Chapter 68: Moving Up
August 12th
Ripley’s thirteenth day… now with a girlfriend!
I wasn’t sure if it was getting laid, getting a girlfriend, or getting four of them that gave me such a pep in my step today, but as I worked and tinkered away… I felt awesome. Even in this whirlwind of emotions and chaos of a life I lived, I had found a way to capture it in my palms.
I knew better than to feel invincible, I knew that now. Gold, girlfriend, or gifted. Even with all of them, I could fail. But as I smiled at Elsa who’d joined me in Diamante’s armory, I felt a surge of momentum work through me.
’Feelings for Elsa… all of her’ X ‘Shardware Operating’
I’d never worked so well in my life. R0N1N came by with an arm with fried joints, and he was back with it within the hour. Even he looked surprised at that.
With the funds he gave me, I bought more materials, and finally formulated the fabricator to begin producing Livewire. The exact formula was exacting and difficult, but with Elsa to change it’s inner workings we figured it out in an hour.
I loved having her around me.
And so, with sporadic bursts of my Thought Multiplier using my Preservation Matrix’s engulfing of the people I cared about, and my gift for Shardware, I prepared myself for tomorrow.
But first… I prayed a Bronze-Grade AdStim would get me through this… those twenty thousand Shardyne have better not gone to waste.
August 13th
Ripley’s fourteenth day… and he returns to Anderson’s gym.
That’s right, I stepped in with every bit of confidence I had in me the day before. Opening the door wide to the private employee section, I met Harold’s confused eyes with my own brimming in pride.
”Hey boss.”
”Ah.” He looked bored. “There’s a list of things I need you to work on, if you’ve decided that’s what you’ve come for.”
”Yeah, I did come here to work… but I also came here for something else.” I sent him a file, it was a Shardware Operating School’s final mock test. “I finished up my studies. You said that every time I finish one of your tests, I can renegotiate. I want to do the other five tests now, and negotiate five times.”
He raised an eyebrow up at my demand, the first time I ever saw a notion of surprise leak out of the stoic man. “Last three years have practical exams, normally, I would’ve given you time to practice… you fail them, I fire you. You ready for that?”
”I’m ready.” This wasn’t just overconfidence, in twenty-four hours I’d consumed enough data on the exams to give Twilight a headache.
”Fine.” The simple answer was the prelude to one of the most mentally-taxing days in my life.
The second and third-year exams, I scored a perfect 100% on. The topics of Shardware construction basics, mathematics, engineering, physics and chemistry honed in over years of practice.
The fourth year took a return to anatomy, with some Implant theory thrown in. BUGs were fascinating, even though they looked mechanical, they had organic components and modified our DNA similar to a SIM. Making us compatible with foreign intrusions like metal and electronics as long as the BUG could interface Warpcode into them. I scored a 92%.
The practical test was tricky. He placed an Iron Integration BUG on my table, and showed me three different Shardware pieces of an eye, hand, and heart.
”The client is a construction worker. Which Shardware piece would benefit the most with a Feature Link from this BUG, and which Link?” Harold Anderson left me for twenty minutes to think over the question.
I came up with the answer in ten. “The Integration BUG allows the Adapter to connect to foreign technology beyond their own, even non-Warpcode devices can be modified by the Feature. In the case of the Eye, I would have to go with a Third Eye Link which would allow the Adapter to filter in visual stimuli from multiple sources, useful when working with construction drones and the like.
”As for the hand. Simple. A general consumer Link is External Compatibility, commonly used to allow Adapters to form external connections to a varied number of Shardware devices. Construction, shard operating, surgery… any job requiring the Adapter to use multiple pieces of tech over a long period of time with exact precision would benefit from this Link.
”As for the heart. That was difficult, I’ll say it. I’ve concluded that the Link most worthwhile for a construction overseer is in fact Metabolism Modifier. The use of Exosuits is common, and connecting to such powerful Warp-draining Externals requires a metabolism capable of producing the Warp Energy to command it.”
”And which one is most important?” Harold Anderson asked.
”Neither. It depends on what the client is asking for, or what their boss wants of them.” I answered confidently.
He smirked at my answer, passing me the fifth year exam. It dealt with heavier amounts of engineering and Internal Organ Shardware, and I passed with a good 96%. The next practical exam was to fix up and coordinate the workings of Shardware lungs and a heart.
It was my first time working with such pieces, and was the closest I came to failing so far. Luckily, lungs were built on the principle of precise modifications to their miniscule microstructure, and I’d done nothing but precision work since I joined up with Anderson. The heart on the other hand, was a powerful structure designed to pump blood around the body with maximal efficiency.
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The Scrapyard worked with me as I carefully broke the organic fibers apart, learning more of them and piecing them back in with my Thought Multiplier and Reverse Engineering Protocols. Then the visual aids around me combined, until I found a way to blend them together.
Was it A+ work? Not in the slightest, I could see his bored eyes drone out as he stared at them almost in disappointment that it was all I’d managed. But I passed.
The sixth year was the toughest, demanding a deep understanding of Shardware engineering, Biology, and Warp Theory. I passed on the borderline of 76%, netting myself a spot to partake in the final exam.
He dumped several pieces of metal, scraps, and discarded Shardware pieces that were seemingly ripped apart. Then he gently placed a Bronze Neuroprocessor in front of me. “Make a Bronze Shardware piece, you have five minutes.”
Five minutes?
I needed ten seconds. Picking up a Bronze Neuroprocessor, I plugged it up to a half strewn skeleton of a leg, wiring it with a power source until it was complete. ”Done.”
