"Hey Dragon."
"How are you feeling?" She asks gently.
I sigh. "Better, but not quite good. What all do I need to do right now? My house got blown up, and I killed three people. I want to get this wrapped up so I can move on."
"You don't need to worry about anything, Taylor." Dragon assures me. "Armsmaster and I are handling all the legal elements. Even if we weren't, I doubt anyone would try to prosecute you. Just focus on yourself right now."
I blink in surprise. That's a lot better than I was expecting. "Thanks Dragon. Do you need me for anything?"
"I don't need you for anything, but I would like to let you know I have purchased a small manufacturing plant. It was closed down shortly after opening due to its size, so I thought it would suit your needs quite nicely. There is still a large amount of machinery within that you can use for your own purposes, and plenty of workspace. I'll send the details to Dotty."
"Um… thanks. I wasn't expecting you to be able to work that fast. How much did it cost?"
"Don't worry about the price." Dragon says. "I have everything handled. I currently have three suits in Brockton Bay, so feel free to ask if you need help moving your current supplies."
"Are you helping to clean up after the Dragonslayers?" I ask.
"Amongst other things. They were wanted by the Guild, so I am also acting as the Guild's representative while they are being dealt with."
Oh yeah, the Guild. I'll talk to her about it later. I'm not in the mood right now.
"Thanks Dragon, I might move my stuff today, might not. I'll let you know."
"Of course, Taylor. There's no rush. I'll talk to you later."
"Bye." I disconnect.
"Everything alright?" Amy asks as she walks over with an opened power bar.
I nod. "Surprisingly yes. I honestly thought people would be calling for my arrest right now."
"Taylor, they killed your dad, and tried to kill you." She winces as she realizes what she said. "Sorry."
I shake my head. "Don't worry about it. I'm not going to fall apart. What were you saying?"
She gives me a relieved smile and continues. "They went after your family Taylor. That's as clear a breach of the unwritten rules as you can get. Plus, you acted in self defense. Anyone who tried to charge you with anything would likely catch hell from the public. Neither capes nor civilians will come after you over this."
That's good. At least I can go outside if I want to. Oh…
"I'm outed aren't I?"
Amy grimaces, and Dotty floats over to me. He boops sadly, and I sigh.
"Don't worry about it buddy. Once something is put on the internet it's impossible to contain. Was anyone able to recognize Amy, or did the bacta hide her?"
Amy pales at the question, and looks at Dotty expectantly.
The little droid floats over to the computer, and pulls up a PHO thread.
It's a thread discussing the fight yesterday, and there are a variety of links leading to different videos of different parts of the action.
Who filmed this? How were they able to get so many different angles of each part of a fight that spanned city blocks? Better yet, how the hell did they seemingly teleport around after me? Were there multiple cameras?
Dotty activates a particular link, and two pictures appear side by side.
The first shows Amy in the street with me hovering a short distance away. It was taken when she used her suit to pull the Dragonslayer down into the adhesive grenade. Tendrils connect her to the building behind her as well as to the Dragonslayer's head. The amount of tendrils she has out pulled a lot of her armor away, which reveals her face to the camera.
The second picture is of me standing over my dad's body while Amy holds my hand. Both of our faces are visible.
I choke up at seeing my dad again, but take a deep breath to control myself.
I already said goodbye. He's gone. I'll remember him, but I need to move on.
I clench my fist as I look back at the screen.
Whoever took the picture is a bastard, taking advantage of the situation like that is scummy.
"Dotty, find whoever posted that picture and flood their computer with porn. Then wipe their hard drive." I say heatedly.
He boops at me and gets to work.
Amy takes my hand, and I offer her a grateful smile.
"I'm sorry I got you mixed up in this." I say. "This probably made things really difficult for you."
She shakes her head. "No. It's fine. It would have come out that I've been holding back eventually, this is just a little sooner than I'd like. At least I won't have to go into the hospitals anymore. I can just talk to Dragon about getting the paste cleared, and send that in my place."
I grimace slightly. "Was it really that bad?"
She sighs. "No, it was just too much. I liked helping people, but I didn't like spending my entire life in the ER. I can still help people with the paste, but now I can live a little."
I chuckle. "It's been a while since I lived a little. The last time I really let go was when I first made my jetpack, I got a little carried away."
Amy smiles. "Then let's take a break. We both need one, so why not? It'll let you get your head on straight."
"What would we do? I already told you this, but I'm not the most social person, so I don't really know what to do for fun. Besides, I'm outed. I can't go out with the E88 pissed at me, that's just asking to get attacked."
Amy purses her lips. "First off, I doubt the Empire will go after you right now. They know you're hurting, and they know how far you'll go if people screw with you. Second, we can just go somewhere else if it's really that big of an issue. People aren't as likely to recognize us in New York."
That could work. There will still be people who will be interested in my identity because of the Bacta Tanks, and Amy is Panacea, so it'll be impossible to find somewhere where she's a complete unknown, but heading out of the Bay for a bit doesn't seem like such a bad idea.
I do need to get some stuff built though, and we don't have transportation.
"It doesn't sound like a bad idea, but I need to build a lot of gear before we do anything, and I'd like to get set up in the new lab Dragon bought. What if someone else attacks and we're not ready? I need to…"
"Taylor." Amy cuts me off.
I look at her, and see her mouth set in a hard line.
"You need a chance to relax. If you get caught up in projects based on what ifs, you'll never stop building. It's my job to keep you in check, so you need to listen to me when I say you'll break if you try to plan for everything that might go wrong."
I hold her gaze for a moment.
She's right. I'll end up slowly killing myself if I keep trying to go like this.
"Alright, but there are some things I need to make first. We need to get started on your armor, and my entire kit needs an upgrade. I might make one or two things for HK too. And maybe some guards for the lab. And…"
"That's it." Amy cuts me off. "That's all you get, and you aren't going to disappear while you do it all. You still need to teach me how to fight remember?"
I nod. "Yeah, I do. I'll start giving you lessons when we get your armor growing."
Amy tilts her head. "That was a strange sentence."
I smile. "It kind of was."
I hesitate a second, then pull her into a hug. "Thanks. Really."
She returns the hug and says, "You're welcome. I'm here for you."
I savor the moment, and let everything else fade.
I'm glad I found her. I don't know how well off I'd be if she wasn't here.
Eventually I pull away and say, "We should probably move into that old factory Dragon bought. We weren't exactly subtle when we came back after the fight, and since we were filmed the entire time, I think it's safe to say people know where we are."
Amy nods and looks around. "How are we going to get all of this out of here?"
I give the place a once over, and see a lot of scrap and tinker stuff. "I don't know, I never really planned on moving if I'm being honest. Dragon said she'd be willing to help, so maybe we should call her?"
Amy nods. "Call Vicky too. She'll probably be willing to give us a hand."
I do as she recommends and call Vicky after talking to Dragon. Both of them were more than willing to help out, and agreed to head over. I made sure to let HK know not to shoot them, then Amy and I got to work tearing
everything down.
It may be a small space, but I packed a lot of stuff into it during my time here. I decide to leave the unused scrap from the boat graveyard because Dragon said there will be materials in the factory I can cannibalize, and I can probably get her to send me anything I can't find there.
In half an hour, we've got everything packed up and out of the lab waiting for transport. We had to disassemble the Bact Tank to get it up the ladder, and we needed HK to help us carry the generator, but other than those two hiccups we didn't have any issues.
I put on my armor just for the purpose of transporting it easier, it's not like it'll give away my identity, and Amy put on one of the more heavy duty shields I made. There's no reason for her to hide it because it's abundantly clear that the two of us are working together.
I also switched out my drained shield for one of my fresh ones. It doesn't have the upgrades I put on the one I used to fight Saint, but I'll fix that one up when I get a chance. This is only for transit.
I climb back down the ladder and take everything in.
We left the work benches, the scrap, and the couch, but everything else is outside. I figured a factory would have better work stations, and I can finally buy an actual bed with the money I got from Dragon. I've only bought a movie ticket and some food after all, so I have well over nine-thousand dollars left.
Without everything down here, this place just looks so empty. It seems wrong that it's almost clean. The clutter helped me think, and kept my mind off things, and now it's just a basement again.
"You ok?"
I turn around and give Amy a smile. "Yeah. It's just a lot has changed in a really short time. It's starting to sink in that I won't be living here anymore."
"Can I do anything?"
I shake my head. "No. I just want to get everything moved and then stay put for the rest of the day. Maybe the next two days. I'll get to work on everything after that."
Amy nods. "Good. I'll see if Vicky can stop by somewhere and get us a TV and some movies. We won't need to do anything for a while."
I smile down at her. "Thank you."
She snorts. "You need to stop saying that. I told you, I'm with you."
"Maybe, but I don't know what else to say, so thanks." I give her a shit eating grin.
She just smiles back, and heads up the ladder.
I take one last look around, then follow her up.
"Dotty, disable and destroy every system we still have wired to this place." I don't want some poor squatter to head down the ladder and accidentally trigger any of my defences.
The little droid boops, and I hear sparks from down the hole.
No sooner is the base disabled than the roar of an engine draws our attention.
Amy, the droids, and I turn our attention to the descending Dragon suit.
She sent one of her humanoid ones. This one is painted blue and black.
"Taylor." She greets.
I give her a small wave. "Hey Dragon."
She walks forward and wraps her mechanical arms around me. "I'm sorry Taylor. I wish I could have done more."
I return the hug and shake my head. "It's not your fault, and you don't need to worry about me. I'll be fine. I just need a little time to figure everything out."
She steps back. "If there's anything else I can do, don't hesitate to ask."
"Actually." Amy speaks up. "Could you clear the bacta paste I made? You should be able to replicate it, which will make it so the hospital doesn't need me anymore. I'll be able to stay with Taylor without anyone suffering for it."
Dragon nods. "I have already discussed the creation with Director Piggot. I will likely be able to set up a situation similar to the one I have with Taylor, but nothing is certain yet. I'll see what I can do."
"Thanks Dragon." I say.
The suit looks over my shoulder, and almost seems to perk up. Dragon walks towards HK and holds out her hand. "You must be HK, my name is Dragon."
"Statement: I do not care meatbag." He walks away, leaving a dejected Dragon in his wake.
Dragon lowers her hand, and Dotty floats up in front of her faceplate and beeps.
"It's nice to meet you in person Dotty." Dragon says cheerfully.
The droid boops at her again.
She chuckles. "Don't worry, I won't hold it against him."
"Wait, you can understand him?" Amy asks, confused.
Dragon nods. "He sent me a sample of his language after the confrontation with the Dragonslayers in the hopes it would make it easier for us to cooperate. I was able to develop a translator for iit which I am currently using."
