I went upstairs and spent the next hour or so perusing the aisles of the Supply Depot. I assume it was an hour. I had no way of personally tracking time. My History submenu kept no record of it, and the permanent night of The Collective didn’t help. Still, certain items and skills operated on a timer measured in seconds or minutes. Good old-fashioned human chronological measurements.
The layout of goods was almost labyrinthine, or the display items changed with a frequency that I found myself getting turned around multiple times. The store was bursting at the seams with miscellaneous items. Some had no discernable purpose on their own. Certainly no practical purpose. Nostalgia items. Decorative items. Others presumably had a use or dual-use for crafting.
I picked up another vial of pure water. That would run me 50 Crypt. I still had two fern flowers remaining, and only one other material to go with it. A swatch of white linen cloth. I had not discovered a Schema for the fern flower and white cloth, but I could attempt to combine them as well as forge another tincture using the fern flower and the pure water.
The tall man, Apache, had offered to give me a Schema to craft something using my coco de mer nut. I wondered what other ways I might acquire Schemas beyond trial and error or some sort of info trade. After searching near the back of the store, I found some individual Schemas and collections of Schemas for sale. They appeared like floppy discs, suspended within tamper-proof containers of pale light.
An example:
[Item: Schema: Sleep Bomb (Series 1)
Cost: 500
Description: A single use item that unlocks the Schemas for forging {common} and {uncommon} Sleep Bombs.]
[Item: Common Item Forging (Vol. 1)
Cost: 1,000 Crypt
Description: A single use item that unlocks five {common} item forging Schemas, combining frequently encountered invasive flora materials with system materials. This volume has been synthesized from Volunteer field reports.]
Volunteer field reports? Interesting. But I think I’ll hold off for now.
I wondered if any particular Volunteers in The Commons specialized in forging / crafting items. Might be worth looking into eventually.
There were also the more obvious consumables for sale in the Supply Depot. Items designed specifically for Volunteers to assist them in their mission to eradicate all invasive entities from the face of The Collective.
[Item: Regenerator Serum
Quantity: 1
Cost: 200 Crypt
Description: A one-time oral consumable that restores 10 Essence. Cannot exceed maximum Essence capacity.
Size: 10 metabytes]
[Item: Replenisher Injection
Quantity: 1
Cost: 250 Crypt
Description: A one-time intravenous consumable that restores 10 Energy. Cannot exceed maximum Energy capacity.
Size: 10 metabytes]
[Item: Stimulator Inhalant
Quantity: 1
Cost: 350 Crypt
Description: A one-time intranasal consumable that temporarily boosts total Speed by 30. Lasts for 30 minutes.
Size: 10 metabytes]
Also interesting. I didn’t want to deplete my Crypt before having a chance to visit the Armory, so I made a mental note. There were similar items that addressed other Statistical categories, as well as more advanced versions of those items for much higher prices.
Next I browsed various accessories. In the Supply Depot, there were only non-combat accessories, but many could still be useful in and out of bounty hunting contexts.
[Accessory: Compact Flashlight
Cost: 200 Crypt
Frequency: Basic
Details: A small water-resistant flashlight with a beam throw of 200 meters and brightness of 47 lumen.
Size: 10 metabytes]
[Accessory: Headlamp
Cost: 500 Crypt
Frequency: Basic
Details: A portable 400 lumen light source worn on the head. Used for activities that require both hands such as night fishing and spelunking, or by professionals such as miners, mechanics, and surgeons.
Size: 10 metabytes]
There were even night vision goggles. I tried to compare all these with the ocular implants I had seen in the body modification menu for obtaining permanent low light or dark vision, not that I was itching to submit myself to another horrific surgical experience just then. There were also some items mixed in with these particular light-giving accessories. One I recognized as something used by Bigwig and Rook when they intervened in that nasty business with the Baskerville Hound.
[Item: Phosphorescent Flare
Cost: 100 Crypt
Frequency: Basic
Details: A single-use item that illuminates a dark area with a persistent green glow for a variable amount of time.
Size: 10 metabytes]
The more I window shopped, the more I wanted to buy everything. But I had neither the storage space nor the Crypt. I needed to be smart about this. I wanted a buffer of remaining Crypt after my shopping spree. So I resisted any purchases beyond my single vial of pure water and paid at the front of the store.
The elderly woman at the counter smiled at me as I finalized the exchange. I silently wondered what rationale was used in selecting the appearance of the vendors, assuming they were all bots programmed and placed to provide a relatable face and voice to our mundane transactions.
But she was looking at me strangely. And I noticed in her dark eyes an unexpected depth, like the expanse of a night sky and the dark space beyond, pierced through with irregular pinpricks of cosmic light. I shivered, politely thanked her, and left for the Armory. I could feel her eyes following me out the door.
I now had 2,950 Crypt.