”Curious? Why did you choose to give up?” He said with those piercing eyes that never went anywhere other than the devices on his desk.
”I passed.” I smiled. “Shardware is defined as any tech modified with Warp Energy to use Warpcode. You wanted a Bronze Grade Shardware, which means it’s simply powered by Bronze Warp Energy, so… you connect a Neuroprocessor that uses Bronze Warpcode into an Iron Shardware. Even if the Integrity, Energy or Capacity is lower than it should be, the fact remains that it’s Grade is now at Bronze. You said to make Shardware, not good or even functional Shardware.”
”Clever. You saw right through it.” He picked up the feeble skeleton in front of me. “You passed all the years, congratulations.”
“Why didn’t you give me the actual final practical exam?”
”You mean having you scrap up a Bronze arm or leg and plug it into someone?” He stared at my right arm. “You’re already there. It would have been childwork. Besides, I was testing you out as my employee, how well you can listen to instructions.”
”Well… if I passed then-“
”Then I’m ready to hear out your terms.” He nodded.
”The obvious. A raise, I want to be paid eight Bronze a month, but not for free… I want work, the chance to join and really make the Shardware this place is known for. Second, I figured out how to use my Data Mimicry Feature to make Links, not just that… I can consume links and imprint them in my head to use later. I don’t need Engrams, I don’t think so.”
He leaned back in his chair, taking in what I was saying.
”I can be a living Engram, in time. For that, I need to absorb Engrams — I know they’re expensive so what I’m asking is that I exchange for them. I’ll offer my Link manufacturing methods for free.”
He stared at me, unchanging in expression. ”Not free. It’ll depend on the Engram, but some are valued more and you’ll have to pay. We’ll discuss on a case-by-case.”
”Third.” I said. “I want access to paid information regarding Electromagnetics at the Bronze Grade, and my fourth would be a record of ten Warp Material compositions at Iron-Grade you have available.”
”Deal.”
”Fifth.” I gulped. “I need an Arachne. Bronze Grade.”
”What for?”
”Sixth.” I continued. “I need your help in making something… a mobile Arachne compatible with Internal Linking to an Adapter.”
As much as me and my mother were smart, there was only so much we could do by ourselves. I sent over a compiled list of our notes and theories regarding the process, and he brushed his moustache with his thumb as he stared at the notes.
”You two…” He chewed in silence. “Tch… you’re clearly Alberich’s spawn.”
”You knew my grandfather?” I raised my eyebrows.
”For a time… during the civil war.” He huffed. “He’s an incredible Shard Operator, performing maintenance work for the public when he wasn’t supplying his services to the underworld. Nearly put me out of business… but I can’t deny that I respect him and his craft. Do you know what happened to him?”
”I was hoping you could answer that.” I leaned forward in my chair.
”He left one day, wrapped up his business and said he wouldn’t be back for a long time but… He left me some of his Shard Operating devices, made me promise to just hold onto them until your mother would become an actual Shard Operator.”
”That never happened… she lost her degree and BUG once my father…” I trailed off.
”I know the story. Missy told me who you were… I only took you in because you were his grandson.” He stared at his own arm. “I expected you to quit, kid. To leave this world, because he wouldn’t have wanted you in it. I set you off for menial tasks I’ve automated for decades now… but damn it, you don’t give up.”
”What?” I stuttered. “You- you mean all the work I’ve been doing is shit you… you get done for free?”
”I would have no time for my real work if I spent my days micropipetting oil into joints. You have the right to be angry, you might not be trained… but attaching a limb to yourself? You’re better than your Grade by far… and that’s not the Gold Implant’s fault.” He admitted.
”I’m not angry… I- I’m grateful.” I said calmly. “Sure… I know the pay was barely what an actual Shard Op’ makes, but for the first time in months me and my month can afford nice dinners. We’re comfortable, we’re not struggling… no one gave me that chance before. If I wasn’t with Snake Fangs, who else but Metal Heavens would employ me?”
”I would.” He smiled.
”Oh… Thank you.”
”Just punch your grandfather for me—” he chuckled, “—when you see him.”
Mr. Skeleton said he was… where? By Imperium? What was he even doing in Africa? ”I’m doing that either way, it’s not right what he did.”
“That, I agree. Doesn’t mean I employed you out of sympathy.”
“Yeah… I’m pretty badass.”
”You wanted an Arachne… right? I have an idea.” He stood up, motioning to follow.
We went deep into the facility, passing by storages of guns and blades I’d never once seen before. This place was stacked, offering upgrades up to Silver-Grade… Harold Anderson was respected in the underworld Shardware community for a reason.
Yet, we went deeper, past all the weaponry until we approached an inconspicuous wall that parted at Mr. Anderson’s approach. The room was small, but charged with electricity in the air.
”Your grandfather’s stuff, what Bronze and Silver-Grade stuff he didn’t want sitting in a city-storage unit.” Mr. Anderson turned on the lights. “I’m not going to pass on the Silver-grade items yet, a fabricator and a heart. The Bronze items though… sitting here are Engram Datacubes, a few Bronze BUGs to match, a Shardware Database cube and what interests you most…”
I saw it there, in the center of the room taking up most of the space was a circular table fit for a human to lie on. In perfectly spaced gaps, six tall limbs crawled out, entirely black and ending in large jagged tips was an Arachne.
”It’s his own design. Bronze.” Harold Anderson put his hand on the machinery. “You want it?”
”I could kiss you.” I put my hands on the device, feeling my right claw shiver at the contact with the sleek metal of one limb. “But I have a girlfriend now.”
”That so? You really are moving up in the world.”
”I’ll climb…” My claws sharpened. “One limb at a time.”