“Hey Jun, you busy?” R4 approached Jun at the gym where he was on his phone texting someone while also watching over Hon. As he looked up his phone almost fell from his hand

“R4 what happened to you?” He paused. “Did the tier 2 do this to you?”

R4 took a step back as Jun gawked. “Nah, the tier 2 didn’t do this. If anything he helped get me out, and I ate quite well on his dime. No, some cyberpsycho in the under city with some sort a’ necrotic cyberware got my arm an’ leg, an’ jus’ being in his presence did enough damage my own cyberware stripped me ta’ th’ bone jus’ keepin’ me alive. Somthin’ called the Hand of Atropos.” She gestured with her bone arm. “Anyhow, I need some stuff before I kin ascend, an’ I was hopin’ y’all could do some introductions.” She paused, “Also, how do I go after a corp that didn’t pay up?”

“So you found a way to ascend?” R4 nodded, yet Jun looked even more concerned. “R4, how much do you trust the source? Is it a corp, or an AI?”

“Does it matter?” R4 asked.

“Yes, it definitely matters. One is shifty, shady, and looks out for its own interest above all others. The other is incomprehensible, alien, and actively uses humans as pawns every day.”

“And which one is the AI?” Hon asked.

“In either case, it’s a secret.” R4 replied. “However, I need a few things, and since I got stiffed 4000 credits on my last gig I don’t exactly have the most amount of money on hand.”

“Well, what do you need?” R4 quickly pulled up the shopping list. “That’s, are you sure this is a legit? R4, I’m not ripper, but are you undergoing ascension or starting a SCOP factory?” He paused. “Wait, are you using biotech?”

“A little.” R4 admitted. She didn’t like the way Jun blanched. Hon actually stopped lifting to give her a worried look.

“I think I can help. I know a few folks who have stuff like this, actually she mentioned you not long ago.”

“Wait, what?”

It was only two hours later R4 found herself standing before Of My Enemy noodle shop. She raised a hand, knocking.

“We’re opening up in a few.” A familiar voice called back.

“Zephyr, it’s R4.”

“R4?” Immediately the door opened, or tried to. It only opened half way before the motor jammed. R4 slipped in. “Sorry, looks like it’s busted again.”

“Looks like one of the wires is snagged.” R4 reached up, and with a bit of telekinesis moved the wire. She turned to see Zephyr staring.

“Did you literally fix that with a hard look?”

“Didn’t even need duct tape.” R4 quipped back. “But no, I have some cyberware that lets me do that. Temporary fix.”

“Zoe, where the rust did you go. Get back here ya’ gonk.” R4 saw Becca peer through the doorway. “Rachel, what are you doing here?”

“Hey ‘Becca, fixer friend a’ mine said y’all had some scop vats y’all aren’t usin’ anymore. Thought I could fix ‘em up an’ use ‘em for a project.”

“What kind of project? Y’er not growin’ zip crystals are ya’?”

“What are zip crystals?”

“Antidepressants and amphetamines mixed in one. Sends you higher than the atmosphere for a week, and deeper than the under city for a month if you survive. The Deep Fish don’t let the stuff sell on their terf, but it’s a scourge elsewhere.”

“That sounds ridiculously dangerous, but no, I’m workin’ on a project fer, well, it’s a secret.” R4 replied. “Anyhow, yer’ not usin’ ‘em, no point ta’ lettin’ ‘em rust when I can buy ‘em.”

“Did you come right before lunch so try to get us to sell them faster?” Becca asked. R4 paused, having not thought about that. “Tell you what, help us with the lunch rush, then we’ll talk.”

The next four hours went by in a blur. Fortunately 4 in reflexes and 2 in acrobatics gave R4 a pretty good head start when it came to speed, though it took her some time to figure out some of the recipes. Mind 5 helped with that, but without a corresponding skill it came up flat a few times. A few times she got chewed out when an order was wrong, but the time flew by and shortly after they were done.