I didn't tell him to do that. Eh, he's responsible. I'd only have an issue with it if it were HK, and that's only because there'd probably be dead bodies involved.
Dragon and Dotty go back to chatting, and don't seem to notice as Vicky lands next to Amy and I.
"Hey." Vicky says with a forced smile. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm not going to say good, but I'm a lot better than everyone seems to think. I'll be better after I've had a chance to breathe."
Vicky nods, and turns to Amy. "How 'bout you?"
Amy waves her off. "I'm fine Vicky, thanks for asking though."
Before things devolve into an awkward silence, I step forward. "Not to be rude, but can we get started? I'd like to get this done as soon as possible."
Dragon and Dotty break off their conversation, and everyone gets to work.
HK picks up the generator and just begins walking away from us.
"Uh, Dotty? Chaperone him please." I say.
Dotty boops, and floats along after HK.
I watch them go a little uncertainly.
The PRT hasn't come after me about them yet, but I don't like the idea of them being on their own. Especially given HK's excentricities.
I feel a hand on my shoulder, and turn to Amy.
"Don't worry." She says. "I'll walk with them, I can't really carry anything anyway."
I shoot her a grateful smile, and she jogs after the droids.
I turn to Dragon and Vicky. "Thanks for coming, let's get this done."
(Amy)
I got a few weird looks as I walked with the droids towards the new lab, but no one gave us any trouble. It might be everyone's still trying to figure out what to think of me after seeing what happened on PHO. That, or the deathbot easily carrying a large hunk of metal twice as massive as he is and glaring at anyone and everyone. It's definitely one of those.
By the time we made it to the factory, Vicky and Dragon had already made two trips, and had left to grab the last of the stuff Taylor decided she wanted to bring along.
Taylor herself is inside the building when we walk in. She's walking around with wide eyes, and is practically drooling over all the old machinery in the place.
I smile as I watch her.
This is much better than the funk she was in earlier. She seems to be recovering a lot faster than I'd have expected, but then again, her relationship with her dad was beyond complicated.
I don't know how long it'll take her to get back to one-hundred percent, but she's already making steady progress, so I'm optimistic..
HK places the generator down, then grudgingly starts assembling the computer much to the excited beeping of Dotty.
"Statement: You are useful. Warning: Do not become useless or I will turn you into a thermal detonator."
Dotty beeps cheerily back, and HK sighs, electing not to respond.
Man, I need to find a way to figure out what that little droid is saying all the time. He seems much nicer than HK.
I turn away from the droids, and walk over to where Taylor is pulling apart a mechanical...something. I don't recognize half of the contraptions in this place.
"What do you think?" I ask.
Taylor jolts as I walk up, and I can't help but smile at the surprise on her face.
She must really like this place if she didn't even notice me walk up.
"Wow. Uh, hi Amy. You scared me." She looks around, and a smile grows on her face. "It's good. Really good. There's a lot of space, and a lot of stuff I can use until Dragon can get me more supplies."
"Good." I stand by and watch her as she keeps pulling the thing apart.
I have no idea what she's planning on doing with that, but it should be interesting.
I hear an engine outside, and turn to see Dragon and Vicky landing with the last of the things Taylor decided she needed. I walk outside to meet them.
"Thanks for the help." I say as they put everything down.
"You are welcome." Dragon says. "I apologize, but I must be getting back. Could you ask Taylor to call Armsmaster when she feels ready? He has some things he'd like to discuss with her when she is feeling better. I would also like for her to give me a call as well to speak about the Guild."
I nod. "I'll let her know."
Dragon nods, then flies off.
"Hey Ames," Vicky starts. "can we talk?"
I swallow a lump in my throat and nod. "Yeah, we probably should. Come on."
We walk into the factory and I lead us into a random room away from Taylor and the droids.
"So what specifically is this about?" I ask hesitantly.
Vicky sighs. "Let's start with the weird blue suit thing. Since when could you do that?" Her tone isn't confrontational, more exhausted with a slight twinge of hurt.
"I've always been able to do it, I just haven't." I answer honestly, shrinking in on myself a bit.
Vicky looks me in the eye. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"Carol." I say. "I...I tried to use my powers in different ways, and she freaked out. Made me promise to only heal and… it was just easier to only heal."
"What all can you do?" She asks levely.
I inhale sharply, and try to figure out how much to say.
It's Vicky. I trust her, but at the same time I don't want her to run.
I swallow, and say, "I'm a biokinetic."
Vicky raises an eyebrow. "Obviously, but what all can you affect?"
I purse my lips, then quickly say, "All of it."
Vicky furrows her eyebrows at me, then her eyes widen when I don't say anything else. "Shit."
I tense up at the word.
Please don't run.
She brings a hand up and begins rubbing her head. "Wait, so you can affect plants and animals and everything?"
I nod.
She digests that for a moment.
"Ok, what all can't you do. You can't do brains right? Are there any other limits?"
I open my mouth to respond, then close it and swallow again.
Vicky's gaze intensifies. "Amy, you can't do brains right?"
After a brief pause I softly say, "I can do brains."
Vicky's jaw hangs open, and she just stares at me. She tries to talk a couple times, but only ends up making a fish impression.
She shakes her head, and refocuses. "Ames, if you can do brains, then why haven't you…?"
"Because it's a limit she placed on herself." We both turn towards the new voice and see Taylor walking towards us. "Sorry. I didn't mean to intrude, but I couldn't find you, so I used my helmet to cheat." She turns to look at me. "Do you want me to go?" She asks quietly.
I shake my head. "Can you stay?"
Her features brighten, and she nods. She walks up next to me and wraps an arm around me.
I lean into her, taking comfort in her presence.
"A limit?" Vicky asks confused.
I nod. "If I mess with brains…how do I know I won't kill someone every time I mess with something? We know next to nothing about what makes people people, and I don't want to accidentally break someone when I'm trying to fix them."
"But Ames, you could help dad. I get that you don't want to mess something up, but if you were careful then…"
"Vicky." I say pleadingly. "I can't. I only started really using my power when Armsmaster called me in to clear the Bacta Tank. I haven't practiced enough, and I don't want to do something I can't fix."
Taylor's arm tightens around me, and I take a deep breath.
I'm ok. I can get through this.
"I'm sorry Vicky, but I just can't right now. I'm working on it, so maybe soon, but not now. I'm not ready yet."
Vicky looks over my face, and nods. "Ok. I won't press you right now, but please work on it?"
I nod. "I will. We both will." I lean further into Taylor.
"'We'?" Vicky asks, and I tense.
Oh my god. I screwed up.
I look up at Taylor and see her face has gone blank.
"I'm sorry! Please don't…"
"It's ok." Taylor cuts me off. "She's your sister." She looks down at me. "You trust her right?"
I nod.
Taylor takes a deep breath, and turns to Vicky. "You have to agree not to spread this around. You know the PRT will likely come down on Amy if they learn too much about her power, they'll do the same to me."
Vicky's eyes widen and she frantically nods.
I guess she just realized that I'm the PRT's worst nightmare. Well, second worst nightmare. Actually, it's kind of a toss up.
Taylor takes a deep breath and says, "My tinker specialty is Galactic Warfare."
Vicky tilts her head, then looks at me. Her expression is all but saying, 'That's a poor attempt at a joke right?'.
When I don't speak up, the color drains from Vicky's face, and she robotically turns back to Taylor.
"Spaceships?" She weakly asks.
Taylor nods. "Among other things. I also know how to make space stations that can blow up stars. Although the amount of materials and time needed for one of those makes the design effectively worthless. That isn't the only way I could blow up the planet though."
Vicky slowly floats down to the ground and leans her back up against a wall.
None of us talk for a few minutes.
Just as I'm starting to get antsy, Vicky stands back up.
"That is a lot to absorb all at once." She focuses on Taylor. "Are you ok? I know I already asked, but that was before…"
Taylor waves her off. "I get it. Don't worry, I'll be alright. Amy's helping."
I smile at the last part.
Vicky looks between us, and chuckles wryly.
"What?" I ask.
She gives me a grin. "I swear, the more I learn about her the more it's like she was made for you."
My face starts to heat up and I hiss, "Vicky!"
"Hey, cut me some slack. I'm coping." She defends. She turns to Taylor and fixes her with a serious expression. "You're going to take care of her right?"
Taylor nods. "I will."
"Good." Vicky claps her hands together. "I need to go...process. This was a lot. Will you two be ok here on your own?"
Taylor nods, but doesn't speak.
I hold up a hand and say, "Could you call a furniture place or something and have them drop off a bed and a TV in the morning? Neither of us really want to go out right now since we're all over PHO."
Vicky hmm's and nods. "Yeah, it's a good idea to let everything die down first. I'll give them a call, but I don't have enough cash to pay for both."
"I do." Taylor says. "I've barely spent any of the money I got from Dragon for the Bacta Tanks. Just don't get anything too ridiculous and I can cover it. Actually, I can just have Dotty..."
I nudge her in the side with my elbow and shake my head at her.
She gets the hint and trails off.
Vicky needs a distraction right now. Bonus points if that distraction helps someone.
"Ok, I'll get that taken care of, then call you sometime tomorrow. Good night guys."
Taylor and I say good night, and Vicky leaves.
Taylor and I stand together in silence for a moment.
"So that happened." Taylor starts.
"I'm emotionally drained. Let's order some food so we can get to sleep. There's probably a couch or something in a break room we can use until the furniture gets here."
"About that, I could have just had Dotty order it."
I shake my head. "Vicky's processing. She does that best when she has something to do, and she wanted to help us. Win win."
Taylor accepts that, and we head back through to the entrance of the factory.
"Wanna check the place over?" I ask.
She nods, and the two of us go exploring.
We spend the next hour looking everything over while we wait for our food to arrive.
The factory is fairly large. There's a lot of abandoned machinery, and fairly good lighting for the area. Some of the switches don't work, but it's nothing too serious. I'm willing to bet Taylor could get everything fixed up in about an hour or two.
The two of us were also able to find an old break room with a few comfortable chairs as well as a couch. The delivery guy showed up with the pizza Dotty ordered not long after, and Taylor and I locked ourselves in the break room.
We sat down next to each other at a cheap plastic table, and nibbled on the pizza in silence.
Trying to start a conversation, I say, "Dragon asked me to ask you to call her and Armsmaster when you get a chance. I'm not sure what Armsmaster wants, but Dragon wanted to talk to you about the Guild."
Taylor absentmindedly nods her head. "I'll call them sometime."
We devolve into silence once more.
I take another bite of my pizza and watch Taylor out of the corner of my eye to try to gauge how she's doing.
Her eyes are unfocused, and she's been breathing shallowly since she sat down.
I put my slice down, wipe my hands off, and sit down on the arm of her chair. She jumps a little when I wrap my arms around her.
