෴Raz෴
෴Hex෴
෴෴෴ ෴෴෴ ෴෴෴
Bad Reception
෴෴෴ ෴෴෴ ෴෴෴
After hiking for what felt like, but his HUD clock assured him, was not actually all day, they’d crossed a ridge of outcropped rock and spotted the building again. Hex wanted to survey the area ahead, and called a halt.
Out of nowhere she stopped and looked at Raz “Oh hey. Midnight sent my phone a message for you.”
He looked around them, then back at her. “Alrighty, what's the word?”
She leaned against him and looked out over the desert scrub. “Here’s what he said. You asked for my advice. I thought about it, and my best advice is this: Get what feels right, get good at it, don’t spread yourself too thin.”
She looked at him with a lopsided smile, “I guess you two must have talked about more than girls and guns after all.”
Raz nodded, “Well, I can honestly say those two topics did not even come up.”
Technically true. I don’t consider my mom in the same topic as ‘girls.’
[You don’t have to justify your white lies to me.]
They sat against a rock formation overlooking the large Quonset hut nearby. Raz laid back against the reddish stone, looking at the interesting rock formations along the ridge of stone. Despite his relaxed body, he was thinking about the odd feeling in the air. The feeling had become much stronger as they’d gotten closer to the building. Another sonic boom sounded in the distance.
Are they testing supersonic jets out here? No jet noise, just the occasional boom.
Nearby, Hex laid prone with the rifle propped up against her backpack. She scanned the area around the building with a critical eye.
What is that I’m feeling? It reminds me of the way my skin tingles with energy when there’s a thunderstorm coming, but this one feels different. It’s way more intense on my skin. A faint version of the way that area with the snakes felt.
[Unknown, the sensation is real.]
Stay on it, I’d like to know what it is before it turns out to be some horrible thing that's going to kill me for once.
[It is not your imagination.]
[The surrounding energy density has increased significantly, but there’s something else.]
Well, don’t leave me in suspense.
[I’m working on it.]
Raz studied the rock formations around them while he waited for Bee to reply or Hex to get done with her survey of the area.
[The incidence of airborne catalyst impacts has increased well over a thousand fold.]
Catalyst, airborne impacts? Is this something we need to talk about right now? By that I mean, is it a problem?
[Negative.]
[Airborne catalyst would have to increase at least another few thousand times to be enough to even register for analysis.]
[At that point it would almost be visible in the air.]
[This is just a datapoint for you.]
Datapoint noted.
[Signal isolated. You are detecting ELF radio pulses from a nearby source.]
How nearby?
[Unknown. It feels close.]
Sitting up and looking around, Raz didn’t spot anything obvious nearby. A spot on the ground lit up in his vision. He scooted over to it and brushed the sandy red dirt off it. A dull grey metal was revealed under the dirt. His questing fingernails scratched the surface.
“I think this is lead.” he said.
Hex glanced back at him and then returned to her scope. “Don’t eat any of it.”
“Hah. I’ll have you know paint chips are tasty.”
WIth some effort he managed to lift the soft metal cover. Underneath it an embossed label proclaimed it to be a sensor pack with an attached ELF transponder. The overall package looked vaguely familiar.
Mystery solved I guess. Maybe it's something he uses to monitor the area. Maybe I’ll just cover it back up and pretend we didn’t see it. No need to get on his bad side right away.
Raz sat back down and looked around once more. He noticed an unusual rock tower nearby. A tall narrow spear tip shaped rock formation protruded defiantly toward the sky. Like a dagger of stone, balanced perfectly on a tiny pebble, barely anything in comparison.
Wow, from here it looks like a pebble that would fit in my pocket is supporting the weapon of some giant stone god.
Something about the visual tableau spoke to Raz. He studied it for several minutes until Hex made an annoyed sounding grunt.
He pulled his gaze from the rock formation and glanced over at Hex. She appeared dissatisfied with whatever she was seeing.
