Item Call-in Permit — Assembler (GRECKON M19c)

A sophisticated and comprehensive machine-factory packed into the smallest size possible, this unit fills less than twenty square metres and weighs only 34 tons. It can be separated into four parts for transport.

Assemblers were originally designed for man's early attempts to colonise Mars, but after low Earth orbit became unuseable due to mass destruction of satellites, they ended up serving a role closer to home. They are typically used when creating an operating point in distant places, where transporting supplies required for upkeep is too difficult and costly to be worthwhile. When provided raw materials, Assemblers are capable of fabricating a large variety of items including food, weapons, apparel, robotics, and more.

It can also synthesise fuel to power itself from many materials, and through fabrication capabilities may—given time—solve power problems via creation of units for harvesting of natural energy.

This Permit allows the user to spawn one Assembler on location, choosing where it is placed.

This particular model, the M19c, is a general purpose assembler suited for rugged conditions. It comes unlocked, with none of the usual legal and licensing limitations typically placed upon such units. It comes fully stocked with its basins full of refined materials, power banks fully charged, and is ready for immediate use.

Whoever accesses it first will become its primary user.

The Examine text didn't go into exhaustive detail, but Nicolai didn't need it to. He knew everything there was to know about Assemblers already. The M19c was a few decades out of date, but so was just about everything else. Without the typical limitations it would be capable of a great deal.

Once he was in the jungle, he needed to complete his entire Node system as a priority, and doing so would require large periods of time sat still while his focus was internal.

That would be dangerous, so having some kind of protected base would be of use.

If he were to take the Assembler, that protected base would go from a momentary convenience, to a longterm reliance. A base of operations from which he would come and go, one which would give him capabilities far beyond simply a place to store equipment or recuperate when injured.

The Assembler would allow him to fabricate robots for various purposes. He already knew that Oma crystals could be mined—there were spiritual seams which he suspected would be detectable via Soul Sense and perhaps Aura analysis. Mining bots were just one of the many things an Assembler could create.

An unlocked one would also be capable of making drones, including ones suited for combat. Not to mention more powerful combat bots; though nothing on the scale of what the typical Earth corporation might have used back on Earth. Proper killbots and combat bots were made in gigantic machine-factories, not rough-and-ready Assemblers. Still, even the basics could be quite powerful in number.

More importantly of all, a GRECKON M19c Assembler could make ammo for all of the guns he carried. He'd been concerned that while venturing further into the jungle, Trade Links may not be frequent occurrences. He'd fitted as much ammo as he could into his storage, but it wasn't anything like large enough to contain what he would consider enough ammo—especially filled up with other bulky items such as rifles and more mundane supplies. In fact, it was currently approaching capacity.

The primary issue with setting up a base was that it would constrain his movement. He would have to stay within a few days travel of the base, or it would useless. How then, would he be able to fulfil his primary aim: Travelling the long, long distance toward the Lizard?

The answer to that question was already possessed by him. The Lotus Sub-Locum Symbiote was capable of creating up to three Flowers. He would be able to teleport between his base and his furthest travelled point. Having an Assembler creating bots to defend that base would also reduce the risk of someone getting into his base and destroying the Flower, cutting the link by which he'd return. With that he could afford to place two of the Flowers at his furthest explored points, which would be less defended—ensuring he didn't lose his progress.

Nicolai tapped his chin as he considered the factors, engaging with the Modules to think it through. Simulations and Threat Analysis saw many benefits alongside manageable risks.

The Assembler would be one of his picks. His focus turned to working out the next.

There were many items available. He looked them over carefully, considering.

Nicolai had three main priorities: find the Lizard, grow as strong as possible as fast as possible, and ensure his survival. The Assembler helped with growing stronger and ensuring survival, but not finding the Lizard.

However, one of the Permits looked like it would help him with that—and possibly with growing stronger, too. Currently when he looked at his map, it simply showed the marked location that had popped up when Paxolnaz told him where to find the Lizard. That location was a long way away—mindbogglingly distant, in fact—and his current plan was to simply move in a straight line towards it.

Threat Analysis did not think that a very good plan, and Nicolai was inclined to agree with the Module. No doubt there would be obstacles between him and the Lizard, which could come in various flavours of problematic. Great mountain ranges, sprawling seas, and undead riddled fortifications.

He needed to know the way to go, to have his path… found.

Mark Upgrade Permit - Pathfinder

This upgrade improves the user's map via addition of an automatic GPS function. Using the Pathfinder, the Player can select locations anywhere on the map, and will have various possible routes suggested. Use will also populate the user's map with some additional information relevant to the route chosen, which will remain discovered regardless of ultimate route taken.