"What?" She asks.
"Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."
She lets out a sigh and leans into me. "I've been too passive."
When I don't respond, she continues.
"If I had already built half the things I have planned now, I could've gotten dad away. If I didn't handicap myself, I could've already fixed so many problems. Why the hell am I just sitting here when I could be doing
something?" She asks frustrated.
I tighten my grip on her. "Taylor. I need you to listen to me ok?"
She looks me in the eyes, giving me her attention.
"I know what you're telling yourself. You're blaming yourself for every little thing that happens to anyone, and you need to stop. I've been down that road, and it nearly broke me. It would have broken me if you didn't come along. Neither of us can fix everything, and right now that's the last thing on my mind." I shuffle over and hold her gaze so I can impress the importance of this upon her. "You need to rest. After everything that's happened, you need to step away from everything for a bit. Let other heroes deal with what's going on out there, and worry about you."
"Amy, I'm fine." She stresses.
I narrow my eyes at her, and grab her hand. I let my power look her over and shake my head at her.
"Taylor, you know what my power is, and it's telling me that you are very much not 'fine'. Now you're going to lay down and go to sleep, or I'll put you to sleep."
She sighs. "Amy, I need to get to work on the defenses for this place. If someone comes after us..."
"Then HK will deal with them." I cut her off. "Taylor, I am not going to let you work yourself to death in an attempt to bury your problems. You're my rock now, and I'm yours. That means it's my job to make you do things that are good for you even if you hate them. It also means that it's my job to stop you from being stupid. You're not in a good head space to be thinking about any of this, so I'm putting a stop to that. Now, bed. We've already done
enough today, and we'll sort everything else out tomorrow."
"Amy…"
I glare at her and she trails off.
"Fine." She surrenders with a sigh.
We leave the almost three-fourths unfinished pizza where it is and move to the couch.
Taylor sits down and starts to get comfortable, but I lay down and pull her with me.
"Amy, there's not enough room."
"Then we'll squish. Now shush." I bring my hand up and start running it through her hair. She really does have beautiful hair.
She grumbles a little, but settles in. After a few moments, she leans her head into my hand as I comb my fingers through her hair.
"This is nice." She says softly.
I hmm at her words and let my eyes drift closed.
"Amy?"
"Taylor?"
"Thanks."
"You're welcome." I let a small smile grow on my face as the two of us drift off.
A.N.
Probably won't be able to update this, Cold Eyes, or Electric Game for a bit. Finally got a new job, so I'm going to be focusing on irl stuff.
Also, I know this story isn't perfect, I'm not the greatest writer after all, but please try to keep everything constructive. Venting at me isn't helpful, it's just tiring. I'm not being paid to do this, so please, if you don't enjoy this story, just go read something else. There's plenty of great worm fics out there.
Have a good one!
Chapter 9
AgelessReaper
A Custom Title
(Taylor)
I wake up in a tangle of limbs.
Amy is still passed out next to… actually she's on top of me. This is probably going to become a regular thing, so we need to get some furniture that we both actually fit on.
I lay there for a moment debating whether or not to get up, and eventually decide it would be best if I get to work.
Easier said than done due to the unfortunate position of the biomancer on top of me.
I try to shuffle out from under her without waking her up, but her eyes flutter open before I can get free.
She blinks the sleep from her eyes, then tenses up when she notices our position relative to one-another.
We stare at each other for a while, before Amy speaks up.
"This is a little awkward isn't it?"
"Yeah."
The silence returns, and I have to fight off a groan.
Screw it, this isn't productive.
"Could you get off me?" I ask. "I need to get to work."
Amy moves to comply with my request, but stops moving and narrows her eyes when I give me reasoning.
"No." She says and wraps her arms around me.
I blink in surprise. "What?"
"You're not going to bury yourself in your work. It's not healthy."
I have to hold back a sigh. "Amy, I need to get everything set up in the base. We're not going to be safe unless I can set up some defenses."
"Do it tomorrow." She says as she cuddles into me.
This time I sigh out loud. "Amy, the E88 is still pissed at me. They won't wait 'till tomorrow."
"We've been over this. They'll leave you alone for a while." She says with her eyes closed as she uses my shoulder as a pillow. "Kaiser may be a piece of garbage, but he at least respects the unwritten rules. He'll give us a week at least. That means you aren't doing any tinkering today."
I glare at her, but the effect is lost given that her eyes are closed. I let out a long sigh, and relent.
Something tells me I'm not going to win this fight, and she's got a point about Kaiser. I don't know if he himself gives much of a crap about the rules, but his image says he does, and he's not going to risk that for me.
Then again, Dotty and I did already do our best to ruin that image through the website. Maybe I should get to work after all…
Before I can talk to Amy about it, a muffled voice from outside the room says, "Anyone home? I come bearing TV and movies!"
Amy groans, and climbs off of me. "Vicky's here." She walks over to the door and pulls it open.
Freedom! And I didn't even have to convince her to let me go.
She stops at the door, and looks at me expectantly.
"What?" I ask.
"Come on."
"What."
She narrows her eyes at me. "I'm not leaving you alone right now because you'll just go build something, so come on."
I do my best to look offended. "Amy, I'm not going to sneak off to tinker."
She smiles. "Then you can come grab the TV with me!"
I sigh, and grudgingly climb to my feet. "Fine."
She grabs my hand, and we head towards the front door.
Vicky's standing there yelling in through a broken window. "Anyone gonna let me in?"
Amy stops walking and gives her sister an expressionless stare. "Did you break the window just so we would hear you?"
Vicky crosses her arms, offended. "It was like that already, I just took advantage of it."
I let go of Amy's hand, and unlatch the door. I'm sure she could have gotten through it if she wanted to, but it's nice she didn't smash her way in.
She isn't the only one who could though, I should probably make the door more secure. But what if someone goes around the door through the walls? I'll have to reinforce those too, maybe get HK to help. Actually, another helper might be a good idea. It's already public knowledge that I can make robots, so what's a few worker droids to lighten my load? Might as well make some security droids too. HK's good, but it would be nice if…
Amy bops the top of my head. An unexpected feat, given our height difference.
"Stop thinking about how to turn this place into a death trap." She scolds.
I feign offense again. "I wasn't thinking about how to make this place into a death trap."
"Uh… you were mumbling about making security droids." Vicky speaks up.
"That was out loud?" I ask her.
The blonde nods, prompting me to groan.
Amy sighs in exasperation. "Taylor, you and I both need some time off. You're going to relax even if I have to tie you down."
"Amy, I'm fine." I stress.
Vicky shakes her head at me. "If anyone tells you they're fine, they're actually not fine. Amy's right, you need a break." Her face lights up. "Lucky for you, I happen to have a TV and a bunch of movies with me. The furniture should be here soon, so I'll make a snack run, then the three of us can have a movie day!"
"I don't think…" I try to cut in.
"Great idea!" Amy speaks over me. "We'll set everything up while you're gone."
"Be back in a bit." Vicky exits the building, and leaps into the sky, leaving Amy and I behind.
I look at Amy over my shoulder. "Don't I have a say in this?"
She nods as she sifts through the movies Vicky brought over. "Yep, would you rather watch an action flick or a comedy?"
I sigh, and start going through the movies with her.
I'm not getting out of this, so I may as well make the most of it. Besides, maybe a movie day might actually be nice?
We settle on a trashy cape story, and have HK carry the TV up to the break room we crashed in last night. By the time we've got everything set up, a truck pulls up in front of the building.
Amy and I walk down and pay the man dropping off the furniture Vicky ordered for us last night.
He shoots some skeptical glances our way when HK begins to unload everything, but he just mumbles something under his breath about bullshit capes, and leaves.
"Statement: This is degrading, master. My protocols are wasted on menial labor." HK complains as he's helping me haul the bed up the stairs.
"Suck it up." I say. "I'll build someone to help us out tomorrow, but until then, deal with it."
"Statement: Very well, master. Request: Construct a lower functioning platform soon."
"She said she'd do it tomorrow, cut her some slack." Amy says as she plops down on the new couch.
It's nothing fancy, but it isn't falling apart, so it's an improvement on my last one.
HK glares at Amy, and goes to speak, but I interrupt him.
"HK, go see if Dotty needs anything else set up for the slicing rig. If he doesn't, make some sensors for the base. Sensors that only detect when someone gets too close, or inside. Don't make anything that can fight back just yet." I want to supervise him when he does that. Actually, it would probably be better just to make them myself, he can help.
"Statement: I will do as you say, master." HK says dejectedly. He turns and leaves the room.
Maybe I'm being a bit too restricting towards him. He set up the Bacta Tank while Amy and I were asleep without me having to order him. I'm not going to give him free reign to wreak havoc, but he deserves a little leash.
Wow that sounded bad. I don't want to be a slaver. Is ordering him around slavery? Dotty likes his job, but HK doesn't seem happy.
He enjoys fighting and killing right? Maybe I could set something up where he works with the Guild when he has off time.
Note to self, bring that up when you call Dragon. She'll probably have an idea or two.
I sit down on the couch next to Amy, and settle in to wait for Vicky.
She leans into me, and we sit in silence for a while.
Eventually, my mind drifts back to tinkering, and I start brainstorming out loud.
"We'll need to get a lot of projects started tomorrow. I'll need to call Dragon to see if she could get me some parts for my bigger project, I'll need to make another droid to help around the base, and we'll need to go to the beach and collect some crabs or something. I don't want people to freak out and label me a biotinker, so it's probably best we keep the fact that we're growing you armor on the down low as long as possible."
Amy lets out a soft sigh. "Taylor, we're supposed to be taking a trip to New York or something remember?"
"I know, but I want to get your armor started as soon as I can. Even with your help, the things I'm making your armor from will need time to grow. They can grow while we spend however long out of Brockton. I still need to teach you how to properly fight too."
She hmm's softly. "How long do you think that'll take?"
"I don't know. I've still got things I need to improve on, and I've been at it for months. I can probably give you the basics in a week or two, then we'll just improve upon those and make sure you practice."
"Sounds like a lot of work."
I tilt my head down to look at her. "If it can save your life it's worth it."
She sighs. "I know. I'm just irritated. My Manton limit keeps me from working on myself, so I can't cut any corners."
"What kind of corners?" I ask.
"I doubt I'd be able to give myself the right muscle memory without knowing what I was doing, but it would be nice if I could fix myself up so I wouldn't have to train myself to the point where I can run for an hour without throwing up, or be able to alter my muscles."
I swallow a lump in my throat.
"Um," I awkwardly begin. "I might be able to help with that."
Amy looks up at me with a raised eyebrow. "I would hope so. This whole thing was your idea, so it would be kind of disappointing if you didn't have a training plan."
