The Innishannon Reclaimers were very certain that they didn’t need help for the Bandon cleanup. So certain it was less an thankful refusal and more a demand for them to leave.
It was clear to Heinz that Innishannon wanted to claim the lion’s share of the ‘spoils’. They were the closest settlement and provided all the fuel. Kinmore Reclaimers may have held the line but the majority of the Reclaimers were from Innishannon.
It didn’t bother Heinz too much. No one was unfriendly or rude. If anything they were very courteous to the five of them. It turned out that Louise and Tara had been key to taking down the escaping Octopus. People were impressed.
The clean up itself was only discussed after everyone had been given a medical check up. A team of Innishannon doctors had rushed into the zone after the wall fell which was a great idea in his opinion.
All in all, Heinz was fine with leaving it up to Aisling to negotiate a slice of the pie for Kinmore.
They lingered awhile Luke was being treated. The ‘Professors’, as the team of seven were now dubbed, had borne the brunt of the Octopus’ charge and both Trev and Luke were injured. Neither was in serious condition. The octopus had been focused on escape not causing damage. Its limbs had still broken bones and its jagged fur still left road rash in its wake.
Sitting and listening to Kate complain about her team's new name was a great way to cool down. Out of the seven, only two were teachers and they were the only ones happy with the name. Everyone else enjoyed bad mouthing it when they weren't around.
Before they left Louise brought up exploring the other side of Innishannon again but was shot down quickly. Their System timer was full and there was daylight. Everyone else wanted to go home.
A runner caught up with them as they left Bandon. Aisling had sent a message. Louise and himself were invited to a meeting in Kinmore later.
Rennziege was damp and shaky when he got back. The cold northerly breeze carried a hint of smoke with it. Heinz stripped off his layers and in what was becoming a tradition, went for a swim in the bay. When he returned to the boat, he could smell the smoke off his clothes from the water.
Grimacing, he pulled them into the water with him for a quick wash. He didn’t know if the Swarm detected people via smell, but it was better to be safe than sorry. According to Philip, the Swarm couldn’t see colour but he knew they could detect movement even if some of the creatures didn’t have eyes.
What he did know was that the layers would be a pain to dry.
His next stop was to the outdoor centre and it wasn’t too hard to pry Rosa away. Things were settling down for the new organisation, likely helped by a lack of children running around and the peace in the town. Heinz wasn’t sure exactly how work had been distributed between the outdoor centre and the council, but both were sticking to their responsibilities. With less uncertainty, Rosa had been able to delegate and organise. She no longer needed to be there for every decision.
It was also lunchtime and Rosa needed to eat.
“I can’t believe you burned down Bandon.”
Heinz scowled at her. “You say that like it was me alone.”
“And to think you were putting one out just last week,” Rosa said, ignoring him and shaking her head.
He slowed and looked around. No one was within earshot. The town may be calm now but an undercurrent of gloom lingered. The last thing he needed was a rumour going around that he was the arsonist.
“I don’t think it's fair to compare the two.”
“Right.” Rosa winced. “Sorry. That was a bit much.”
He didn’t speak again until they’d left the town square behind.
“Are you any closer to finding out who-”
Rosa stopped him with a hand and scanned around them before replying. “There is a suspect. We’re following them and waiting for proof.”
“Anyone I’d know?”
“Don’t ask.” Rosa said with a shake of her head. “You’re right. I of all people should be careful about what I say.”
Heinz hummed. That was a weight off his mind. He never wanted to feel the panic of standing by a burning building and wondering if anyone was inside again. But the news was also disconcerting. It was one thing knowing that there was an arsonist around and another to have to confront a neighbour. “On that note, Aisling wants a meeting with me later and I’m pretty sure it’s about Maggie.”
“Tell me what you know.”
The following conversation was a lot less relaxing than Heinz had planned but they were at least forced to put it to rest when they reached the baker. A loaf of bread and a glass of water wasn’t a meal with a lot of variety but they were able to relax as they walked along the quays.