Another definite pick. Perhaps not the absolute most optimal—it was hard to be sure—but he was tired of feeling lost, of having to make it all up as he went. This would turn one of his goals from a vague and muddy thing, a venture into the hidden grayness of his largely unexplored map, into a clear route.

That left one more pick, and he was leaning heavily towards another one very similar to the Pathfinder, one he thought would pair very well with it.

Mark Upgrade Permit - TreasureFinder

This upgrade improves the user's map via addition of an automatic GPS function. Using the Treasurehunter, the Player can select specific items, resources, objects, areas, and even specific creatures that they are interested in, and the Treasurehunter will attempt to locate them in the nearby area. Whatever it finds will be revealed on the user's map, though they will have to find their way to the item themselves.

The Treasurehunter uses charges, and at base level will hold only one. After using this charge, it will be restored after 24 hours.

This activation taps into the user's Cultivation for strength—the greater ones Cultivator, the farther its reach. It causes significant disturbance in the local Aura while searching.

There were numerous other items, but these three seemed to Nicolai the best overall, especially considering the longer term. Being able to find things would always be useful, and being able to find specific, valuable items, doubly so. From his understanding, the Treasurehunter was effectively one use a day. That was plenty. Together they would ensure that he was always able to find his way, and as his Cultivation grew stronger and stronger, he would more and more be able to find whatever he needed to continue that growth.

The Assembler would be a great boon so long as he was able to travel back and forth between wherever he placed it, which he hoped would remain an option for a long time. The Lotus Sub-Locum Symbiote had great range, based on what he'd learned from it in the Memory Tome. The details had been a little on the vague side, but he believed it was at least three thousand miles, and had reason to believe there were methods to boost that further.

After making his picks he immediately activated the Pathfinder and Treasurehunter Permits. The silver bars of the Permits shimmered and disappeared, turning into flickering lights that settled into his Mark. His Mark didn't show a big display in response, he just felt a tingling from it while within the UI he saw a few new options appear.

The podium began to tremble, but he called in his final Reward—that for completing the Challenge of seizing the Blade—before the podium had disappeared. This halted the process and he saw a smooth transition; the Unwinder shrine disappeared, and a new, smaller one rose.

It was notably different from any he had seen before. It was a simple statue in the shape of a large, slightly curving sword, one raised from the ground by an arm of stone. It pointed straight up and as he drew close he recognised it.

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This shrine was a mimic of the Angelic Blade on his back.

Refill Shrine

This Shrine allows you to refill the energy storage of a single Tier 3 Artifact, should that Artifact be capable of storage.

Nicolai grinned at it. Perfect. He couldn't imagine a better reward. All the energy the Blade had contained had been used in the moments after he claimed it, leaving it dry. This was just what he needed. He hadn't Examined the Blade yet, but knew simply from handling it that it could store a large amount of energy.

With the energy returned, he believed he would be capable of using it even though he wasn't a Tier 3 Cultivator. Based on things Kleos had told him and that he'd learned from the Memory Tomes, he knew such usage would not be at full efficiency. But even lacking that, anything a Tier 3 Artifact could do would be a way of punching well above his current weight.

He took a moment to quickly Examine the Blade, in order to assure himself there wouldn't be any unanticipated side effects or other surprises from refilling its energy. What he saw made his eyes widen. The Blade was even stronger than he'd imagined.

He pulled himself away from the description. Time to leave. He would go through it all later, once he was safer. There was one more item of curiosity, however.

He reached into a pocket and pulled out a ring. It was the one he'd retrieved from the undead who'd bore the Blade. A quick Examine revealed it to be a Tier 3 force type Imbued ring that effectively granted telekinesis. It had no internal storage and thus, like the Tier 2 mist form amulet he'd taken from the Library Guardian, it was something for later.

He tucked the ring away, and his gaze took in the endless jungle spreading out below him. With a thought he opened his Mark's UI, and once more saw the location of the Lizard. A long, long way, but a journey was completed one step at a time.

Gazing out beyond the dust cloud, to the jungle spreading away below him, he smiled. Out there he would find ways to grow ever stronger, new places to explore and things to see, and best of all, he predicted that many people and creatures would try to kill him.

For a moment, he considered the place he was leaving. A place full of many enemies, though some few might be closer to allies. There was a possibility that those enemies, especially Vikrum and Maxine, might organise some kind of pursuit. He felt it unlikely, considering the mess they had to deal with, but it had to be considered. With such a comprehensive AI guiding his actions, Vikrum's strategies and methods were more thorough than someone with his level of experience would normally show.