“So, how’d I do?” R4 asked, already having partially disassembled the door. A loose wire had gotten caught and pulled away which caused it to get tangled. A bit of rewiring, and a spare spring she found lying around and repurposed with her tool arm allowed her to ensure it wouldn’t happen again, at least for a while.

“I’ve seen better, but not bad for a first time.” Becca replied, dragging a box from the back. “Here ya’ go, don’t go breaking any international laws.” She shrugged, “or do, I’m not your mother.” She quickly pointed a finger, which R4 now noticed was part of a cybernetic hand at least three sizes larger than it should have been, “But I am yours, so no crimes.”

“Come on, not even a little one?” Zephyr teased.

“No, no daughter of mine is going to get into trouble and stomped by a tier 6 borg monster, especially over a heartthrob that doesn’t love her back.”

“That is oddly specific.” R4 replied. She found that Becca had provided some straps that would allow her to carry the box on her back and leave her arms free. With a gesture she transferred the agreed price. “Later ‘Becca, later Zephyr. Feel free to give me a call.”

“Bye R4.”

“Later Choom.” ‘Becca quipped, before correcting herself. “Good bye R4.”

R4 stepped out, and quickly went for the next item on her list. The costs were hefty, and her shopping spree took three days to complete. Each item had to be sourced by Jun, and once acquired it found a short term home in her storage unit before being moved to the undercity. During her frequent shopping trips R4 also picked up a few side jobs, just minor fixes that had small payouts but did introduce her to folks. She also received a few dead drops from Mara, but they were as simple as pick up mysterious box here and drop it off there. From these she received experience as well as credits, but they immediately were spent on translating complex diagrams into resonant so she could hear and comprehend them. She quickly got used to downloading information in the form of resonant, though even with the information and her own education was only thanks to Mara’s vast knowledge that she was able to prepare for her ascension.

Yet finally R4 had the last piece. She clutched her package, which contained both a set of Mars Corporation Thermal Scales as well as a junky set of flame emitters that the ripper who sold her the scales couldn’t get rid of. Apparently they belonged to some gang banger, but the set caused a strange numbing sensation in anyone it was implanted in. R4 immediately noticed that was because it had, for inexplicable reasons, begun generating ravager toxin.

“How exactly did you manage that?” R4 asked. “Ravager toxin is organic, but it’s just a poison.”

“That is still being researched until a profitable answer can be found.” R4 rolled her eyes at that answer. “Theoretically, some cells got left behind when you slew the gangster, and might have decided to stick around. Normally that’s a cancerous trait, but no cancer has been detected. More research is needed, but the emitter will be cleaned before being installed.”

As the elevator opened R4 followed the path for the 12th time, almost knowing it by heart. She snuck past the barking pit, a place dog like scath tended to lurk, as well as the smoking hallway which constantly smelled of synth nicotine despite never having anyone in it. The spot still sent chills down R4’s spine. Despite traveling the route so often, it was still not safe. Most of the walls held graffiti marking off which gangs owned which sections. Of course, most had been painted over so many times it was hard to tell which group actually owned anything. Twice she took a quick side passage and hid, once among some pipes that ran above and once in a vent she quickly threw open and held shut as unknown individuals passed. One she thought were dimdwell, due to their rough appearance and mismatched chrome. Another wore all black with matching gear and a strange red symbol on their shoulders. Both groups were heavily armed, the former with pistols and shotguns the latter with sleek black firearms that might have been rifles or might have been shotguns. R4 put a hand on her own little firearm and a wave of discouragement washed through her. “Later.”