After a moment of watching her agitated movements, he broke the silence. “Why are you so tense?”
She tightened up her ponytail and then tapped on her holstered sidearm before answering. “I’m not sure. I just have a bad feeling about this. Something looks really wrong down there. What do you think?”
“I am beyond good and bad feelings. Today has been such a whirlwind I’m just going with the flow at this point. I thought we’d be heading downtown, shopping at some little specialty store, and then going dancing.”
He paused, with a wry smile. “Instead, I went halfway around the world in the world’s least comfortable super sonic ride, fought some monsters, finally made some progress with Midnight, then immediately took ten steps back when he bailed.”
She started to reply but he held a hand up to forestall her response and ploughed ahead. “Now we’re halfway across the world in another direction, I killed some dogs that were probably just hungry, and you’re looking down there at a mostly empty stretch desert like it’s a trap.”
He sighed. “So what I’m saying is, this ‘day’ is already not what I expected on pretty much every level. However, whatever we’re going to do, let's do it soon. I think the biting flies have figured out we’re on the menu.”
She turned and looked at him with a serious expression. “Dancing is still on the table! It’s not too late back home! This is just turning out to be a longer trip than I expected. As for horseflies, they suck, but let's hope that’s the biggest bite we have to worry about.”
“Ok, I’m still up for dancing assuming I still have any blood by then. Is there another problem then?”
“The problem is Brock likes to set up his shop inside expansion zones. Not right on top of them or anything, thank god, but close enough to worry me. I don’t see anything, but there are… well, there are dangers anywhere near an expansion zone.”
“Like chimeras, or something else?” He pulled on the heavy gauntlets at the thought of meeting any chimeras out there.
“Well not technically, but kind of like yes.” she paused and thought about it. Imagine a chimera, that’s less crazy mutation, more alien life form, but just as dangerous.”
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“Midnight calls those incursion animals.”
She nodded. “Well, he’d know.”
Raz thought back to the rabbit-like creature with the long snake fangs he’d seen on the news back in the waiting room. It felt like a long time ago. Then he compared it to the much larger creatures he’d seen with Midnight earlier that day.
I wonder if the things coming through are getting bigger over time?
“Ok, well I guess the question on my mind is why stay out here, if there might be venomous rabbit lizards out here, giant invisible snakes or flail rats out here.” he replied, getting to his feet.
She chuckled. “Those are oddly specific examples. But I was waiting to see if I spotted anything down there. I’m not seeing anything, which could be good or bad news, hard to say.”
“For what it’s worth, I don’t see anything down there either.” He added.
They set off down the narrow path descending out of the rocks.
Raz jumped the last few feet down the rock trail, “The good or bad news, what are the options?”
She slung the rifle and jumped down after him. “Well, either there’s just nothing there, or...”
She handed him the rifle and drew her pistol. “Or, there’s something scary enough that nothing else wants to live here, and I just can't see it.”
Raz fit tested the trigger guard before offering the rifle back. “You keep it babe, my finger won't fit, just back me up if something nasty jumps me. I’ll keep an eye out for sneaky animals.”
“You and those gloves. Do you need me to give you a little alone time with them?”
He shook his head, “And… now you made it weird.”
She shook her head. “You didn’t need my help with that.”
As they made their way toward the building, Hex abruptly froze and let out a string of expletives.
Raz scanned the area around them again. He didn’t see anything that looked out of place. “Everything ok?”
She nodded. “Yeah, Rav—a woman I work with stopped by my place to ‘see how I was doing’ hah,” she spat out.
“Is that a problem?” he asked.
“It’s not great. She saw all my aspects all dressed to go clubbing but sitting at home, and now she’s probably even more sure I’m a hooker in my free time. What a bitch. She was wearing ops gear, so she’s making sure I know they just did a job and I wasn’t invited. Whatever.” Her tone was cold anger.
