They found Dane where Jamieson had left him. He was sitting on a fallen tree and rubbing at his temples. “Oh you found Barten, nice. Does your head feel like someone took your brain out, chopped it up, added a bit of olive oil, maybe some chili flake, you know nice flavors that complement one another, and then stuffed it back inside? No? Okay. Just me then.”
Barten had been worried for Dane, but only until he opened his mouth. That was enough to tell that the man was still himself. And that he hadn’t been overly affected by the Aethergarblind’s psychic attack. “I made it through alright. Jamieson arrived just in time. Otherwise I might be as bad as you.”
“How come they didn’t bother with you Jamieson? Maybe you weren’t their type?”
Jamieson shook his head with a smile. Patted Dane on the back. And helped him to his feet. “We need to join up with the others. It’s going to be a bad time pointing at everyone, wondering who is what. Or who is who.”
“How are we going to tell?” Barten asked. “Do you think Smith and the others are okay?”
Jamieson showed a grim expression. “I don’t know.”
When they arrived at the meet up place they found it empty. “Where is everyone?” Dane asked. A quick look through the area showed them little of note. Since so many of them had been milling around the tracks in the forest floor were all a mess. And were going every which way.
“Do either of you hear that?” Barten asked. He cocked his head to the sky as he thought he had heard- “There. Sounds like a chopper coming. Not like the old ones we had on Echo Base. Something newer. Maybe a troop transport?”
“If so, that is both a boon, and yet also a bane,” Jamieson said. They waited around for another moment as the engine noise grew louder. Just as they spotted a pair of transport choppers a flare went up a little ways from where they were waiting.
“That was pretty close,” Dane said. “I wonder who is over there? And where did they get the flare from? Though I guess if you guys found some rifles a flare isn’t out of the question.” They moved in the direction of the flare. But by the time that they found the location the choppers were already landing in a clearing nearby. A number of soldiers milling around waiting to get on.
There were a few more than what they started with though. And Barten found that another 3 had joined, putting them to 21. He spent a moment looking through the faces of the soldiers gathered. Checking their faces. But he didn’t find the rest of his squad. Nor was he able to pinpoint the 3 new people. There were so many squads, both old and new, that it was hard to keep track of everyone.
The moment that the choppers set down the doors opened. A pair of military police stepped out of each one and started taking names and guns from the soldiers. “Strange that, why would they take our guns?” Dane asked. “I mean, sure they are government issued. But some soldiers really like their guns. Like I mean really really like them. Names and everything.”
“Shouldn’t you know more than most?” Barten asked. “You’re always complaining about it right?”
“Huh? What?” Dane tilted his head to the side. Screwed his eyes. And then brightened. “Oh. You mean how they always seem to know things that they don’t let the rest of us know?”
“That’s right. This isn’t going to be good for us I think,” Jamieson said as he removed his rifle and pistol.
“Should we make a fuss?” Barten asked. “Though I can’t see it going well right now.”
“No. Let's wait and see what command has in store for us,” Jamieson said with a low voice. “With everyone armed like this I can see the same end as you.” Their turn in line came and they called their names out. Without protesting they handed over their guns and stepped onto the chopper. Once everyone was loaded up they took off again. Back to Alpha Base.
With some time on his hands Barten decided to work his way through his new status. It probably wasn’t the best time for it. But he needed something to keep his mind away from the paranoia that was settling in. He trusted Jamieson and Dane. Aside from those two who knew about the others. Maybe they were the only ones attacked. Maybe everyone else was compromised and that was why they moved the meeting point. Maybe everyone else in the chopper was a compromised invasion force. Trojan horsing their way into Alpha base.
He drew in deep breath, and then slowly let it out. When he tried to open his status another window appeared on top of it.
—
New Quest {ERROR}
Additional members of your will need to awaken to unlock quests. As there is insufficient information collected to assign and reward quests.
—
Barten put the warning out of his mind and dismissed it. If the system was being wonky there wasn’t anything that he could do about it. He wasn’t even sure if he could trust it enough to accept anything that it might give or reward him with.
With the warning out of the way his status appeared before him. It said that he would be able to pull up more information on it if he wanted. So Barten first looked at the Level 3 Pilot line.
—
Pilot
Due to your years of experience in piloting flying craft you have been awarded levels. Bonuses are given when applying your stats to driving, flying, or moving motorized vehicles, dav suits, and similar vehicles.
Perception: For gauging distance, discovering enemies and obstacles
Dexterity: For reacting to perceived obstacles and attacks
You have 3 levels in this class.
3726/5000
—
Barten read over the description again and again. Trying to figure out just what it meant. On a surface level he knew the meaning behind the words. But how would it apply to him and how he piloted things? The system or whatever it was told him what it did, but not the how. And he found himself stuck on it. Where did this power come from? How was it applied to him?
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
He closed his eyes and stilled his breathing that had become fast. Asking himself questions that he couldn’t know the answers to was sending his mind into a tailspin. Maybe the next line on his status would help?
—
Titles are given to those that perform miraculous feats that would otherwise not be possible for them or their race.
Progenitor - Being one of the first humans to be awakened to the system you have been awarded this title.
10 cycles of your planet's rotation around its home star have been added to your life expectancy.
You are given bonus experience until level 5
Any children you sire will likewise benefit from this bonus. Deprecating though the next 4 generations.