Finally she arrived at the chosen location. R4 had immediately noticed it was the former lair of Dridgette, and had been swiftly brought up to speed as to why. The location had been modified by Dridgette to receive power, yet was still avoided due to its previous owner’s reputation. A few modifications, some fake tendrils which would rattle to life should anyone get too close, and a few extra cameras that weren’t actually hooked up to anything made the place seem like it was still inhabited. A few glowing red lights added to the slashes in the Tier 1 concrete and a little black paint made it look as if the very walls were bleeding. R4 had smiled at the five minute fix that added a very haunted atmosphere. A few speakers, the absolute cheapest she could cobble together, gave a horrific garbled mechanical scream when triggered. They went off a few times while she was working, once actually making her drop her welding torch. Altogether, it made the place seem suitably haunted by the maybe dead maybe not ghost of its previous owner.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

The SCOP vats had been working overtime, and R4 had even cobbled together a device to somewhat automate the process. Heaps and heaps of maybe flesh maybe plant matter had been set aside, a cobbled together life support machine pulled from pieces out of a scrap yard ensured it had enough carbon dioxide. Between shopping with Jun R4 had been assembling what had started out as a metallic skeleton, but was quickly turning into something else. Picking up her tools R4 got back to work, but by this stage there was not much left to finish.

“Ok Red Queen, so what did I just build?” R4 looked over the construction. While it had started with metal scaffolding, the almost cylindrical device had quickly gained a layer of bone, then veins, meat, and synth nerves. The synth nerves had been the most expensive, draining her accounts almost white. A combination of trading the remains of several scath, a few dead drops from Mara, and finally collecting on the bounty from the gangsters had just barely seen her through. [[Ascension Cocoon: Tier 1]] Her right eye helpfully displayed. “Ok, I can guess that’s what I’m supposed to get inside.” As she spoke it opened up, muscles she partially remembered installing pulling on the skin and metal. She did not remember installing that ability though, planning on going in through the top. “Do I have to shower or wash?” She eyed the pool of water, wary of the supposed radiation within. Much of the metal and a few bits of cyberware had been scavenged from within, being thoroughly cleaned after of course. Despite being informed, repeatedly, that her cyberware would take care of the radiation she still used telekinesis to fish her prizes out, which is how she learned that water and radiation both negatively affect telekinesis range.

“No, and you can wear those clothes if you would like, though you will not get them back after. Also, if you would move it into the water.”

“Isn’t that radioactive?”

“Only mildly, the cocoon can extract nutrients from radiation much like a plant from sunlight. Between your Ravager prototoype and the regeneration cysts you would need far stronger radiation to be in any danger. I’m not saying it would protect you from a nuclear blast, but the fallout would likely stop being an issue after a few minutes. Being in the water will give the Cocoon more nutrients and materials to work with.”

R4 managed to move the cocoon, despite its huge size, to the water. As she placed it the device immediately extended long roots which anchored it in place. “So that’s what those were for. So, I just hop in?” R4 removed her boots and outer clothes, leaving on only her under garments. She glanced at the bag she had stashed with some new clothing she had purchased. She stepped in, and the cocoon sealed behind her. Immediately a pop up appeared. [[You are about to ascend from tier 0 to tier 1. Required exp: 2160/1000. Do you wish to ascend? (Yes/No)]] R4 paused, before another pop up appeared. [[Would you like to disperse excess exp across remaining FRAME attributes and skills? (Yes, focus FRAME/ Yes, focus skills evenly/ Yes focus skills of XXX FRAME/ No, save them)]] R4 quickly made her choice. [[R4, you have exp that is specialized towards skills and attributes. Would you like to convert them to general exp, or spend them as intended? (convert/ spend as intended)]]. As R4 made her choices the cocoon began to glow and fill with water. It was not the water from outside, but the distilled water R4 had procured. “So, I read a lot of the manuals on ascension, aren’t I supposed to be asleep for this?”

“AWAKE.” The voice made her bones vibrate and her eye twitch. For a moment R4 felt like her bones would shake right out of her skin. As she thought that she realized she was still wearing her prosthetic.

“Shoot, Red let me out, I need to get off my arm and leg.”

“It’s too late to stop, but it doesn’t matter either way. Sorry R4, but there is something I need to talk to you about.”

“Please, don’t tell me you’re firing me, or double crossing me.” R4 felt a slight heat in her legs. “Hey, is it supposed to be this warm?”