I shake my head. "No. I mean I might be able to help you cut corners."
She looks at me in confusion for a moment, before her eyes go wide. "How?"
I scratch the back of my head and look towards the blank TV screen. "Well, I told Dragon I can make prosthetics, but I left a lot out. Anything I make would be like having the original limb back, except better in most cases. I've also got a huge library of cybernetic implants that will boost various aspects of your physical and mental capabilities."
Amy's jaw hangs open, and she doesn't respond.
"Not that you have to do any of that!" I hurry to add. "I'm not saying you have to make yourself a cyborg, just that I have some options."
She shakes her head, and closes her mouth. She pokes me on my cheek and frowns. "I don't see anything like that in you. Why haven't you done any of that to yourself?"
I chuckle. "Because I was on my own. I wasn't too keen on doing extensive brain surgery on myself, or cutting myself open in general. I would have to be awake to do the procedure, and no matter how many stims I take, I'd still be messing with my own organs."
Amy nods. "I can see how that would be a little off putting." She looks up a little nervously. "I can do it for you?"
I raise an eyebrow. "Can your power move my tinkertech around?"
She shakes her head. "No, not the implants. I could just use my power, and cut out the middle man."
I tilt my head at her.
Huh, why didn't I put it together that she could do that?. It would definitely be nice to get some upgrades.
I go to respond, but a chipper voice yells up from downstairs.
"I brought the snacks!" Vicky calls up.
Amy frowns, and stands up. She begins walking down to let her sister in.
"Hey." I call out.
She turns back around.
"I think it would actually be pretty nice if you'd be willing to do that for me, but let's worry about it later. I think it'll be easier if we do everything at the same time, so I'll order some parts from Dragon, and think about what kind of improvements I'd want. You do the same."
She smiles brightly, and says, "Okay."
I stand up, and follow her downstairs.
True to her word, Vicky is holding several shopping bags overflowing with a wide variety of snack foods.
When was the last time I had a Twizzler? This might actually be fun.
"You got everything ready to go?" Vicky asks.
I nod. "Yeah. The break room's all set up. We've actually got some left over pizza up there too if you're interested."
She raises an eyebrow at me. "You mean to tell me I didn't need to make a snack run?"
"Uh…"
Amy elbows her sister. "Stop giving her a hard time."
Vicky laughs. "Let's get this party started!"
All told, I don't think we left that room for anything other than the occasional bathroom break. The three of us spent the entire day just lying about watching crappy movies and eating junk food.
It was nice. Really nice.
We didn't talk about any of the bullshit from the past couple days, be it my dad or their mom. We just hung out and had fun.
I enjoyed it.
Eventually, the sun went down without us noticing, and we decided to call it a day.
Vicky didn't feel like going home for whatever reason, so she passed out on the new couch while Amy and I shared the bed. A bed that was large enough for two people, meaning they wouldn't have to literally sleep on top of each other.
What a novel concept?
As we laid down to sleep, I couldn't keep the smile off my face.
It had been a long time since I was this happy. Maybe I need that vacation more than I thought?
I feel Amy shuffle in closer, and wrap an arm around her.
Yeah. This is nice.
There's a clicking sound accompanied by a bright flash of light.
I grumble and bring my hand up to ward it off while I open my eyes.
Vicky's floating in the air above me with a shit eating grin on her face. She has her phone out, and is pointing its camera downward. There's another flash as she takes another picture.
Amy moans next to me and rolls over. "Turn the light off." She whines, then rolls over to wrap her arms around me.
Vicky starts giggling, and floats back to the floor. "It's probably about time for me to head back, I'll leave you two to your snuggle time. Let me know when you guys figure out what you're going to do."
"Wait!" I say, but she's already through the door.
I groan and lay my head back against the pillow.
She better not post those anywhere. If she does, I'm sicking Dotty on her.
Amy shuffles around a little bit after I move, then settles back down.
"Morning." I say.
"Morning." She mumbles back, eyes slowly opening. "How are you feeling?"
I don't even try to fight the small smile that makes its way onto my face.
"Better." I say honestly. "A lot better."
She smiles back, then pulls me in for a hug. "Good."
We lay like that for a while longer, just enjoying doing nothing.
"We should probably get up soon." Amy observes. "The sooner we get everything done here, the sooner we can get the hell out of the city. I'd like to leave by tomorrow if at all possible."
I raise an eyebrow at her. "You know we could have started yesterday right?"
She shakes her head. "No. An extra day isn't worth your mental health, now come on."
A little heat creeps onto my face when she says that.
It's nice to have someone worried about you, even if it can be a little taxing.
She rises to her feet, and pulls me along behind her.
I put up a token resistance, but I know she's right. The sooner we finish everything we have to do in the city, the sooner we can ditch for a week or so.
"I'll go talk to Dotty and order some food, you should call Dragon and Armsmaster." Amy says.
"Okay, but be ready to go to the beach in a bit. I'd like to get your armor started as soon as possible."
She nods, then walks off.
I watch her go for a moment, then head in the opposite direction to get my phone calls done.
I only really need to talk to Armsmaster and Dragon, and I'd rather talk to Armsmaster first. The PRT's probably ordered him to get me to come in or something, so I'd rather get that over and done with before I talk to Dragon. Nothing against Armsmaster himself, but I really don't like his bosses.
I make it to my armor, and pull my phone out of the belt.
There's a host of messages and missed calls, but I disregard them. I don't feel like listening to the same condolences over and over again.
I dial Armsmaster, and he picks up on the second ring.
"Mandalore." He greets.
"Hey. Dragon said you wanted me to call you?" I cut to the chase.
"That is correct. Firstly, I would like to offer my condolences for your father."
I suppress a sigh. "Thanks, but can we get to the reason you had me call?" I'm a lot better off than people give me credit for, and all their condolences accomplish is dragging this out.
"Of course." He responds simply. "I have been asked to see if you would be against coming to either the rig or PRT building to discuss the events of both your fight with Bakuda, and with the Dragonslayers."
"I'll pass." I say, though I keep the bite out of my voice. It's not him specifically I'm mad at. "I've already got plans for the next few weeks."
There's a moment of silence.
"Is there anything I could do to convince you to come in?" Armsmaster asks calmly.
"Not really. I'll have Dotty send you a report about everything, but I'm going to be too busy to show up in person." Maybe I shouldn't antagonize the PRT like this, but they kind of pissed me off.
"Very well." Armsmaster sighs. "I will do my best to explain the situation to the director. Would you be willing to send us an overview of the capabilities of your robots?"
"Sorry, no. The fact that their capabilities are secret saved me against the Dragonslayers, I don't want anything to leak."
"I understand. Thank you for your time Mandalore." Armsmaster says, resigned.
"You're welcome." I hang up.
Honestly, I like Armsmaster, but so long as he answers to the PRT, I can't really trust him with anything. Even in the little time I've known him I was able to figure out how dedicated he is to his job. If I give him anything, he'll give it to his superiors who will do god knows what with it. Best to keep the whole organization at arm's length.
One conversation down, one to go.
I dial Dragon's number.
"Mandalore?" She answers.
"Hey Dragon."
"How are you feeling?" She asks gently.
I smile at her question. "Better. A lot better."
"I'm glad to hear it." She says with genuine joy. "What can I help you with?"
"A couple things. Amy said you wanted to talk to me about the Guild, I was hoping to get some tinker materials shipped here, and was wondering where to send some prosthetic designs."
"Well, I would be happy to send you whatever materials you need, and I'll give Dotty a secure email to send any blueprints to me that you would like to work with. As far as the Guild is concerned, I have spoken with Narwhal, and, in light of your accomplishments, she would be open to accepting you into the Guild whenever you choose to accept the position."
My jaw hangs open.
"Just like that?" I say, shocked.
"No. Not just like that. You've made a worldwide impact with your tech, and eliminated the Dragonslayers. A group that has been impeding our progress for years. You've earned membership."
I swallow a lump in my throat. "Can I think about it? A lot's changed in a short while." Dad, Amy, and the droids just to name a few.
"Take as long as you need Taylor. Even if you do not decide to join, we would like for you to become an affiliate. Essentially all that would entail is an agreement to help one-another when the situation calls for it."
"Well, I'm pretty sure I'll accept that regardless. Oh! Would you know of any way that HK could work with the Guild without my oversight?" Keeping him locked up in a run down factory isn't really fair to him. If I can point him at the bad guys and cut him loose, we'll both be happy.
"I can honestly say I don't know. There has never been a precedent for something like that. I'll talk to Narwhal, and see what we come up with."
"Thanks Dragon."
"You're welcome. Now, may I ask what you are planning on doing in the short term? I would recommend taking a short break to collect yourself."
I smile. "Way ahead of you. Amy and I were going to take care of a few things, then get out of town for a couple of days. Maybe a week."
"Good." Dragon sounds relieved. "I would hate to see you run yourself into the ground. Let me know if you need transportation of any sort."
"I might take you up on that."
"It was nice to speak with you Taylor, but I'm afraid I'm needed elsewhere." She says apologetically. "I'll contact Dotty regarding the materials you require."
"Go ahead. I would bet you've got a lot on your plate right now."
"I'm glad you are doing better, Taylor. Goodbye."
"Bye."
We both hang up.
I let out a sigh as I put the phone down.
I really need to get away from all this. I was planning on building some more droids to help defend the warehouse and move stuff around, but Amy's right. If we can be leaving Brockton tomorrow morning, I'll be more than happy.
"Hey." Amy pokes her head into the room. "Foods here. I ordered sandwiches."
I follow her back to the break room-we need to find a better thing to call this room-and we sit down to eat.
The meal's nothing fancy. Just some ham sandwiches she ordered from a sub place. It tastes good though.
"Are you ready to go?" I ask in between bites. "If we can get back here before too long I can make some defenses for this place while you work on the creatures."
She raises an eyebrow at me. "Where'd the urgency come from?"
"I was thinking about how you said you maybe wanted to leave tomorrow, and realized that was really appealing to me. If we can get out of here tomorrow, I'd like to."
"Alright. You'll have to get me started on what to do, I can't make something without knowing what I'm making, but I don't see any issues other than that."
"Cool." I swallow my last bite. "I'm ready when you are."
She finishes up her sandwich, and stands. "How are we getting to the beach? Our pictures are just about everywhere, and I'd like to avoid drawing a crowd."
"We'll just huddle under my stealth field. So long as we don't move too fast, it should cover both of us."
She gives me a skeptical look. "'Should'?"
I shrug. "It'll be fine."
I ignore her half lidded stare, and the two of us get ready to head out. I grab my helmet as I'm leaving so I can use its HUD to help us locate things faster. We also grabbed a large bag to carry everything back in.