Back in the hubbub of the Armory, I moved from display case to display case, looking for the {uncommon} Tactical Jacket I had previously seen but had been out of my price range at the time. I didn’t see it. Next, I accessed the nearby vending kiosk, scrolling through the options. Again, I didn’t see it. Dram.
I recalled that the items available for purchase rotate. This was probably to create a sense of urgency in the customer. Panic buying. False scarcity. But wait… didn’t I place a deposit on the jacket? I opened my History submenu and rapidly scrolled down through the record of my actions. Eventually, I found it.
HISTORY
…………..
* Purchased a Snubnosed Revolver from the Armory vendor
* Placed a 20 Crypt deposit on Tactical Jacket
* /Ugh. Put 20 Crypt down as a deposit on the tactical jacket and give me the revolver.
* Armory vendor said, “2,000 Crypt. Right now it is only 1,500.”
* /Sale? I didn’t notice it was on sale. What is the regular price?
* Armory vendor said, “You can. But there is no guarantee it will remain at its current discounted sales price.”
* /That tactical jacket I saw. Can I somehow place a deposit on it for later?
…………..
If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
I got the attention of the militaristic vendor bot, Colonel Peacekeeper, when it was done assisting another Volunteer.
Excuse me, do you know when the Tactical Jacket will be back in stock?
“Colonel Peacekeeper at your service! I hope you are having a FUBAR day, soldier!”
Right. About the Tactical Jacket. I put down a 20 Crypt deposit on it last time I was in here. But I can’t find it listed.
“It has been pulled from rotation! But if you have a deposit, I can bring it up for you.”
Peacekeeper raised a green metal finger and opened a shimmering menu in the air between us. There it was. I reached out, highlighting the item on the screen to bring up the details.
[Armor: Tactical jacket
Armor Type: Body
Cost: 2000 Crypt
Level: 1 of 10
Frequency: Uncommon
Defense Output: 30
Details: A type of jacket designed for use in military, law enforcement, and other tactical situations. Made from durable materials and features a variety of pockets and compartments for storing gear. Also features reinforced elbows and shoulders, and VELCRO patches for attaching morale patches or identification.
Properties: Storing - when equipped, this armor increases memory space by 20 metabytes.
Size: 30 metabytes]
Dram. Back up to 2,000 Crypt. Or 1,980 minus my deposit. Hmmm.
“Soldier! If the price discourages you, might I recommend a special sale we have going on right now!”
What is it?
Colonel Peacekeeper minimized the first menu and brought up three screens. Each screen showcased a rotating piece of black clothing or equipment. One looked like a bulletproof vest, the other a pair of black cargo pants, and the other a heavy pair of work boots or mid-ankle combat boots. I accessed the details of each in turn.
[Armor: Ballistic Vest
Armor Type: Body
Cost: 1000 Crypt
Level: 1 of 10
Frequency: Common
Defense Output: 20
Details: A simple bullet-resistant vest, a piece of personal protective equipment designed to protect the torso from bullets or other projectiles. This ‘soft’ vest is composed of multiple layers of strong fibers, designed to catch and deform a bullet, spreading its force over a larger area. Warning: even more advanced bulletproof vests can be penetrated by certain types of projectiles, such as armor-piercing bullets.
Size: 10 metabytes]
[Armor: Tactical Pants
Armor Type: Legs
Cost: 500 Crypt
Level: 1 of 10
Frequency: Common
Defense Output: 10
Details: Durable and functional pants designed for use in military, law enforcement, and other tactical situations. Made from ripstop fabric that is resistant to tearing and abrasion. Tactical pants also have a number of features that make them suitable for tactical use, such as multiple pockets and reinforced seams.
Properties: Storing - when equipped, this armor increases storage space by 20 metabytes.
Size: 10 metabytes]
[Armor: Tactical Boots
Armor Type: Legs
Cost: 200 Crypt
Frequency: Basic
Defense Output: 10
Details: Heavy-duty shoes designed for operations performed by law enforcement professionals, military service members, or other professions. They have sturdy uppers that provide extra stability around the ankles and help protect the wearer from sharp objects and protrusions.
Properties: Armor has the ‘Basic’ property and cannot be upgraded, enhanced, or exported.
Size: 10 metabytes]
Something within me hesitated at the mention of ‘law enforcement.’ I wondered why. Perhaps being a bounty hunter was a type of law enforcement after all, that is, if somebody passed a law outlawing drunk Clurichauns and unsecured Hellhounds. Regardless, I needed to improve my defense. There had been too many close calls.
Interesting. What is the special sale? Are these items usually more expensive?
“If you buy all three, you will get a 10% discount on the total price! Hooah!”
Even though the Tactical Jacket is not part of the current rotation, could I substitute it for the Ballistic Vest and get the same 10% of deal for purchasing all three?
The vendor was silent, incongruous powdered wig immobile, invisible programming grinding away somewhere in its processing unit.
“Negative soldier! Regulations prohibit off-rotation items from being part of current sales promotions!”