“I’ve got no room to talk, but I’m starting to wonder if you need to look for a better job.”
“You might be right. I’m not liking how things are going without Darby around.”
They reached the long dome-like structure without incident. The surrounding area was littered with random looking pieces of yard art that ranged from minimalist to downright tacky. Encircling the area was a single strip of raised metal. Vaguely reminiscent of a curved single train rail, it protruded just above the dry reddish dirt. The moment they stepped over the ring, Hex breathed a sigh of relief and slung her rifle.
“Ok then. We’re here.” she said with relief clear in her tone. Her shoulders relaxed, though she kept an eye on their surroundings.
She was really worried about something.
“What were you expecting to run into?”
She shook her head with an uncertain expression. “No idea, but usually his doors drop me off right about here, well inside the circle. Those weapons protect anyone inside from zone animals.” she pointed at the yard art.
Raz looked at the random items scattered across the yard more closely.
[Weapon exam 1 active.]
Raz glanced from item to item, feeling information about each weapon emplacement flow through his consciousness. Each seemingly random piece of metal bars and tubes revealed itself as some kind of heavy weapon or another.
Are you sure that's accurate?
[No, but there is nothing to suggest otherwise.]
[Here’s a message for old times sake.]
[Increase host perceptual abilities to increase confidence.]
You really have come a long way since then. I do not miss those cryptic errors.
Anyway, I guess this place is a bit more of a fortress than I’d thought.
He looked over at Hex. “Anything I should know before we go in?”
Her brow furrowed as she continued toward the door. “Nothing that seems like you’d need to know. I guess the main thing is don’t piss him off, and let me do the talking.”
“I can do that. By the way, I think I figured out what looks so wrong about this place.”
She glanced around them again before locking eyes with him. “Something only visible to your far superior perception? Do tell.”
“No, more like a visual riddle. The building is built really heavy-duty, and that makes it look a little wrong, but I think what’s making it all look wrong. It’s missing a road.”
She spun around and looked in every direction they could see. “Oh wow, you might be right. There isn't so much as a tire track out here.” She tugged on her ear and then shrugged. “But then, no one would be driving here, and I’ve never looked down on any of his places from a distance like that. Maybe his places are always like this.”
Up close, the distant appearance of a Quonset hut style building revealed it was only built in that style. Everywhere Raz looked, the construction was ridiculously heavy duty. Instead of corrugated sheet metal, when viewed from the side, the roof was several inches of some grey solid metal. When Hex opened the door, he saw and felt the clink of many heavy bolts sliding into place to allow the door to open. They clunked into place behind them when the door closed.
Inside, the almost rustic exterior was swapped for a well lit ultra modern custom tech design and fabrication shop, with a few oddities Raz had no idea how to categorize.
They’d entered into a small transparent chamber. Another door opposite the one they’d come had a symbol lit on it indicating it was locked.
“He uses a mantrap for his front door?”
She nudged him. “He’s a bit eccentric, but this bit is new. Last time I came we just walked in.”
Raz looked around the room while they waited. “Is it just me, or is this room a little bigger than the building looked like it was, from the outside?”
He scanned the room, willing a comparison against the outside.
[It appears this room alone may have more internal volume than external dimensions can account for.]
The room was filled with tools, workbenches, and display cases. Most of the tools looked to be custom made devices with purposes Raz couldn’t even guess at. The decor was all matte and flat colors along with natural woods, concrete, and stone.
Not a single semi-reflective surface in the place? That can't be a coincidence.
A bug eyed robot rose out of the floor. Raz locked onto it as it came into view. After a quick look he realized it was a short, broad, person in an outfit that vaguely resembled a robot.