Sure enough, the stealth field covers both of us so long as we walk slow, but if we stray too far from each other or make rapid movements it fails. It does work though.
Sadly, Amy didn't see the smug grin I shot her way due to the whole 'us being invisible' thing.
I wrapped my arm around her shoulders to keep us from getting separated, and we were off. Talking was kept to a minimum so no one would hear us, and we did our best to just avoid people in general.
All told, it took us a little over half an hour to make it to a clear part of the beach. The warehouse is surprisingly close to the beach. I don't know if that jacked the price up at all, but if so, I owe Dragon.
I deactivated the stealth field, and used my helmet's HUD to hunt down some crabs.
Truthfully, with Amy's power we don't need crustaceans, but it'll make things easier.
Using my HUD makes the hunt child's play, and we start gathering ones that I'll be able to use.
"So you haven't really told me what you're planning to make yet." Amy prompts as we start gathering crabs. "All you've really said is that it'd be made from living things, and I've pieced together it'll be a shell of some kind given we're hunting crabs."
I really haven't told her what I'm planning to make have I?
"Sorry. I wasn't trying to keep it from you or anything. It's called Vonduun crab armor. It's resistant to extreme temperatures, plasma, laser bolts, blades, blunt weapons, a lot really. There will also be a lot of sharp spikes and blades protruding from various places that you should be able to control with your power. Add onto that the Bacta I'm now planning to put in it, and you'll have some effective weapons as well as protection. We could maybe even set something up where we put mosquitos or something in it."
"We are not putting mosquitos in my armor." Amy says with passion.
"Oh no, not regular mosquitos, but between the two of us, we could probably design something that would inject you with stims or some other things I can make to help you fight or numb pain as needed. We might even be able to weaponize it somehow."
"Huh." Amy's eyes lose focus as she starts to think.
She doesn't move for a full minute, and I start to get worried.
"Amy?"
She jolts out of her stupor. "Sorry, just thinking. We really need to discuss power combinations when we get a moment."
"Yeah. There's a lot the two of us can do together."
"We'll save that discussion for later."
I nod in agreement, and we continue gathering sea creatures.
As we gather crabs, we kill them as humanely as possible. Neither Amy nor myself are psychopaths, so we are not going to be cutting these guys open while they're still alive.
I was originally going to kill them back at the lab through a combination of my vibroblade and a freezer like I read online, but Amy's power is literally the least pain inducing way to kill these animals, so she volunteered to do it.
Once the bag is full, and I'm satisfied we'll have enough to get everything growing properly, we reactivate the stealth field and head back.
We've been gone for a couple hours when we make it back to the warehouse.
Man, we really need a better name for this place.
We haul everything inside, and HK helps us to get everything up to the floor where we'll be working.
Feeling a little dramatic, I clap my hands together as I look down at the fruits of our labor.
"Showtime!"
(Amy)
I roll my eyes at Taylor's theatrics, and ask, "So now what?"
She turns to me, and purses her lips. "That depends on you. If we do this my way it'll probably take around a month to grow enough to make the armor, and that's only if I checked on them every day or so. What do you need to duplicate things?"
I shrug. "I really just need an example. The reason I had so much trouble with the Bacta was because I was trying to alter something I had never seen before into something else I'd never seen before. If you can make me something to copy, I should be able to replicate it fairly easily."
Taylor tilted her head at the crabs while she considered what I said. "Ok. Give me a bit."
She walked over to the bin and pulled out a single crab. She brought it over to a table with a weird blender-like device.
"Are you going to puree it?" I asked, skeptical.
"What?" She asked, then followed my gaze to the blender thing. "Oh! No, this is what I use to make my stims. I'll need to make some fluids to inject into the crab in order for it to start changing into what I need to go further."
"Ah. Can I help?" I ask as I walk up next to her.
"Um… sure? You can help me mix everything."
The two of us spent the next fifteen minutes pouring various vials full of tinker fluid into the weird blender thing while Taylor prodded at the dead crab.
"Ok. That should do it." She says as she pushes a button on the blender.
There's a low humming sound as the thing powers on, and a faint blue light starts leaking out from behind the mixture we just mixed.
"That looks high tech." I comment as I watch the device do its work.
Taylor shrugs. "Eh, I've been wanting to make a better one for a while, I just haven't had any materials to spare. Just another thing to add to the post vacation to-do list."
"I guess. How much longer until it's done?"
Taylor holds up three fingers…. two fingers…. one finger…
There's a faint *ding* and the machine powers itself down.
"Nice." I say.
Taylor grins, and pulls the container free. She produces a syringe from… somewhere, and sucks some of the liquid up into it before injecting it into the crab.
"Ok." She says as she steps back. "That should take an hour or two, but we can work on the others while it does its job."
Curious, I poke the crab to see what's happening.
The foreign agent Taylor injected into the crab is changing it. I mean, that's kind of obvious given what the goal of this project was, but I didn't expect it to work like this. The crab's DNA is being altered in front of me.
I'm so shocked I didn't realize Taylor poking me on the shoulder.
"You alright?" She asks, concerned.
"This is amazing." I breathe out.
I start prodding the crab with my power, and realize I can accelerate the process.
Taylor looks on in confusion as I speed everything up. The crab's sand colored shell turns darker, rougher, and much tougher. A few small, greyish spikes even protrude out from it in random places.
Transformation finished, I turn to Taylor with a wide grin and ask, "Does it look right?"
Her jaw is hanging open, and she's numbly staring at the crab.
"You just… there were like fifty more steps to get it to that point." She turns her gaze on me. "Your power is complete BS."
I snort. "This coming from the girl who unironically said she could blow up the sun?"
She smiles. "Point." She looks back down at the crab. "So, that was essentially what I was trying to do. That is more or less what I'm making the armor out of. Now I just need more, think you can change the rest of the crabs and maybe get more growing?"
I poke the crab again, and my power tells me everything there is to know about it. "Uhuh. I'll change the rest, and get more growing. It won't be too hard to get some eggs fertilized." I'm already moving to the bin of dead crabs at the thought of making more of the weird material. I've never done something like this before. It's exciting!
"Huh. So that's what a tinker fugue looks like from the other side. Okay, I'll leave you to it. Just make sure that nothing can reproduce when you're done. We need more material, but make sure that everything you get growing is sterile." Taylor says seriously.
I nod. "I know. Don't worry."
"Ok. Do you need any help?"
"Nope. Go ahead and build one of those droids you wanted. We should finish at about the same time."
"Alright, I'll see you in a bit." She leaves after giving me a quick hug.
I turn my attention back to the crabs, and grin.
This is going to be interesting.
(Taylor)
I seriously underestimated how much help Amy would be with the crabs. I was expecting I'd have to walk her through everything, but she really did only need a single example, and from there I became obsolete. Her power really is as bullshit as mine.
Is it bad that that thought brought a bright smile to my face? Probably.
Thanks to her help, I was able to spend the next couple of hours putting together a simple worker droid. He's not impressive, but he does have his own little charm.
He's a darker shade of bronze than HK, his faceplate is more rounded, and his chassis is bulkier, but otherwise he looks something similar.
"Greetings master. Is there something I can help you with?" He asks politely as he stands for the first time.
"Well, first things first you need a name."
Let's see. BLX General Labor Droid doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. GLaD? No, I feel like that needs more letters to be a good name. BLX… 'B'… Barry? I actually kind of like that.
"What do you think of Barry?"
"I would be honored to receive such a designation."
"Alright then. Your name is Barry. I don't really have much work for you right now, but could you give the warehouse a once over? When Amy and I leave I'll also need you to watch the crabs."
"Of course master. I will do so now." He leaves.
Hmm. Much more cheery than HK. Maybe if I let the droids do what they were designed for they'll be more happy. Guess it's a good thing Dragon set up that position for HK.
"All done?"
I turn to the voice and see Amy leaning against the door frame.
"Just finished. You?"
She grins at me. "I was done an hour and a half ago. I just spent the time double checking everything."
"Showoff."
She chuckles, and we walk out of the room and down the hall together.
"Anything else you need to get done before we leave?" She asks me as we head to our room.
"Not really. Barry can handle building most of the defenses I wanted while we're gone, and I can always make a few security droids when we get back. All we need to do now is take off."
"Um, important detail, how are we leaving?" Amy asks.
"Dragon said she'd be willing to give us a ride, so unless you have an issue with that, I was thinking we'll take her up on that."
Amy shrugs. "No complaints here."
"Cool."
The two of us munch on some snacks left over from our movie day, and lie down in bed.
"I'll call Dragon in the morning to see if she'll give us a ride somewhere. You should probably tell Vicky we're heading out. I remember she wanted to know when we left."
Amy nods tiredly. "I will, but sleep now."
She rests her head against my shoulder, and closes her eyes.
I smile down at her, and start running my hand through her hair.
It doesn't take long for the two of us to fall asleep.
We woke a little after the sun came up, and went about making our respective phone calls. Amy called Vicky to tell her what we were doing, and I called Dragon to ask for a ride.
Dragon was more than happy to help. I was expecting a bus ride or something, but she bought us a car. Like, she bought a car and just gave it to us.
I tried to talk her out of it, but she just said she'd already spent the money on it.
She also had good news about HK. Apparently the Guild was more than willing to accept the help of a droid who helped take down the Dragonslayers. He'll be under Dragon's oversight, but he didn't seem to have a problem with it when I gave him the phone.
I'm not sure exactly what he'll be doing with Dragon, but he seemed excited, so I'm happy.
Dragon told us she was on her way, and we hung up.
HK practically pranced off to get his gear, leaving me alone with Barry. I spent the little time before Dragon showed up talking with Barry about the defenses I wanted him to get built. Some things were beyond him, but all the basic stuff should be taken care of by the time Amy and I get back.
"Taylor!" Amy calls up from downstairs. "Dragon's here!"
"I'll be down in a sec!" I quickly stow my tools, and grab everything I've decided to bring with me.
Both Amy and I have blasters, shields, our communicators, and phones. I also have my lightsaber and stealth field generator, and Amy's bringing a jar of bacta fluid.
"We're leaving Barry! Watch the warehouse and the crabs! And get as many of those defenses done as you can!"
"I will do so. Enjoy yourself, master." Barry's kind voice replied.
I think I managed to make the perfect butler droid. That's pretty awesome.
I run down the stairs, and out the front doors after saying a brief goodbye to Dotty.
Outside, an orange and green Dragon suit, Amy, and HK are all waiting for me. HK is geared up with all of his extremely dangerous equipment, once more looking like robot Rambo, and I can't help but feel like he's smiling.
"Sorry about that." I say. "I was just talking to Barry."
"No worries." Dragon says. "HK and I were just clearing up exactly what it is he will be doing with the Guild during your vacation."