“That’s not heat R4, that’s enzymes. You know how traditional ascension involves injecting nanites which interact with every cell. Well, ravagers do things a little differently.

“You mean the ravager prototype, right?” R4 asked. In response her horns twitched, it was a very odd feeling. A low scratching sounded in her head, feeling as if her skull was itching. Immediately R4 began to scratch at it, yet she couldn’t quite reach it. “Red, what’s going on?”

“The prototype, yes, perhaps I should clarify. When a human undergoes ascension they do so via an infusion of nanites, further linking them to their cyberware. Further an AI copy of their mind is created in a process known as twinning. As the AI and human mind are one they should get along. Personally I theorize it is a disconnect between the two that causes aberrant ascension and cyberpsychosis. However, Ravagers do not have nanites, yet they can also increase in tiers.” R4 noted the change in tone. “If our understanding is correct, they do not even need external aid.”

“Red, are we cut off from Mara again? You’re being chatty.” R4 tried to hide it, but the fear was in her voice She froze. “Wait, if we’re cut off from Mara,” The itching got worse, R4 began scratching harder, then she heard a low CRACK. “Red, what was,” she felt something grab onto her head. She looked up, or tried to. As she did the weight threw her off balance and she fell, hitting the enzymes with a splash. Immediately the heat spread over her entire body. For a moment she saw the thing that had landed on her head. It was a large silvery isopod. Two small horns arched from its back, and a long arm extended from it to… for a moment R4’s thoughts froze. She reached up with arms that were already shedding their skin. A long tether extended from it to her… her thoughts paused again, it couldn’t be right. Her skull was open, a smooth rim where the bone had been sheered away so this… thing could crawl out. Yet she was still thinking.

“Red, wha… wha ish tha?” The words were slurred in her mouth, yet the isopod spoke them in perfect resonant. She blinked, and as she did she saw herself. Her ruined body, legs mostly dissolved down to the bones, the rest not far behind. She saw the tether, the last connection between her body and the isopod. In her already failing mind she couldn’t help but remember operating camera, and turning it around to look at herself at the controls. She absentmindedly moved her hand, and watched from above as the nearly skeletal hand moved in front of her face. She knew she should be scared, yet it was distant, muted. She felt a strange instinct, that she should submerge in the enzyme. Immediately the isopod jumped, landing with a splash and dragging her head down with it.

“R-Red. Help.” Her last word was a gurgle as the enzymes covered her face Her vision from her left eye immediately went out, and a moment later her right too vanished. The last thing she saw was her own face, dissolving.

“Now just relax. It will be over soon.”

And with that the last trace of the woman known as Rachel Smith was dissolved.

[[Intercepting Communication

retrieving archived communication]]

???: The data you sent was incomplete

Ice Queen: I gave you what my people collected. The Iron hand used dozens of proxies, the fact we managed to track it back to the warlock Drigette was a miracle enough.

???: There was a time when you would have kept digging until you found the truth Isabella.

Ice Queen: That is not my name anymore. The agreement was for the person who supplied the Iron Hand with their equipment. You have her name, and confirmation she is dead.

???: We do not have her supplier. A tech cannot conjure chrome from rust.

Ice Queen: Unfortunately that information was not in the agreement. I could send my team down there, though it is deep within the under-city, and it would require us to take time from our current contract with the city. It would be quite expensive, slaying psychos is lucrative.

???: On to other matters, within one of your recent invoices an entity known as Rat Face was mentioned. There were inconsistencies in the collected remains.

Ice Queen: I presume this is a lead up to a request.

???: The cyber psycho Rat Face had several unique biological properties, and far fewer cybernetics than your report would have led us to believe.

Ice Queen: Bioware has come a long way.

???: Yet this bioware is new, and not something available on the open market. Several fragments of an unknown material were found within the creature’s skull and nervous system. It is a shame we do not have a more complete picture. We want another sample, alive.

Ice Queen: That is going to be a tall order, quite expensive.

???: Our patron has deep pockets. A scan would be a good middle ground, but a living sample better. We will be in touch.

