[Message (MP): 4 Lootpods redeemed! They will arrive via orbital drop within 10 minutes!]
I found a suitable landing zone in the middle of the small valley and called in all the loot boxes. Four booms sounded overhead from the pods’ entry. It caught everyone’s attention as they looked up at the objects that streaked downward towards us - the valley. I herded us back up the valley a safe ways away.
Of course, there were questions but I told them I wouldn’t hand over the details until they were under the contracts. Given this, they stopped their questions.
Four deep and loud thuds sounded out as they impacted the ground tens of meters away. We made our way down to the uniform gray pods. Each scorched but nonetheless all the same to the naked eye. Not for me though. With my kiroshi implants, scanning each pod within a second was a thought away to identify which pod held what. Or, at least the general contents.
The one I wanted right now was second to last in the line.
I mosied myself over, opening the pod with a remote activation command. Within the pod was a laptop, a large pad the size of a standard A2 paper, and a folder filled with tan paper. There was also a shard taped to the top of the laptop. I inserted it in my port. Information on how to use the equipment flooded in.
The laptop was something I was familiar with. It was pre-loaded with a program I was to type the contract contents into. From there, when I was done, submit it to the Mana-printer - the plate - with the papers I wanted the contents transferred to ontop of it. Taking it from there, the people I wanted to sign it were to read it and then insert their mana into it if they agreed. It would bind the agreement to their souls.
I felt this might have been a little extreme personally, but there was a clause at the end that mentioned this was a common thing in this world. Any person who took on important contracts would sign one, at least, those whos’ employers could afford the draw up the contract. And there was also a little fine-print section where A specifically mentions that this was a forward. I would be made to draw up contracts for her when she needed them, deliver to those people, and get their signatures.
A was really making me her assistant…
The upside was I would keep this equipment so long as I did what she wanted. It wasn’t like I was going to say no to begin with. Making magical contracts was at the bottom of my list for reasons I needed to stay on A’s good side. That being I would be dead in the water.
That being expanded upon, I drew up the contracts. Basic Non-Disclosure Agreements, NDAs, that covered the topic of keeping the details of my power; including how anything functioned outside that it responded only to me, as it was a power extended on behalf of my deity. Specifically, they were to direct questions to me. It also partly acted as a termed contract of 6 months to assist me in my day-to-day life to navigate this society.
I showed everyone what I’d done up. For a few minutes, they were far more fascinated with the laptop until I wrangled them back onto the subject of the NDAs. I got their approvals, printed them, and watched them sign. Once that happened, each paper folded itself into two. A small blue fire then raced down the spine and split them into two. The contents are copied to the other half. Each person got a copy of their contract while I kept the other.
By far the most interesting bit of business I’ve seen so far despite this being the only part of the business I’ve actually come across. Espionage wasn’t my cup of soda thus I hadn’t tried to peak into the inner workings back at the Fort.
“Alright, that’s done,” I said as I threw the contracts into my inventory where they created their own little section known as paperwork.
“So, what are these things?” Renel asked
“These are orbital drop pods. Within them are items I earned randomly, and before you ask where they come from, all I know is A sends them via magic. It works differently from my own power where I use stones to conjure my own equipment.”
They asked a few more questions, but I had to turn them away. Renel was interested in the science behind the pods. Hembree was interested in the military capabilities I possessed, while the other were interested in other minor aspects. The answer for most of it was “Godly magic - I don’t know.” At first, it seemed I was stonewalling them. Within a few minutes, they began to sympathize with me. I wanted to answer as maybe I too would gain insight from their perspectives, but there were no answers to be had as I was not familiar with magic to begin with. I was with net running and business affairs.
And one thing about HR I’ve learned was that honesty was not the best policy. Sincerity was. You could tell a lie, but if you wanted to keep your important people, they needed to know you were working with them, not against them.
The questions ended soon after.
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I opened the last pod in the line. Within it was several weapons.
[IWI-Tavor-GTAR 21 – WRAITH]
This… This was by far an ancient gun. Almost a hundred years old… Yet it looked to be in pristine condition mechanically wise. Not a hint of rust or anything. It looked like it’d just come off an assembly line. Only… It had a blue flaming skull plastered on the right side. It was a nomad weapon. I was tempted to just throw it into my inventory to forget about it, however, it came with attachments.