—
It didn’t really help. Barten knew that as soon as he started reading. The extra years to live were welcome. Though assuming that it would keep him in his prime longer. And not that it would let him cling to life in a broken and aged body for 10 years longer than he should. He shuddered at the fear that he could be stuck, broken mind in a broken body that refused to die.
Next up was the unspent stats. Easy enough. Dex and Per were the obvious choices since they helped with the Pilot class. But there was also the allure of easily raising the harder ones like Str, Agi, or Con. Another thought occurred to Barten. They had been able to raise their stats just by using their bodies before. Has that changed for him? Wouldn’t it be better to save his points until such a time that he would be able to no longer improve?
He also had his extra stat to consider.
—
Psychic Resistance. Aids one in defending and warding off psychic intrusions, attacks, and damage.
—
That stat was already there when he first got his chip. So it probably came from when he ate the psychic pulse when he was a kid. And then it went up after the one at the base. And again after surviving the attack of the Aethergarblind. Since it was the special attack of the object and its troops. Wouldn't it be better to be stronger against it?
Barten washed his face with his hands. It was hard enough dealing with the objects and their attacks. Thinking about all the added status was both overwhelming and addicting. Having some answers, even if they left him with more questions gave him more enjoyment than it should.
Lastly he turned his attention to the skills section.
—
Skill ranks are a marker to show how far long you have excelled with an action. Higher rankings give better adjustments.
Shooting 1 - You hit what you aim at.
+1 to shooting results
Dexterity bonus: 1
Piloting 3 - Vehicles move as you command
+3 to all actions with vehicles
Perception bonus: 1.15
Dexterity bonus: 1.15
Running 2 - Moving your body fast over long distances
+2 to how far you can run and how fast.
Agility bonus: 1.10
Unspent skills points can be used to increase the level of any existing skill. As well as be used to add a new skill. It will take some time to become acclimated to the new level of a skill.
—
The information on the skills was helpful. They were sort of like mini titles in their own way. Showing the amount of effort that Barten had put into a task. The Running skill he felt should have been higher. Given all of the punishment that he and the squad had put themselves through in the early days back on Echo Base.
But the real meat of the section was the unspent skill point. Since he was level 3 did that mean that he started with the skill point? Or was it awarded due to reaching one of his levels? Barten made a mental note to keep an eye out and see what happened as he continued to gain levels.
When he tried to spend the skill point there was an option to add a new skill. But when Barten selected it his vision was overwhelmed with all of the choices. From what he could understand it was possible to take a level in pretty much anything. From holding your breath, to seeing in the dark, to echo location. They all seemed to be physical stats though. And nothing really for the mental skills like oration or public speaking. Or math, calculus, or research. If they could target something like that wouldn't humanity’s progress move at the speed of light? The thought caused him to sigh. What if the xenos had already unlocked such a thing? Could their advanced technology be an example of what could be achieved with such a skill?
Jamieson poked him in the ribs and gave him a smile. For some reason he was being rather upbeat about things. Though knowing Jamieson he probably had a unique view on what happened with the squad or with whole body snatching.
Given how loud the blades on the chopper were it wasn’t possible to hear one another. But Barten found it comforting enough to at least sit next to Jamieson. Dane on the other hand not so much. As at least he didn’t have to listen to him prattle on. He somehow also was a bench hog. There should have been enough room for everyone to feel comfy on the chopper. And yet it took every bit of Barten’s willpower to not shoot a side eye or eye at the ever encroaching man.
Finally Alpha Base came into view. It was a hive of activity with people running all over the place. What came as a surprise to Barten was that they had posted davs on the perimeter. Watching down the mountain along the path they took to the object. A section of the forest had been cleared as well. Allowing the sentries a better look at what might be approaching.
Once they landed Barten was never so happy to be out of a chopper before. The well paved tarmac met his boots and he was directed into a section of the base that he hadn’t been in much before. There were several other groups of people already waiting there. Barten at first noticed someone from the 4th or 8th squad and he quickly started searching. “If there are other squad members here from Echo Base maybe our squad made it as well?” Barten asked.
“Oh, I see some from my squad,” Dane said. “I’m off for now. Thanks for saving me,” he patted Jamieson on the shoulder and walked away.
“At the very least he’s polite when he needs to be,” Jamieson said.
“I mean. Maybe if he used half as many words. Even if he did that he would be talking more than normal.”
“You’re too critical. Maybe you just need to speak some more?”
Barten rolled his eyes and continued searching the gathered crowd. A moment later another group of soldiers walked down the same path that they had. There Barten finally spied the three that he had been looking for. He waved to them and got smiles and waves back.
“You’ve both made it through okay. I’m glad,” Smith said.
“What happened to you? Were you able to fight off the ambush after the thorn fell?” Barten asked.
“Yes. We didn’t find them to be too much effort to dispatch,” Conners said.
“It was what happened afterwards. It took so long to rejoin with the others that we ended up alone and fighting against the type 3s. We were overwhelmed and were lucky to live,” Monroe said.
“What happened to your davs?” Jamieson asked. “We lost ours while retreating. They seemed to change tactics suddenly and that did many of us in.”
Smith shook his head. “It’s a shame that so many were lost.”
“We’ll have to have that drink that Monroe was talking about,” Jamieson said and smiled at her.
She returned the smile. “A toast to our luck at arriving back at base. For us, and those that didn’t.”
“We just need to find some first,” Conners said. “Think that they might allow some after what we’ve been through?”
“Somehow,” Jamieson said. “I don’t think that we’ll be that lucky again.” Barten could see that he was smiling. And yet it seemed sad to him for some reason.