The short stocky man wore a nearly spherical slate gray helmet with two enlarged lobes in the front like large compound eyes. The helmet had two thin protrusions, not unlike the antennae of an insect. His outfit was an odd mix of old-world and modern technology. His boots looked like they’d come straight out of a mecha focused anime, heavy construction, all lighted edges, and articulated joints with sliding plates that moved smoothly over one another as he walked. His gloves were dark red armored gauntlets that extended nearly to his elbows. The left gauntlet had a device of some sort protruding from the back of it. The attached device looked like it could have been nearly anything. It was like nothing Raz had ever seen before. The rest of his clothing looked like it would have been at home on a medieval blacksmith. His pants and shirt appeared to be some form of tanned leather, with a heavy rawhide apron over that.
He glanced at them and then hurried over to a desk. At the desk he pulled off the bulbous helmet, revealing a thick bristling brown beard pulled into tight braids, a curled mustache, long light brown hair pulled back into a bun, and a pair of round lensed welding goggles over his eyes.
“Is that the guy? Clearly, he’s totally a normal guy. I mean, who doesn't want to be rocking that look. He’s got the combination space armor, bug helmet, steampunk goggles, leather S&M gear, civil war mustache and tops it all off with a man bun?” Raz couldn’t resist a little dig at the man’s unusual appearance.
“Speaking of hair, you’re looking pretty shaggy yourself, and your roots are showing. But yes, that’s him, and he can probably hear us, so maybe don’t say anything else to antagonize him!” she whispered at him.
My roots? What is that supposed to mean?
Brock suddenly doubled over laughing. They couldn’t hear anything through the walls, but he’d clearly just heard something overpoweringly funny. He laughed for almost a minute, occasionally muttering something to himself and then bursting anew into laughter. He pulled out a phone and took a selfie. Looking at the screen, he lost it again, nearly dropping the phone in his convulsions of laughter. He pounded the desk as he laughed, the booming sound barely audible through the transparent walls of the mantrap. The unusual-looking man laughed so hard and long that his face turned red and then almost purple. Finally, he slapped at the desk again, this time hitting a button there.
The icon for ‘locked’ dimmed in favor of one with the symbol for ‘unlocked’. Hex pushed the door open immediately. A wall of sound enveloped them. The noise of many whirring machines, a distant steady roaring, and above it all, Brock’s raucous rolling laughter greeted them.
He took huge breaths, finally getting himself under control. Just as he seemed to have finished laughing, he looked down at his boots and let out some additional giggles.
He looked at Hex, “Velcome back to Cinder Forge. Your associate has quite a vay vith verds. Space armor and, as you say, a man bun.” He absently fingered his tight topknot.” His thick German accent seemed at odds with his jovial affect.
Hex cleared her throat. “It’s good to see you again, Brock. I see some things have changed since I was here last.”
He looked her up, and down, then did it again. “You are somehow different from last time as vell. Vay day vier—WD40, yes?”
She smiled, “Well, I’m still mostly the same. I’d like to make a purchase, and get you to help us identify some technology.”
He nodded with a smile and turned his attention to Raz. “The young man with such a funny vay—ahem, way, with words.” The heavy German accent seemed to come and go as he spoke.
He looked Raz in the eye with a searching expression. “Have ve met?”
Raz shook his head. “I feel sure I’d remember you.”
Brook shook his head, peering at Raz from different angles, squinting at him as though trying to place him.
“Bah. Mayhaps I’m just getting old.” He shrugged and looked Raz up and down, his gaze stopping on the gauntlets. As he spotted them, his eyes narrowed and he slapped his hand down on another spot on the desk. A low rumble and whirring from around the room accompanied a rustle of movement from all around and above them. Raz glanced up in time to see what his HUD informed him were heavy anti-personnel weapon arrays. He spotted a heavy machine gun paired with a flamethrower, some kind of laser array in the back of the room, and then a rocket and grenade launcher before he stopped looking for weapons. They were all aimed directly at the two of them.
Brock spoke again, this time all traces of joviality had fled his voice. “If you move, or activate an ability, you vill be annihilated.”
[So much for not getting on his bad side right away.]