Holographic sight, decent compensation, laser, and an under-barrel mounted grenade launcher. The bullpup was indeed a surprise to see since they hadn’t been in production since 2020. Making their lifespan less than 35 years. However, with the nomad insignia on the side, it made sense. Despite the proliferation of firearms throughout the world, procuring newly manufactured weapons - no matter how cheap - still required money. To nomads, money was something in short supply. Given their ability to scavenge effectively, their armories were often filled with century-old weapons. I hadn’t been in a nomad armory before, but I had met with a few of their parties when they delivered. Each of them looked ragged with their old technology…
And here I was with a weapon tagged with the worst nomad group known… But it had a GL though…
Enough of that, I bagged it along with its modest ammo supply. The next thing in there were two old Berretas M9s. I was less impressed with these. Both of them were etched with BAKKERS on the slides. Nothing else was in the pod and it turned into light particles that melted into the dirt below.
The next one held cyberware. Upon opening it, I came upon a box. It was an internal cyberware - a RADAR augment from Rocklin Augmentics… Interesting. This cybernetic allowed its user to detect movement within 50 meters, barring cover. I bet if I tapped into mana rather than radiowaves, I could eliminate that blind spot.
Luckily enough for my vanity, this RADAR was the latest model, which boasted the lack of a head bump. Having a normal shaped head was critical to a woman’s mental health. Well, what passed for normal. Not that I didn’t find other people with oddly shaped heads attractive. Exotics were common in Night city. I just preferred to keep my looks the same.
I threw the box in my inventory.
[Message (MP): 1 Free Cyberware installation on standby. Please notify Xi Long Mobile MedTechs for installation.]
I sent a notification to the med techs as I opened up the next one. Inside were nicely packaged clothing. Three pieces. I didn’t bother to check them and threw them into my inventory. The last one was the one I wanted to see the most. It was labeled as a Random Support drop. Again, using a remote open function, the pod opened.
“Congratulations on your first Floor-Boss kill!” a robotic voice spoke from the pod as confetti spewed out the top of the pod. Inside the pod were two gold-plated tablets.
[Offensive Support (Perm.):
Zetatech Octant (Xi Long Variant)
Arasaka Minotuar ]
----------------------------------------
/// 6 hours later –
“I’m going to need you to clear this dungeon soon,” A said over the call. “Readings are changing. It’s probably going to mutate again. I won't be able to assist you for a few hours as well, movement to the southwest. Another demi-god is rising and I need to make sure they don’t fuck something up.”
“Acknowledged,” I said replied. “It’ll go fast with this bad boy here.”
“Message me when you’re done.”
The call ended as I primed the Tavor. Being a bullpup, it offered a shorter barrel length. Something I’d come to appreciate when I did a few dry fire exercises after I had slept. Honestly, it’s controls were… interesting, but liked it. The ergonomics were quite nice.
But I had to take off the grenade launcher. It defeated the purpose of a bullpup. I found it quite interesting that the grenade launcher could function as a standalone. Within the store, there was a stock attachment that allowed it to become its own weapon - well, make it userfriendly. I attached it to a sling and slung it across my lower back. This did create a situation where I’d be encumbered trying to swap to either, but I didn’t have much of a choice.
I did find a solution. It required me to slide the rifle to my left if I wanted to pull the GL forward to give me clearance. It definitely would be a dance.
The final changes were to my outfit.
I was finally able to ditch that emergency suit for another suit! That’s sarcasm. The clothing I got was different. One was a nice shirt, but definitely only loungewear. The second was underwear - I needed this, and the last one was a high-end multi-environment suit in dark blue. How was this one different?
For one, rather than the bleak almost matte black suit that was cheap quality, this suit felt like a second skin. It was day and night. I hadn’t known what I had been missing when I tried it on. I had been so focused on dealing with my situation that I neglected comfort. Luxury was king as they say, and this suit proved it. I slept well in the suit.
To complement this, I also purchased high-end knee-high boots and impact gloves. Both black. I wanted a helmet to protect my head, but I kept that on the back burner for now. Unless I wanted to go with a basic ballistic helm at 300p and lacked protection, the one I was looking at was around 10,000p
An additional piece to my kit was my thigh bandolier that held 4 spare 40mm high-explosive rounds for the GL.
“Alright,” I said and looked to Hembree. “Are you ready?”
He cleared his throat as he looked me up and down. “That’s… quite the new suit…”’
I turned on the spot to show him. “I also god a new bandolier!”
His face turned a nice shade of red, but didn’t say anything. I then remembered that things were more conservative here and pushed it out of my mind. I then turned and face the minotaur behind me. “How do you like my toy?”