I turn to HK. "Does everything seem good? You won't be bored or put into a situation you don't want to be in?"
"Answer: No master. Quite the contrary, I will enjoy this immensely."
So he probably gets to shoot people then. Oh well, if they're Guild targets, they deserve it.
"I'm glad." I turn to Amy. "Are you ready?"
She nods, and points her thumb at a small blue sedan parked behind her. "I'm all packed up. Not like we're bringing all that much."
We really aren't. Just clothes, some snacks, toiletries, and the tinker gear. Everything else we can buy whenever we get to wherever it is we're going.
"Thanks again Dragon. This means a lot." I say sincerely.
"Think nothing of it. Just focus on getting better. Now, HK and I must depart. Call me if you have any problems." She holds her arm out, and HK latches on. A moment later, the two of them fly away.
"He's going to blow up so much shit isn't he?" Amy asks as we watch them fly off.
I nod. "Most likely."
"Welp, he's Dragon's problem now. I vote we get on the road, and worry about everything else later."
"Seconded."
I throw my stuff in the car, then hop into the driver's seat.
Neither Amy or myself ever went through the process of getting a driver's license, so we technically shouldn't be driving, but I'm an outed tinker who is likely a better driver than most NASCAR racers thanks to my bullshit tinker skill download. If anyone pulls us over Dragon said to just have them check PHO.
I start the engine, and turn to Amy. "So, where to?"
A.N. Next chap will be up when it's done.
I wake up in a tangle of limbs.
Amy is still passed out next to… actually she's on top of me. This is probably going to become a regular thing, so we need to get some furniture that we both actually fit on.
I lay there for a moment debating whether or not to get up, and eventually decide it would be best if I get to work.
Easier said than done due to the unfortunate position of the biomancer on top of me.
I try to shuffle out from under her without waking her up, but her eyes flutter open before I can get free.
She blinks the sleep from her eyes, then tenses up when she notices our position relative to one-another.
We stare at each other for a while, before Amy speaks up.
"This is a little awkward isn't it?"
"Yeah."
The silence returns, and I have to fight off a groan.
Screw it, this isn't productive.
"Could you get off me?" I ask. "I need to get to work."
Amy moves to comply with my request, but stops moving and narrows her eyes when I give me reasoning.
"No." She says and wraps her arms around me.
I blink in surprise. "What?"
"You're not going to bury yourself in your work. It's not healthy."
I have to hold back a sigh. "Amy, I need to get everything set up in the base. We're not going to be safe unless I can set up some defenses."
"Do it tomorrow." She says as she cuddles into me.
This time I sigh out loud. "Amy, the E88 is still pissed at me. They won't wait 'till tomorrow."
"We've been over this. They'll leave you alone for a while." She says with her eyes closed as she uses my shoulder as a pillow. "Kaiser may be a piece of garbage, but he at least respects the unwritten rules. He'll give us a week at least. That means you aren't doing any tinkering today."
I glare at her, but the effect is lost given that her eyes are closed. I let out a long sigh, and relent.
Something tells me I'm not going to win this fight, and she's got a point about Kaiser. I don't know if he himself gives much of a crap about the rules, but his image says he does, and he's not going to risk that for me.
Then again, Dotty and I did already do our best to ruin that image through the website. Maybe I should get to work after all…
Before I can talk to Amy about it, a muffled voice from outside the room says, "Anyone home? I come bearing TV and movies!"
Amy groans, and climbs off of me. "Vicky's here." She walks over to the door and pulls it open.
Freedom! And I didn't even have to convince her to let me go.
She stops at the door, and looks at me expectantly.
"What?" I ask.
"Come on."
"What."
She narrows her eyes at me. "I'm not leaving you alone right now because you'll just go build something, so come on."
I do my best to look offended. "Amy, I'm not going to sneak off to tinker."
She smiles. "Then you can come grab the TV with me!"
I sigh, and grudgingly climb to my feet. "Fine."
She grabs my hand, and we head towards the front door.
Vicky's standing there yelling in through a broken window. "Anyone gonna let me in?"
Amy stops walking and gives her sister an expressionless stare. "Did you break the window just so we would hear you?"
Vicky crosses her arms, offended. "It was like that already, I just took advantage of it."
I let go of Amy's hand, and unlatch the door. I'm sure she could have gotten through it if she wanted to, but it's nice she didn't smash her way in.
She isn't the only one who could though, I should probably make the door more secure. But what if someone goes around the door through the walls? I'll have to reinforce those too, maybe get HK to help. Actually, another helper might be a good idea. It's already public knowledge that I can make robots, so what's a few worker droids to lighten my load? Might as well make some security droids too. HK's good, but it would be nice if…
Amy bops the top of my head. An unexpected feat, given our height difference.
"Stop thinking about how to turn this place into a death trap." She scolds.
I feign offense again. "I wasn't thinking about how to make this place into a death trap."
"Uh… you were mumbling about making security droids." Vicky speaks up.
"That was out loud?" I ask her.
The blonde nods, prompting me to groan.
Amy sighs in exasperation. "Taylor, you and I both need some time off. You're going to relax even if I have to tie you down."
"Amy, I'm fine." I stress.
Vicky shakes her head at me. "If anyone tells you they're fine, they're actually not fine. Amy's right, you need a break." Her face lights up. "Lucky for you, I happen to have a TV and a bunch of movies with me. The furniture should be here soon, so I'll make a snack run, then the three of us can have a movie day!"
"I don't think…" I try to cut in.
"Great idea!" Amy speaks over me. "We'll set everything up while you're gone."
"Be back in a bit." Vicky exits the building, and leaps into the sky, leaving Amy and I behind.
I look at Amy over my shoulder. "Don't I have a say in this?"
She nods as she sifts through the movies Vicky brought over. "Yep, would you rather watch an action flick or a comedy?"
I sigh, and start going through the movies with her.
I'm not getting out of this, so I may as well make the most of it. Besides, maybe a movie day might actually be nice?
We settle on a trashy cape story, and have HK carry the TV up to the break room we crashed in last night. By the time we've got everything set up, a truck pulls up in front of the building.
Amy and I walk down and pay the man dropping off the furniture Vicky ordered for us last night.
He shoots some skeptical glances our way when HK begins to unload everything, but he just mumbles something under his breath about bullshit capes, and leaves.
"Statement: This is degrading, master. My protocols are wasted on menial labor." HK complains as he's helping me haul the bed up the stairs.
"Suck it up." I say. "I'll build someone to help us out tomorrow, but until then, deal with it."
"Statement: Very well, master. Request: Construct a lower functioning platform soon."
"She said she'd do it tomorrow, cut her some slack." Amy says as she plops down on the new couch.
It's nothing fancy, but it isn't falling apart, so it's an improvement on my last one.
HK glares at Amy, and goes to speak, but I interrupt him.
"HK, go see if Dotty needs anything else set up for the slicing rig. If he doesn't, make some sensors for the base. Sensors that only detect when someone gets too close, or inside. Don't make anything that can fight back just yet." I want to supervise him when he does that. Actually, it would probably be better just to make them myself, he can help.
"Statement: I will do as you say, master." HK says dejectedly. He turns and leaves the room.
Maybe I'm being a bit too restricting towards him. He set up the Bacta Tank while Amy and I were asleep without me having to order him. I'm not going to give him free reign to wreak havoc, but he deserves a little leash.
Wow that sounded bad. I don't want to be a slaver. Is ordering him around slavery? Dotty likes his job, but HK doesn't seem happy.
He enjoys fighting and killing right? Maybe I could set something up where he works with the Guild when he has off time.
Note to self, bring that up when you call Dragon. She'll probably have an idea or two.
I sit down on the couch next to Amy, and settle in to wait for Vicky.
She leans into me, and we sit in silence for a while.
Eventually, my mind drifts back to tinkering, and I start brainstorming out loud.
"We'll need to get a lot of projects started tomorrow. I'll need to call Dragon to see if she could get me some parts for my bigger project, I'll need to make another droid to help around the base, and we'll need to go to the beach and collect some crabs or something. I don't want people to freak out and label me a biotinker, so it's probably best we keep the fact that we're growing you armor on the down low as long as possible."
Amy lets out a soft sigh. "Taylor, we're supposed to be taking a trip to New York or something remember?"
"I know, but I want to get your armor started as soon as I can. Even with your help, the things I'm making your armor from will need time to grow. They can grow while we spend however long out of Brockton. I still need to teach you how to properly fight too."
She hmm's softly. "How long do you think that'll take?"
"I don't know. I've still got things I need to improve on, and I've been at it for months. I can probably give you the basics in a week or two, then we'll just improve upon those and make sure you practice."
"Sounds like a lot of work."
I tilt my head down to look at her. "If it can save your life it's worth it."
She sighs. "I know. I'm just irritated. My Manton limit keeps me from working on myself, so I can't cut any corners."
"What kind of corners?" I ask.
"I doubt I'd be able to give myself the right muscle memory without knowing what I was doing, but it would be nice if I could fix myself up so I wouldn't have to train myself to the point where I can run for an hour without throwing up, or be able to alter my muscles."
I swallow a lump in my throat.
"Um," I awkwardly begin. "I might be able to help with that."
Amy looks up at me with a raised eyebrow. "I would hope so. This whole thing was your idea, so it would be kind of disappointing if you didn't have a training plan."
I shake my head. "No. I mean I might be able to help you cut corners."
She looks at me in confusion for a moment, before her eyes go wide. "How?"
I scratch the back of my head and look towards the blank TV screen. "Well, I told Dragon I can make prosthetics, but I left a lot out. Anything I make would be like having the original limb back, except better in most cases. I've also got a huge library of cybernetic implants that will boost various aspects of your physical and mental capabilities."
Amy's jaw hangs open, and she doesn't respond.
"Not that you have to do any of that!" I hurry to add. "I'm not saying you have to make yourself a cyborg, just that I have some options."
She shakes her head, and closes her mouth. She pokes me on my cheek and frowns. "I don't see anything like that in you. Why haven't you done any of that to yourself?"
I chuckle. "Because I was on my own. I wasn't too keen on doing extensive brain surgery on myself, or cutting myself open in general. I would have to be awake to do the procedure, and no matter how many stims I take, I'd still be messing with my own organs."
Amy nods. "I can see how that would be a little off putting." She looks up a little nervously. "I can do it for you?"
I raise an eyebrow. "Can your power move my tinkertech around?"
She shakes her head. "No, not the implants. I could just use my power, and cut out the middle man."
I tilt my head at her.
Huh, why didn't I put it together that she could do that?. It would definitely be nice to get some upgrades.
I go to respond, but a chipper voice yells up from downstairs.
"I brought the snacks!" Vicky calls up.