Ugh. Fine. Give me those three items and three .32 caliber bullets. Also, can I get my 20 Crypt deposit back?
"No refunds! However, you can apply your deposit to a different purchase here in the Armory!"
What would be my total then?
“Those three pieces of armor bring your total to 1,700 Crypt, minus 10%, equals 1,530. Plus 30 Crypt for three .32 caliber bullets, less 20 Crypt from deposit. That will be 1,540 for everything!”
Okay. Let’s do this.
[Ballistic Vest selected. Selection confirmed. Would you like to equip this armor?]
Yes.
[Would you like to unequip {damaged} Black Coveralls?]
Sure.
[Tactical Pants selected. Selection confirmed. Would you like to equip this armor?]
Yes.
[Tactical Boots selected. Selection confirmed. Would you like to equip this armor?]
Yes again.
[Would you like to unequip Basic Footwear?]
Okay.
With each change, my outward appearance instantly shifted. A trick of the light, a blink of the eye, and my avatar was now equipped with black, heavy duty cargo pants, matching black boots with thick tread, and a black bulletproof vest slung over my white promotional t-shirt.
I was 1,540 Crypt poorer. But my total armor was now 40. And my soft storage cap was raised by 20. Also, my revolver’s chamber was once again full.
I see that each piece of armor and my snubnosed revolver are Level 1 of 10. What does that mean?
“You can upgrade your weapons and armor, of course! Not {basic}, but anything with a frequency of {common} or above can be upgraded to Level 10. For a fee! It is a service we are happy to provide here at the Armory for our brave fighting men and women!”
Good to know. What does upgrading a weapon or piece of armor do, exactly?
“Take your sidearm. It has a damage output of 20. If you upgrade that gun to Level 10, you could reach a maximum damage output of 200! That’s some serious firepower!”
Wow. Would anything else about the weapon be improved besides the total damage?
“Not a chance!”
Ah. I assume the story is the same with my armor.
“That’s right, soldier! You could upgrade your Tactical Pants to Level 10, increasing its defense output from 10 all the way up to a maximum of 100! The added storage would not change!”
I understand. Very straightforward and mathematical. One last question. What can I do with old armor or clothing I don’t want anymore?
“You can try and sell unused items at the Volunteer Auction House next door. Auctions are for valuable items - not damaged, generic, or starter kit. Or, you can practice data recycling!”
Data recycling?
The robotic vendor stretched a green metal finger out and indicated a tall metallic cylindrical receptacle in the corner of the room. It had an elongated triangle on top outlined in glowing pink. Come to think of it, I had seen this contraption elsewhere around The Collective but had not paid much attention.
“Drop your unwanted gear down the Memory Hole and you’ll be fairly compensated for its value! Your old underwear can be tomorrow’s grenade! That out-of-fashion corset can be refashioned as a machete!”
Interesting. I’ll give it a look.
The over-the-top vendor gave a sharp salute before turning to the next Volunteer waiting for its attention.
“Dismissed!”
Holding onto my precious bag of Crystals with one hand, I removed the damaged black coveralls and cosmetic basic footwear from my inventory, materializing them into my free hand. I went over to the ‘memory hole’. It looked like a fancy trashcan emerging seamlessly from the ground. A tube leading to know who’s where. There was a small red light on the side, and I scanned my identifier code. The pink triangle lit up a bright cyan, the opening dark and deep as a black hole.
I tentatively dropped the damaged coveralls and footwear in. Better to hold onto my t-shirt for now. It was a gift. At the very least I could return it to Camel. The items were sucked into the blackness with a vacuum-like sound. I imagined bits of data being ripped apart. Snippets of code torn asunder, sucked away to be repurposed elsewhere in the Metaverse. Ones and zeroes. The basic building blocks of my reality.
But then something awful happened. I hadn’t thought this through.
When I recycled the black coveralls, the torn piece of material I had used to fashion my carrying bag dissolved into nothingness too, sucked into the hole.
100 Crystals hung in the air for a nanosecond before spilling all over the floor of the Armory.
Every Volunteer in the place froze, turning to stare as I scrambled on my hands and knees, lunging and scooping up the loose Crystals into a tinkling mound.
I glared, feral like an animal, daring anybody to try and snatch one of my precious shining gems. And you could tell a few were tempted. Meanwhile, an electronic dinging noise like a slot machine or cash-register chimed. A notification flashed before my eyes.
[You received 20 Crypt. Thank you for recycling unused data!]
Thinking fast, I unequipped my promotional t-shirt and tied the fabric into a new carrying bag. The Crystals barely fit in, threatening to spill out of the gappy sleeves.
I quickly glanced at my Menu. My remaining 1,430 Crypt was safely stored on the B3-9S7-C10K chip slotted into the back of my neck, and even with my new armor I remained under my now expanded soft storage cap.
Next stop, the Data Forge. It was past time to spend these Crystals.