The walk ended far too quickly and Heinz was forced to make a decision.
User I38-3NA5
Classification
Fighter
Credits
172
Energy
Threshold
834.7
1100
Agility
4 +2
Channel
4 +1
Endurance
8 +3
Recovery
8 +1
Strength
12 +2
“We should have done this before we ate.”
Rosa smirked and gestured for him to hurry up.
Heinz reviewed his options again. He could ignore the first set of augments. He had them all already after all.
Name
Effect
Price
Cultivator threshold
Healing II
Marrow production increased. Blood becomes a universal donor.
100
1
Camouflage I
Adjust skin pigmentation.
105
1
Shield skin I
Secrete section of metal from skin
110
1
Combustant I
Secrete flammable material
115
1
Circulation I
Increase Energy absorption
120
1
Then there was the second row of augments. Rosa wouldn’t be able to buy these but there were plenty of cultivators waiting around the Shop to help. Plus he could always ask Maggie.
Name
Effect
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Price
Cultivator threshold
Requirement
Rest II
Reduce need for sleep
150
2
Recovery 6
Adrenaline II
Improve and increase production
155
2
Endurance 6
Circulation II
Increase Energy absorption
160
2
Strength 6
Dilation I
Manually trigger memory recollection increase
165
2
Agility 6
Sound I
Increased hearing range and control
170
2
Channel 6
He could afford anything bar Sound I. With the Healing I augment, he had both the unofficial and official requirements for everything except Dilation I.
Many options didn't make deciding any easier. With a sigh, Heinz walked back over to the notice board with notes about the augments. The old ones remained mostly unchanged:
Healing II
WARNING DO NOT PURCHASE WITHOUT HEALING I. Large risk of Anaemia. Contact the hospital for supplements if you have this augment without the previous version.
Enables emergency field blood transfusions and increases circulation.
Shield Skin I
WARNING HEALING I RECOMMENDED. Contact the hospital for supplements if you do not have the healing I augment.
Form a localised metallic barrier on your skin.
Combustant I
WARNING BREATHING I RECOMMENDED. Increase liquid intake if you have the augment without the previous iteration.
Cough up a flammable jelly. Great for coating weapons. The flame worsens wounds on Swarm.
But three new notices had been added.
Circulation I
Allows energy to be gathered during meditation. Contact Leah O’Mahony for instruction on how to use.
NOTE: Slow and not recommended for Reclaimers
Camouflage I
Turn your skin muted. No major change to colour but Swarm have a harder time detecting you.
Skin feels a bit bumpier after augment.
Adrenaline II
Increases effect and amount of Adrenaline. After effects of augment don't get worse.
NOTE: Effects of taking without Adrenaline I unknown.
It seemed that Louise’s decision to skip a tier of augments was a rare one. Heinz wasn’t surprised, given the price and how many warnings were on the threshold one augments. Who would take the risk?
Heinz sighed and tried to put his worries for his friend aside for now. He began to eliminate augments.
Circulation I didn’t sound like it would be useful to him. He didn’t have enough time in the day as it was. Circulation II was ignored for the same reason.
Camouflage I and Rest II were next. Both were useful augments but neither would be useful if he was the only member of the group to have them. The group hadn’t gone shopping together for a while, and with Louise having already gotten Sound I, there was no point returning to the practice now.
Healing II seemed useful but he wasn’t sure how helpful having two members with it would be to the team. Still, he added it to his wishlist.
Combustant I.. It made him feel uneasy. He just couldn’t shake the idea that the flammable jelly would get caught in his throat. Heinz had brushes with drowning before. It was a hazard of the job and water sports. Being burned from the inside out while desperately gasping for breath was not something he ever wanted to feel.
That left two, Adrenaline II and Shield Skin I.