Amy frowns, and stands up. She begins walking down to let her sister in.
"Hey." I call out.
She turns back around.
"I think it would actually be pretty nice if you'd be willing to do that for me, but let's worry about it later. I think it'll be easier if we do everything at the same time, so I'll order some parts from Dragon, and think about what kind of improvements I'd want. You do the same."
She smiles brightly, and says, "Okay."
I stand up, and follow her downstairs.
True to her word, Vicky is holding several shopping bags overflowing with a wide variety of snack foods.
When was the last time I had a Twizzler? This might actually be fun.
"You got everything ready to go?" Vicky asks.
I nod. "Yeah. The break room's all set up. We've actually got some left over pizza up there too if you're interested."
She raises an eyebrow at me. "You mean to tell me I didn't need to make a snack run?"
"Uh…"
Amy elbows her sister. "Stop giving her a hard time."
Vicky laughs. "Let's get this party started!"
All told, I don't think we left that room for anything other than the occasional bathroom break. The three of us spent the entire day just lying about watching crappy movies and eating junk food.
It was nice. Really nice.
We didn't talk about any of the bullshit from the past couple days, be it my dad or their mom. We just hung out and had fun.
I enjoyed it.
Eventually, the sun went down without us noticing, and we decided to call it a day.
Vicky didn't feel like going home for whatever reason, so she passed out on the new couch while Amy and I shared the bed. A bed that was large enough for two people, meaning they wouldn't have to literally sleep on top of each other.
What a novel concept?
As we laid down to sleep, I couldn't keep the smile off my face.
It had been a long time since I was this happy. Maybe I need that vacation more than I thought?
I feel Amy shuffle in closer, and wrap an arm around her.
Yeah. This is nice.
There's a clicking sound accompanied by a bright flash of light.
I grumble and bring my hand up to ward it off while I open my eyes.
Vicky's floating in the air above me with a shit eating grin on her face. She has her phone out, and is pointing its camera downward. There's another flash as she takes another picture.
Amy moans next to me and rolls over. "Turn the light off." She whines, then rolls over to wrap her arms around me.
Vicky starts giggling, and floats back to the floor. "It's probably about time for me to head back, I'll leave you two to your snuggle time. Let me know when you guys figure out what you're going to do."
"Wait!" I say, but she's already through the door.
I groan and lay my head back against the pillow.
She better not post those anywhere. If she does, I'm sicking Dotty on her.
Amy shuffles around a little bit after I move, then settles back down.
"Morning." I say.
"Morning." She mumbles back, eyes slowly opening. "How are you feeling?"
I don't even try to fight the small smile that makes its way onto my face.
"Better." I say honestly. "A lot better."
She smiles back, then pulls me in for a hug. "Good."
We lay like that for a while longer, just enjoying doing nothing.
"We should probably get up soon." Amy observes. "The sooner we get everything done here, the sooner we can get the hell out of the city. I'd like to leave by tomorrow if at all possible."
I raise an eyebrow at her. "You know we could have started yesterday right?"
She shakes her head. "No. An extra day isn't worth your mental health, now come on."
A little heat creeps onto my face when she says that.
It's nice to have someone worried about you, even if it can be a little taxing.
She rises to her feet, and pulls me along behind her.
I put up a token resistance, but I know she's right. The sooner we finish everything we have to do in the city, the sooner we can ditch for a week or so.
"I'll go talk to Dotty and order some food, you should call Dragon and Armsmaster." Amy says.
"Okay, but be ready to go to the beach in a bit. I'd like to get your armor started as soon as possible."
She nods, then walks off.
I watch her go for a moment, then head in the opposite direction to get my phone calls done.
I only really need to talk to Armsmaster and Dragon, and I'd rather talk to Armsmaster first. The PRT's probably ordered him to get me to come in or something, so I'd rather get that over and done with before I talk to Dragon. Nothing against Armsmaster himself, but I really don't like his bosses.
I make it to my armor, and pull my phone out of the belt.
There's a host of messages and missed calls, but I disregard them. I don't feel like listening to the same condolences over and over again.
I dial Armsmaster, and he picks up on the second ring.
"Mandalore." He greets.
"Hey. Dragon said you wanted me to call you?" I cut to the chase.
"That is correct. Firstly, I would like to offer my condolences for your father."
I suppress a sigh. "Thanks, but can we get to the reason you had me call?" I'm a lot better off than people give me credit for, and all their condolences accomplish is dragging this out.
"Of course." He responds simply. "I have been asked to see if you would be against coming to either the rig or PRT building to discuss the events of both your fight with Bakuda, and with the Dragonslayers."
"I'll pass." I say, though I keep the bite out of my voice. It's not him specifically I'm mad at. "I've already got plans for the next few weeks."
There's a moment of silence.
"Is there anything I could do to convince you to come in?" Armsmaster asks calmly.
"Not really. I'll have Dotty send you a report about everything, but I'm going to be too busy to show up in person." Maybe I shouldn't antagonize the PRT like this, but they kind of pissed me off.
"Very well." Armsmaster sighs. "I will do my best to explain the situation to the director. Would you be willing to send us an overview of the capabilities of your robots?"
"Sorry, no. The fact that their capabilities are secret saved me against the Dragonslayers, I don't want anything to leak."
"I understand. Thank you for your time Mandalore." Armsmaster says, resigned.
"You're welcome." I hang up.
Honestly, I like Armsmaster, but so long as he answers to the PRT, I can't really trust him with anything. Even in the little time I've known him I was able to figure out how dedicated he is to his job. If I give him anything, he'll give it to his superiors who will do god knows what with it. Best to keep the whole organization at arm's length.
One conversation down, one to go.
I dial Dragon's number.
"Mandalore?" She answers.
"Hey Dragon."
"How are you feeling?" She asks gently.
I smile at her question. "Better. A lot better."
"I'm glad to hear it." She says with genuine joy. "What can I help you with?"
"A couple things. Amy said you wanted to talk to me about the Guild, I was hoping to get some tinker materials shipped here, and was wondering where to send some prosthetic designs."
"Well, I would be happy to send you whatever materials you need, and I'll give Dotty a secure email to send any blueprints to me that you would like to work with. As far as the Guild is concerned, I have spoken with Narwhal, and, in light of your accomplishments, she would be open to accepting you into the Guild whenever you choose to accept the position."
My jaw hangs open.
"Just like that?" I say, shocked.
"No. Not just like that. You've made a worldwide impact with your tech, and eliminated the Dragonslayers. A group that has been impeding our progress for years. You've earned membership."
I swallow a lump in my throat. "Can I think about it? A lot's changed in a short while." Dad, Amy, and the droids just to name a few.
"Take as long as you need Taylor. Even if you do not decide to join, we would like for you to become an affiliate. Essentially all that would entail is an agreement to help one-another when the situation calls for it."
"Well, I'm pretty sure I'll accept that regardless. Oh! Would you know of any way that HK could work with the Guild without my oversight?" Keeping him locked up in a run down factory isn't really fair to him. If I can point him at the bad guys and cut him loose, we'll both be happy.
"I can honestly say I don't know. There has never been a precedent for something like that. I'll talk to Narwhal, and see what we come up with."
"Thanks Dragon."
"You're welcome. Now, may I ask what you are planning on doing in the short term? I would recommend taking a short break to collect yourself."
I smile. "Way ahead of you. Amy and I were going to take care of a few things, then get out of town for a couple of days. Maybe a week."
"Good." Dragon sounds relieved. "I would hate to see you run yourself into the ground. Let me know if you need transportation of any sort."
"I might take you up on that."
"It was nice to speak with you Taylor, but I'm afraid I'm needed elsewhere." She says apologetically. "I'll contact Dotty regarding the materials you require."
"Go ahead. I would bet you've got a lot on your plate right now."
"I'm glad you are doing better, Taylor. Goodbye."
"Bye."
We both hang up.
I let out a sigh as I put the phone down.
I really need to get away from all this. I was planning on building some more droids to help defend the warehouse and move stuff around, but Amy's right. If we can be leaving Brockton tomorrow morning, I'll be more than happy.
"Hey." Amy pokes her head into the room. "Foods here. I ordered sandwiches."
I follow her back to the break room-we need to find a better thing to call this room-and we sit down to eat.
The meal's nothing fancy. Just some ham sandwiches she ordered from a sub place. It tastes good though.
"Are you ready to go?" I ask in between bites. "If we can get back here before too long I can make some defenses for this place while you work on the creatures."
She raises an eyebrow at me. "Where'd the urgency come from?"
"I was thinking about how you said you maybe wanted to leave tomorrow, and realized that was really appealing to me. If we can get out of here tomorrow, I'd like to."
"Alright. You'll have to get me started on what to do, I can't make something without knowing what I'm making, but I don't see any issues other than that."
"Cool." I swallow my last bite. "I'm ready when you are."
She finishes up her sandwich, and stands. "How are we getting to the beach? Our pictures are just about everywhere, and I'd like to avoid drawing a crowd."
"We'll just huddle under my stealth field. So long as we don't move too fast, it should cover both of us."
She gives me a skeptical look. "'Should'?"
I shrug. "It'll be fine."
I ignore her half lidded stare, and the two of us get ready to head out. I grab my helmet as I'm leaving so I can use its HUD to help us locate things faster. We also grabbed a large bag to carry everything back in.
Sure enough, the stealth field covers both of us so long as we walk slow, but if we stray too far from each other or make rapid movements it fails. It does work though.
Sadly, Amy didn't see the smug grin I shot her way due to the whole 'us being invisible' thing.
I wrapped my arm around her shoulders to keep us from getting separated, and we were off. Talking was kept to a minimum so no one would hear us, and we did our best to just avoid people in general.
All told, it took us a little over half an hour to make it to a clear part of the beach. The warehouse is surprisingly close to the beach. I don't know if that jacked the price up at all, but if so, I owe Dragon.
I deactivated the stealth field, and used my helmet's HUD to hunt down some crabs.
Truthfully, with Amy's power we don't need crustaceans, but it'll make things easier.
Using my HUD makes the hunt child's play, and we start gathering ones that I'll be able to use.
"So you haven't really told me what you're planning to make yet." Amy prompts as we start gathering crabs. "All you've really said is that it'd be made from living things, and I've pieced together it'll be a shell of some kind given we're hunting crabs."
I really haven't told her what I'm planning to make have I?
"Sorry. I wasn't trying to keep it from you or anything. It's called Vonduun crab armor. It's resistant to extreme temperatures, plasma, laser bolts, blades, blunt weapons, a lot really. There will also be a lot of sharp spikes and blades protruding from various places that you should be able to control with your power. Add onto that the Bacta I'm now planning to put in it, and you'll have some effective weapons as well as protection. We could maybe even set something up where we put mosquitos or something in it."