[[Intercepting Communication

Retrieving archived communication]]

Ice Queen: So let me get this straight, you met a random woman in the undercity, and you brought her home.

Issac: ‘Twas a divine gift, that just as my blade was revoked from my hand she did arise, like the lady of the lake from the tales. To me did she deliver not one, but three weapons with which to smite my foe. It would besmirch mine honor if I had not assisted her in escaping the under city.

Ice Queen: It is not your honor I’m worried about Issac. If you’re going to invite a joy toy over, I need to vet them first so we can make sure they’re not an agent of one of the corporations.

Harris: 100 credits on Lok-1. She wore a Mars Corporation jacket but wasn’t violent at all, sounds like Lok-1 to me

Cutter: 100 on Gentek. She knew enough to move him so he wouldn’t get bed sores, but not enough to realize a tier 2 wouldn't get bed sores for weeks. Great cover for a kind hearted remote. When I saw the nutrient broth I thought he was feeding a hurt guest, didn’t occur to me it could be the other way around. How’d that happen anyhow?

Issac: I find offense that you would so quickly turn upon my betrothed. For your question the tendril warlock allowed me to slice free one of her limbs, only for it to come back to life. The foul distraction cost me dearly. I was wrong, the medical kit you provided was most useful.

Cutter: Glad you liked it, I’ll make sure to get you some more. Still, even if she’s a Gentek spy, she’s a better solution than what we have.

Ice Queen: What do you mean?

Cutter: Look, every week or two we have to hire a joy toy or roll the dice on our knight in tinfoil armor having a nightmare and needing to reboot again. That means we need to pay a broker, who sends a girl, and we have to vet her.

Issac: A most unsatisfactory solution. While their profession is ancient and respected, I trust them not. For the scholars disagree, does a prostitute cost a loaf of bread, or does a prostitute reduce a man to nothing but a loaf of bread? Regardless, a more permanent solution has presented itself.

Ice Queen: Cutter, care to translate?

Cutter: He wants to take her on as a long term partner. As I said, it’s not a horrible idea. He did practically kidnap her, drug her, and take her to his room and she decided not to flatline him for it. She didn’t go wild with the meds like the one we used a month ago, and she didn’t try to klep anything like the joytoy before that. Even if we just hire her as a long term sitter to keep an eye on him when he’s rebooting, it’s only one day every week or two, credits talk. Think of it like hiring a visiting nurse. That, and she is a tech

Issac: I did not kidnap her.

Cutter: You picked her up, threw her in a cab, and when the service bot brought her in she was out cold. I know, I had Harris scrub the logs.

Ice Queen: She’s a tier 0 tech.

Cutter: We were all tier 0 at one point. I’m not saying we dish out for her ascension, but maybe we keep an eye on her, let her do a bit of gear maintenance. Issac’s going to have to reboot again sometime, might as well ensure he’s got someone we know.

Harris: Presuming she doesn’t drop dead in the next few months.

Issac: My brother, do you care to repeat that?

Harris: Ah... shouldn’t have said that.

Ice Queen: Harris…

Harris: So I jokingly asked if she was dying, since Issac can’t ever get a girl for more than one date. Apparently, she has some bad cyberware. Tier 1 at tier 0, she’ll likely stroke out or suffer neural collapse within a few months, she says 3 I give it less.

Issac: Then a quest we must undergo, to ensure she survives. Our Queen of Frost and Gold, let us raise the banner of crusade.

Ice Queen: I can’t just declare a war Issac.

Harris: Look, I say we leave it in The Lord’s hands. He brought her into your life, if she’s meant to be there he’ll make a way. Look, she even mentioned she already has a plan on how to survive. We just have to make sure it’s not at our expense.

Ice Queen: … Harris, we will talk about this.

[[Issac has logged off]]

[[Ice Queen has logged off]]

Cutter: I didn’t know you were religious Vincent.

Harris: It’s not about being religious, it’s about speaking Issac’s language.