Heinz liked them both. Shield Skin would hopefully cut down on the number of wounds he picked up and possibly stop any lasting injuries like Shane and Tara’s broken arms. His new armour was good but it didn’t cover everything. His hands and neck in particular were vulnerable. The first wound he’d ever taken from a Swarm was to his neck and Heinz was not eager for a repeat.
Adrenaline I was an amazing ability. Heinz was certain he wouldn’t have survived the Slasher’s attack without it. Adrenaline II would enhance an already powerful ability. But.. Heinz didn’t have full control over Adrenaline I yet. It was also situational. He'd no opportunity to use it during the burn down today. It was still a good option, but Heinz liked to cover all his bases first.
He turned to Rosa. “Shield Skin I.”
Rosa took his hand and turned it palm up.
115 Credits later, Heinz took the augment and headed over to a purposely set up building outside the Shop area. The building's interior had been divided into booths. Each booth was small and changing room-like with a seat inside. A nurse gave him a token for a booth and recorded what augment he was taking. They informed him that someone would check in every five minutes while he took it.
It was a good system. Heinz wasn’t sure what would have happened if he had collapsed from the Rest I augment while on the marina instead of in his boat. It was also easier on the whole of the town. There was no hiding the screams of pain but thick walls stopped the sound from carrying too far.
Heinz popped the augment back.
Five minutes passed. Then ten. All he felt was a grumbling in his stomach. That sensation faded too and Heinz was ready to celebrate an easy augment.
Ants began to dance under his skin.
Pain.
Aisling’s meeting was held in a pub in the centre of Kinmore.
It was an odd place for an important discussion and created a trend after the meeting in Innishannon.
Far too many bad jokes about the Irish and alcohol came to mind.
However it was a sensible decision. The pub had tables large enough to host all the attendees, was private and wasn’t in use for anything important. It was as close to neutral territory as you could find in Kinmore.
Rosa and he had arrived early. At first he thought Rosa was just extending her break or trying to avoid being dragged into any more work before the meeting. When she moved a large armchair, the only one in the room, from the fireplace to the head of the table that thought was dispelled.
Rosa responded to his raised eyebrows by sticking her tongue out.
And so they waited. Rosa taking the time to rest her eyes while Heinz shifted endlessly. His skin still felt raw after taking the augment. He was hyper aware of every spot his clothes were in contact with his body. There was a new sensation too but Heinz wasn’t willing to touch that. Not while the memory of pain was so recent.
The council arrived five minutes before the meeting was due to start. Aisling led the way into the pub, slowing slightly as she took in Rosa before taking a seat at the other end of the table.
Aisling had changed from her plate armour into the harbour master's uniform. It felt oddly formal for what was looking like a small meeting.
Two people followed behind Aisling. Heinz was a little surprised to see Louise arrive with her but he saved his questions for later as she took a seat beside him. He recognised the other man, he stood on the stands behind Aisling at the town meetings, but he didn’t know them. Judging by his build and a nose that looked like it had been broken many times and never fully healed, the man was a rugby player.
Rosa didn’t open her eyes as they made themselves comfortable. She was definitely awake but seemed to have chosen the petty option today.
Heinz gave the two council members an awkward shrug. Aisling narrowed her head and glanced at a watch before shaking her head and sitting back.
The next arrivals arrived exactly at the meeting time. The three looked more like they were marching to their death than a sit down around a pub table. They sat down on the side of the table opposite Heinz, midway between Aisling and Rosa.
Heinz gave Maggie a questioning look but she just winced.
“Now that everyone is here we can start,” Aisling began. She turned to the three latecomers. “Wha-”
She was interrupted by a yawn as Rosa opened her eyes and stretched.
“Sorry,” Rosa said unconvincingly. “It’s been a long day. I’m sure you understand. The work never ends for any of us here I’d think.” She paused and when she spoke again her voice was sharper. “So why are we having another meeting with the Delegates? We agreed to keep them hidden and we all met yesterday.”