"We are not putting mosquitos in my armor." Amy says with passion.
"Oh no, not regular mosquitos, but between the two of us, we could probably design something that would inject you with stims or some other things I can make to help you fight or numb pain as needed. We might even be able to weaponize it somehow."
"Huh." Amy's eyes lose focus as she starts to think.
She doesn't move for a full minute, and I start to get worried.
"Amy?"
She jolts out of her stupor. "Sorry, just thinking. We really need to discuss power combinations when we get a moment."
"Yeah. There's a lot the two of us can do together."
"We'll save that discussion for later."
I nod in agreement, and we continue gathering sea creatures.
As we gather crabs, we kill them as humanely as possible. Neither Amy nor myself are psychopaths, so we are not going to be cutting these guys open while they're still alive.
I was originally going to kill them back at the lab through a combination of my vibroblade and a freezer like I read online, but Amy's power is literally the least pain inducing way to kill these animals, so she volunteered to do it.
Once the bag is full, and I'm satisfied we'll have enough to get everything growing properly, we reactivate the stealth field and head back.
We've been gone for a couple hours when we make it back to the warehouse.
Man, we really need a better name for this place.
We haul everything inside, and HK helps us to get everything up to the floor where we'll be working.
Feeling a little dramatic, I clap my hands together as I look down at the fruits of our labor.
"Showtime!"
(Amy)
I roll my eyes at Taylor's theatrics, and ask, "So now what?"
She turns to me, and purses her lips. "That depends on you. If we do this my way it'll probably take around a month to grow enough to make the armor, and that's only if I checked on them every day or so. What do you need to duplicate things?"
I shrug. "I really just need an example. The reason I had so much trouble with the Bacta was because I was trying to alter something I had never seen before into something else I'd never seen before. If you can make me something to copy, I should be able to replicate it fairly easily."
Taylor tilted her head at the crabs while she considered what I said. "Ok. Give me a bit."
She walked over to the bin and pulled out a single crab. She brought it over to a table with a weird blender-like device.
"Are you going to puree it?" I asked, skeptical.
"What?" She asked, then followed my gaze to the blender thing. "Oh! No, this is what I use to make my stims. I'll need to make some fluids to inject into the crab in order for it to start changing into what I need to go further."
"Ah. Can I help?" I ask as I walk up next to her.
"Um… sure? You can help me mix everything."
The two of us spent the next fifteen minutes pouring various vials full of tinker fluid into the weird blender thing while Taylor prodded at the dead crab.
"Ok. That should do it." She says as she pushes a button on the blender.
There's a low humming sound as the thing powers on, and a faint blue light starts leaking out from behind the mixture we just mixed.
"That looks high tech." I comment as I watch the device do its work.
Taylor shrugs. "Eh, I've been wanting to make a better one for a while, I just haven't had any materials to spare. Just another thing to add to the post vacation to-do list."
"I guess. How much longer until it's done?"
Taylor holds up three fingers…. two fingers…. one finger…
There's a faint *ding* and the machine powers itself down.
"Nice." I say.
Taylor grins, and pulls the container free. She produces a syringe from… somewhere, and sucks some of the liquid up into it before injecting it into the crab.
"Ok." She says as she steps back. "That should take an hour or two, but we can work on the others while it does its job."
Curious, I poke the crab to see what's happening.
The foreign agent Taylor injected into the crab is changing it. I mean, that's kind of obvious given what the goal of this project was, but I didn't expect it to work like this. The crab's DNA is being altered in front of me.
I'm so shocked I didn't realize Taylor poking me on the shoulder.
"You alright?" She asks, concerned.
"This is amazing." I breathe out.
I start prodding the crab with my power, and realize I can accelerate the process.
Taylor looks on in confusion as I speed everything up. The crab's sand colored shell turns darker, rougher, and much tougher. A few small, greyish spikes even protrude out from it in random places.
Transformation finished, I turn to Taylor with a wide grin and ask, "Does it look right?"
Her jaw is hanging open, and she's numbly staring at the crab.
"You just… there were like fifty more steps to get it to that point." She turns her gaze on me. "Your power is complete BS."
I snort. "This coming from the girl who unironically said she could blow up the sun?"
She smiles. "Point." She looks back down at the crab. "So, that was essentially what I was trying to do. That is more or less what I'm making the armor out of. Now I just need more, think you can change the rest of the crabs and maybe get more growing?"
I poke the crab again, and my power tells me everything there is to know about it. "Uhuh. I'll change the rest, and get more growing. It won't be too hard to get some eggs fertilized." I'm already moving to the bin of dead crabs at the thought of making more of the weird material. I've never done something like this before. It's exciting!
"Huh. So that's what a tinker fugue looks like from the other side. Okay, I'll leave you to it. Just make sure that nothing can reproduce when you're done. We need more material, but make sure that everything you get growing is sterile." Taylor says seriously.
I nod. "I know. Don't worry."
"Ok. Do you need any help?"
"Nope. Go ahead and build one of those droids you wanted. We should finish at about the same time."
"Alright, I'll see you in a bit." She leaves after giving me a quick hug.
I turn my attention back to the crabs, and grin.
This is going to be interesting.
(Taylor)
I seriously underestimated how much help Amy would be with the crabs. I was expecting I'd have to walk her through everything, but she really did only need a single example, and from there I became obsolete. Her power really is as bullshit as mine.
Is it bad that that thought brought a bright smile to my face? Probably.
Thanks to her help, I was able to spend the next couple of hours putting together a simple worker droid. He's not impressive, but he does have his own little charm.
He's a darker shade of bronze than HK, his faceplate is more rounded, and his chassis is bulkier, but otherwise he looks something similar.
"Greetings master. Is there something I can help you with?" He asks politely as he stands for the first time.
"Well, first things first you need a name."
Let's see. BLX General Labor Droid doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. GLaD? No, I feel like that needs more letters to be a good name. BLX… 'B'… Barry? I actually kind of like that.
"What do you think of Barry?"
"I would be honored to receive such a designation."
"Alright then. Your name is Barry. I don't really have much work for you right now, but could you give the warehouse a once over? When Amy and I leave I'll also need you to watch the crabs."
"Of course master. I will do so now." He leaves.
Hmm. Much more cheery than HK. Maybe if I let the droids do what they were designed for they'll be more happy. Guess it's a good thing Dragon set up that position for HK.
"All done?"
I turn to the voice and see Amy leaning against the door frame.
"Just finished. You?"
She grins at me. "I was done an hour and a half ago. I just spent the time double checking everything."
"Showoff."
She chuckles, and we walk out of the room and down the hall together.
"Anything else you need to get done before we leave?" She asks me as we head to our room.
"Not really. Barry can handle building most of the defenses I wanted while we're gone, and I can always make a few security droids when we get back. All we need to do now is take off."
"Um, important detail, how are we leaving?" Amy asks.
"Dragon said she'd be willing to give us a ride, so unless you have an issue with that, I was thinking we'll take her up on that."
Amy shrugs. "No complaints here."
"Cool."
The two of us munch on some snacks left over from our movie day, and lie down in bed.
"I'll call Dragon in the morning to see if she'll give us a ride somewhere. You should probably tell Vicky we're heading out. I remember she wanted to know when we left."
Amy nods tiredly. "I will, but sleep now."
She rests her head against my shoulder, and closes her eyes.
I smile down at her, and start running my hand through her hair.
It doesn't take long for the two of us to fall asleep.
We woke a little after the sun came up, and went about making our respective phone calls. Amy called Vicky to tell her what we were doing, and I called Dragon to ask for a ride.
Dragon was more than happy to help. I was expecting a bus ride or something, but she bought us a car. Like, she bought a car and just gave it to us.
I tried to talk her out of it, but she just said she'd already spent the money on it.
She also had good news about HK. Apparently the Guild was more than willing to accept the help of a droid who helped take down the Dragonslayers. He'll be under Dragon's oversight, but he didn't seem to have a problem with it when I gave him the phone.
I'm not sure exactly what he'll be doing with Dragon, but he seemed excited, so I'm happy.
Dragon told us she was on her way, and we hung up.
HK practically pranced off to get his gear, leaving me alone with Barry. I spent the little time before Dragon showed up talking with Barry about the defenses I wanted him to get built. Some things were beyond him, but all the basic stuff should be taken care of by the time Amy and I get back.
"Taylor!" Amy calls up from downstairs. "Dragon's here!"
"I'll be down in a sec!" I quickly stow my tools, and grab everything I've decided to bring with me.
Both Amy and I have blasters, shields, our communicators, and phones. I also have my lightsaber and stealth field generator, and Amy's bringing a jar of bacta fluid.
"We're leaving Barry! Watch the warehouse and the crabs! And get as many of those defenses done as you can!"
"I will do so. Enjoy yourself, master." Barry's kind voice replied.
I think I managed to make the perfect butler droid. That's pretty awesome.
I run down the stairs, and out the front doors after saying a brief goodbye to Dotty.
Outside, an orange and green Dragon suit, Amy, and HK are all waiting for me. HK is geared up with all of his extremely dangerous equipment, once more looking like robot Rambo, and I can't help but feel like he's smiling.
"Sorry about that." I say. "I was just talking to Barry."
"No worries." Dragon says. "HK and I were just clearing up exactly what it is he will be doing with the Guild during your vacation."
I turn to HK. "Does everything seem good? You won't be bored or put into a situation you don't want to be in?"
"Answer: No master. Quite the contrary, I will enjoy this immensely."
So he probably gets to shoot people then. Oh well, if they're Guild targets, they deserve it.
"I'm glad." I turn to Amy. "Are you ready?"
She nods, and points her thumb at a small blue sedan parked behind her. "I'm all packed up. Not like we're bringing all that much."
We really aren't. Just clothes, some snacks, toiletries, and the tinker gear. Everything else we can buy whenever we get to wherever it is we're going.
"Thanks again Dragon. This means a lot." I say sincerely.
"Think nothing of it. Just focus on getting better. Now, HK and I must depart. Call me if you have any problems." She holds her arm out, and HK latches on. A moment later, the two of them fly away.
"He's going to blow up so much shit isn't he?" Amy asks as we watch them fly off.
I nod. "Most likely."
"Welp, he's Dragon's problem now. I vote we get on the road, and worry about everything else later."
"Seconded."
I throw my stuff in the car, then hop into the driver's seat.
Neither Amy or myself ever went through the process of getting a driver's license, so we technically shouldn't be driving, but I'm an outed tinker who is likely a better driver than most NASCAR racers thanks to my bullshit tinker skill download. If anyone pulls us over Dragon said to just have them check PHO.
I start the engine, and turn to Amy. "So, where to?"
A.N. Next chap will be up when it's done.