You don't have to worry about Vikrum, said Cyberwarfare all of a sudden.

He frowned, then his eyes narrowed. What did you do?

His AI got the better of me, in our battle. Or it thought it did. The Module was emanating a kind of vicious smugness. Cyberwarfare had always hated to lose. Civilian AI… the Module said in a derisive tone. The AI was GRECKON make. The G6 model.

Nicolai snorted. He was running that? The G6 consumer-grade ultimate HelpBot was an extraordinarily comprehensive and capable high-level assistant AI. It had been very popular, for a time, until the accusations that GRECKON had installed some very serious backdoors, backdoors that any GRECKON asset could hack into, given some time. GRECKON had called this a conspiracy theory but the damage had been done, and anyway, it wasn't a conspiracy theory.

Surprising he would have had that model, Nicolai reflected. It had gone seriously out of fashion.

His parents must be affiliated with GRECKON, Cyberwarfare explained. There was a note that no GRECKON asset should make use of the backdoor nor harm him.

A note you ignored, said Nicolai needlessly. He smiled. He was a little surprised. He'd have thought the AI would have found some difficulty in resisting that. He wished Cyberwarfare had informed him earlier, however. He would have liked to ask Vikrum some questions. He shrugged the thought away. That hadn't been possible at the time anyway, and it was very unlikely Vikrum knew anything serious about his parent's dealings.

It's the Governor's job to take notice of things like that. I just do my job. I left the AI a present. By now, that present should have finished doing what I made it to do. So, if you're worried about the AI, don't be. There is no more AI.

Nicolai raised his brows. That seems a little spiteful.

If a threat can be removed, it should be removed, replied Cyberwarfare shamelessly.

Nicolai shrugged. He couldn't argue with that, and was only glad Cyberwarfare was doing it's job well. Cyberwarfare had been built to excel in the vicious combat of the cyber world, which revolved around traps and ambushes and viruses that would lie in wait for months, or years, only to rear up and tear a system apart. Cyberwarfare had always delighted in the laying of such traps.

He orientated himself then began floating in a straight line, forward and down.

Towards the jungle, and the road ahead of him.

###

Hours later, when the dust had settled and the castle was still, the rubble shifted.

The surviving parts of Centipedes, buried amongst that rubble, began to wriggle. Rocks shifted as they slowly began to crawl back together. Missing flesh, they had little choice but to combine.

When they had eventually reconfigured themselves, Sister and Brother regarded one another, their heads side by side.

'You are shorter, Sister.'

'As are you, Brother.'

'That metal Bird was dangerous.'

'It was, it was.'

They gazed warily at the sky. The Gunship was gone.

'The little mouse is gone. It tricked us.' Sister let out a rattling sigh. 'Again.'

'Far away by now.'

'We failed Father. He asked that we not allow anyone to use the blood.'

The Centipedes considered all that had happened—and the fact of their failure, especially—with some worry. But they had sensed something great and terrible, moving through the Castle, into the sky, and away.

'Father has also departed,' said Brother, sounding quite cheerful about that fact.

'Gone with the Great Master.'

Brother regarded Sister, who looked back—two similar heads emerging from one trunk, twisting to peer at one another.

'What shall we do?' asked Brother.

Sister looked out, not answering.

Brother followed her look and the pair gazed outward together. They were on top of a very large pile of rubble, the remnants of the castle. From this small mountain of fallen stone, they gazed upon the wide, wide world, the great jungle. They turned then to look at the rubble around them.

They spied a feathered wing, poking out of the rubble.

After twenty minutes of digging, the pair had freed the Bird's corpse from the stone. It was in surprisingly good condition—perhaps the result of the Demonic energies they had fed into it, part of their drive to keep it fresh and whole.

They were large enough to ride it, still, and Father was gone.

Sister looked to Brother, and her eyebrows squirmed as she attempted to raise them. 'Now, Brother, we make our own fate.'

Brother's face split in a smile. 'Shall we fly?'

'Indeed.'

###

Vikrum rubbed at his artificial face. His body wasn't tired but his mind was. He was having to manage all the various disagreements, and people weren't happy about being stuck in the Trade Link.

'We need to stockpile all the points together,' Maxine was saying, a grim frown on her face as she looked out at the mass of people filling the dark space, illuminated by the faint blue glow and occasional brighter spots from personal lamps. 'Take them all under us, then we can start to give out what needs to be given, and ensure none are wasted. People need food, and beds, and clothing, and water. Once we've done that, we could consider giving each person a small stipend to spend as they wish, should there be enough.' She spoke as though it was already decided.