“I think the news from Innishannon merits another meeting,” Aisling said between gritted teeth. “We now know details about the Delegate system. We know what-”
Rosa sighed and cut across her again to address the three Delegates.
“Richard.” A pale man with heavy bags under his eyes.
“Peter.” A middle aged man with a strong sun tan and smile wrinkles on his face.
“Maggie.” Rosa lingered a second here, matching eyes with her.
“Now we’re all on the same page about the Delegate system. Does that change anything?”
The three Delegates looked at each other.
“No,” Richard said, clearing his throat.
Aisling slammed a fist onto the table, cracking the wood.
“Shit,” Aisling lifted her hand and shook off splinters. “Fuck. I didn’t mean to-”
Aisling paused and took a breath. Across the table, Rosa watched her calmly with a glint of satisfaction.
“You have to see the issue.” Aisling began again calmly. “Ten Kinmore teams helped with the Burning of Bandon. Two groups-” She gestured at Heinz and Louise. “-have been to Innishannon and spoken to their Delegates. What the Delegates can do is common knowledge in Innishannon. When it gets back to Kinmore…”
Aisling didn’t need to state how angry Reclaimers and family members would be.
“The alternative could be worse,” Peter said, breaking the following silence. He gave the council member by Aisling a guilty look. The man frowned back. “We understand the issue, we just need more time.”
“How much time?” Aisling demanded.
Richard rubbed his forehead. The man looked exhausted. “A week or less.”
“The information will get out before then,” Heinz said. He looked at Louise. “We learned it in what? The first hour after meeting a group from Innishannon?”
Louise nodded grimly.
Rosa sighed. She hadn’t expected anything else. “I’ll announce the Delegates are getting something this week. If we make a big deal out of it, it’ll blunt the news when it breaks. Aisling?”
Aisling scowled across the table but after a quick whisper to the other council member, agreed.
There wasn't much else to say. Aisling and Rosa narrowed down details and the Delegates tried to stay out of it. Until they couldn't.
Louise stared across the table at the Delegates. “Is it worth it? Whatever you’re doing? Is it worth the people who could have been saved? Who still could be?”
Maggie, Peter and Richard didn’t lift their heads.
“God I hope so,” Richard whispered.
The Delegates left first and one by one accompanied by guards. It turned out there was a protocol in place for these meetings and the pub had also been chosen for its privacy. When they were all gone, Rosa made to get up but was stopped by a call from Aisling.
“Who's the arsonist?”
Rosa winced.
“I know you have a suspect. Who. is. it.”
“We have an eye on someone but we are waiting for proof.”
Aisling let out a bitter cold laugh. “Now? Now you want to be careful? Where was this when you announced the council was stealing fuel during the town meeting? When you started a riot!”
“I didn’t announce it,” Rosa snapped back. “Someone spotted Gavin’s generator and supplies and they ran straight to the meeting. You need to stop saying that I started that riot. It was your council that let it happen!”
Aisling placed both hands on the table and rose to her feet. “You alone don’t get to choose what happens to this arsonist. You aren’t judge, jury and executioner. You don’t make decisions for this town.”
Rosa glanced down at Aisling's hand, flat on the table inches away from the crater that she made earlier. She lifted her gaze up until she was staring Aisling down. “And who should? Your panel of Reclaimers? Will you hold a vote on if they are to be executed? Or will you blame it on someone and cover the whole thing up?”
“Sto-”
“Enou-”
“Plea-”
Heinz, Louise and the council member all spoke together. They looked at each other, unsure who should continue.
But the interruption was enough. Rosa and Aisling looked away from each other. The building tension was broken.
Rosa rubbed her face and exhaled. “I’ll tell both of you and only you.“ She looked at both council members in turn. ”Aisling. Lorcan. Only three people know. If this gets out, I don’t know what will happen but so many bad things could. If It does, I will make you regret it.”
She turned to Heinz and Louise and gestured to the door. “Would you mind?”