They'd dug a tunnel through the area which had been filled with rocks, and so both groups were merged. But this had only made people more unhappy. Vikrum's Chosen were doing well for points-tags, and were able to buy what they needed. The result of the large amount of raiding his people had been doing prior to the big battle. The others, not so much. They'd spent all their tags fighting him, or been bilked out of them by Nicolai.

'We're not giving you our points,' hissed Katnin, from where she sat beside him, glaring across at Maxine. He'd sent her off on business during all the action, but now she was back and full of opinions. 'So they lost their points, because they—you—got tricked by some guy. And you spent the rest on guns and ammo to fight us. That's not our problem. That's your problem. This might come as a surprise, but when you make mistakes, there tend to be consequences. That's what you're experiencing. Consequences.' She smiled smugly at Maxine. This was a view, Vikrum was aware, that was mirrored by quite literally all of the Chosen.

Maxine gazed back at her in the same way one might look at the dog shit they'd just realised was adhered to bottom of their shoe. 'You can ignore me,' the mousy woman intoned, 'but I guarantee there will be trouble if you do. Some have plenty, and many have none at all.' She glanced at Vikrum. 'Not to mention, there are quite a lot more of us than you. And as she says, the one thing everyone has is guns and ammo.' She leaned forward. 'We need to take control here, and make some order. The Coalition and the Chosen are no more! We need to come together as one, fresh start, blank slate, whatever. This is the one opportunity to get ahead of the mess, to start it off right, and to avoid chaos and infighting. If we don't do this… I don't see us surviving.' She glanced around again, and now he saw the concern in her eyes. 'Someone will start shooting. This place will be a bloodbath.'

Katnin snorted. 'Oh okay, so if we don't share the points around, your people will be angry. Big whoop. What of our people? If we take their points away, you think they'll be happy?' She jabbed her finger at Maxine with each word, voice raising. 'We've got guns too!'

A lot of trouble, and it fell to him—him and his frayed patience, his crushed dreams, his baffled uncertainty as to whether he even wanted to lead—to deal with it. He'd only ever taken on this role because a Quest had been foisted upon him, demanded it of him.

It was difficult to focus, difficult to think. His mind kept returning to that notification he'd seen, like a dog unable to stop lunging for a porcupine.

Quest Failed.

The Symbiote of Change was stolen from you and used by another.

Unbelievable. Ridiculous. That man, that Raw had taken it from him! He'd lost to someone who was barely even augmented! It wasn't possible! It shouldn't be! How had this happened? Was it Cornwall's fault? Was it my fault?

Vikrum couldn't recall ever failing at anything, back on Earth. Not really, not at anything real, not at anything important. How had this happened? He found that failure did not sit well, not well at all.

Whatever. He couldn't be bothered with everything that was happening, with continuing to manage all these people. He needed a break. He needed some time. That was all. Just a break.

'Cornwall, make me some kind of plan to deal with all this.' He'd just do whatever the AI said. Work or fail, at least he'd know he'd tried his best. Or at least, Cornwall's best.

He avoided Maxine's eyes and drummed his fingers on the table between them as he waited for Cornwall's response. The AI was taking longer than usual.

'Cornwall? Answer me!' he demanded. A lot longer.

He swallowed. Cornwall had been complaining about some errors in its system registry, or somesuch, recently. It had been saying it worried that Viper's Cyberwarfare attacks had done something. It had assured him that it had matters well in hand.

'Cornwall?' he begged.

Maxine and Katnin were arguing again, taking his silence as permission to resume the verbal jabbing. Maxine issued grim promises, speaking of grave mistakes leading to graver outcomes, while Katnin adhered with a fury just as grim to the point that it was their fault and the Chosen should do nothing, give nothing, change nothing.

He ought to do something, say something, but he didn't know what. He'd already suffered the first true failure of his life. Was the next staring him in the face, speeding inevitably toward him? Was he, right now, failing to do what needed to be done? But what was it, what needed to be done? Who was right?

He needed help. He couldn't do this alone. He felt like crying, but his face had no tear ducts. His father had told him they weren't necessary, because he would never have any reason to be sad.

But he felt something in his mind, in his implants. Or more accurately, he didn't feel something. There was a lack. A void. Something was missing. Something was gone.

'Cornwall?' he whimpered.

The name echoed through his mind, through his implants, but there was no reply. Only silence.

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