Next stop: Absolom Clinic. I was close, so I might as well stop by and see how Nael is doing. I walked to Viceroy Street, leaving behind my bike as I ‘enjoyed’ the scents and sights of Aythryn City.
I flicked on Aetherial Perception about every hundred steps. There were a surprising amount of things that glowed under my enhanced sight. For instance, a lot of the bigger ads, especially Raijin’s, glowed. If I had to guess, it was probably some enchantment to make the ads more appealing. Or something like that. It was nauseating to look at.
Outside of that, the walk through the city was about as unpleasant as I remember with the ever-present stench of the city. Sure, there were a few things here and there that covered it up, such as an overpowering perfume or freshly smoked drugs, but they were only temporary covers.
I decided to splurge a bit and get some ramen from one of the thousands of food carts scattered around the city. It was quite good. After being on a diet of purely liquid sustenance for weeks outside of that one time at Big Mike’s, it felt weird to be eating solid food again.
Nothing like staying off of soylent to really hammer home just how bland it actually was. The chef, a little old South Arkhanikan woman, had put some synthetic eggs into the dish to make it at least have a bit of flavor, but there was only so much she could do. I got another one to go.
I caught the hands of two pickpockets on my way to the clinic after stopping to eat. I got some sick kind of satisfaction at seeing the kids’ faces twist in horror as they realized they were caught. Still, I didn’t raise a fuss and let them go without any issues. I remember the desperation back then and the horror of being caught in the act. Still, if I got pick-pocketed in the city, it was no one’s fault but my own.
I dived through the surprisingly safe alleys into the center of the complex Absolom Clinic sat in. It looked about the same as usual with the ancient tree resting in the middle of it. Someone had planted small blue flowers all around the tree.
My heart beat unsteadily as I studied them and flicked on Aetherial Perception. Thankfully, they were just normal flowers. No hint of the Aether surrounded them in the slightest.
I walked into Absolom Clinic, finding Nael sitting off to the side as he listened to some old-world radio while writing in a book. My footsteps were dead silent and all my Perks were active, and yet he still managed to lock right onto me as soon as I stepped foot into the place.
”Shiro! How you doing, kid?” His face curved into a calm smile as he closed his book.
I couldn’t help but return the smile. Nael just had that effect on people. ”Pretty good. You?”
”Ah, you know how it is…” He waved a hand. “You don’t look injured this time around?”
”Can’t I just come say hi to my favorite Medech?” I tilted my head innocently, using the full weight of my training over the past several weeks to pull off a cutesy look.
Nael shuddered. The bastard. “I guess…”
I offered the bowl of fresh ramen. “I got you some food too, if you want.”
”Thanks, kid.” Nael pushed out a chair to his side. “You’re looking good. Finally started eating right?”
Well, not necessarily eating… but he didn’t need to know that. “Something like that.”
”Finally filling out.” Nael smirked. “I won’t have to worry about you blowing away in the wind now.”
“Har har. So funny.” I slid into the chair and handed him the bowl of ramen.
He took it and gazed at me from head to toe. “On the bright side, you look a little taller than the last time I saw you.”
I immediately sat up in my chair, not even trying to resist the smile splaying across my face. “Really?”
”Chek. Maybe an inch or two?”
”Hey, gains are gains.” I flexed my arms. Unfortunately, the flab- muscles barely even moved.
”Whatever you say, kid.” Nael dropped his hand onto the radio, running a hand over its edge as it blared the classy jazz from ages long past. “You’re being careful out there, right? I’ve been hearing rumors of mass disappearances around the city.”
”’Course!” I tapped my thigh. “Never leave home unarmed.”
Still, maybe I should start bringing some heavier-hitting gear around. I had the money now to get or make some nice stuff, so there wasn't a point to keep moving around with just a weak pistol. Hell, I didn't even have my body armor on since it still needed repairs.
”That’s a relief… It’s kind of funny; I had a similar conversation with your mom. It would’ve been-“ he eyed me, “-maybe eighteen or nineteen years ago.”
I sighed. ”You never talk about her…”
He shrugged, his usual smile fading away a bit. “She was one of many patients that stopped walking through my door one day.”
“What was she like?” I asked quietly, half expecting the Medech not to answer. He never said much about my parents, but they were how I was introduced to him in the first place.
The silence stretched on before he sighed deeply and rubbed his hands together. “A wildfire. The first time I met her, she awoke in my old clinic with zero memory and immediately tried to stab me.” He chuckled. “She passed out from the head rush though.”
”Sounds like Mom…” It lined up with what I remember of her. A rush of joy in an otherwise bleak life in the city. God, how I miss her. And my Dad for that matter. I could afford some real flowers now. Maybe I should bring some to their alcove?
“Your father was about the only one that could be around her without being immediately attacked for the first couple weeks.” He shrugged his shoulders, taking a deep breath. “It’s been a long time since then though.”
I wanted to keep asking questions but took the hints to change the subject. If he didn't want to reminisce, there was no point in forcing him. Well, there was a point, but I didn't want to force him. “So what’s new in the medical field?”
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Nael laughed, his calm smile returning. “I’ve been doing some research over your disposition towards chrome, actually. As far as I can tell, it's similar to what Magi and Adepts go through, but to a lesser extent. If I had to guess, it might be something with your healing Kinetic ability running interference. You might oughta look at biomods or magitech if full cybernetics are still on the fritz.”
How thoughtful of him. I haven't really thought about further enhancements since my eye glitched out. I still feel like it's too soon to try anything. The memories of crushing guilt and fear still haunt me some nights.
Hmm... to be honest, I dislike the thought of magitech and biomods in general, but I wasn’t sure how much of that was just prejudice. Hell, I was already part magical considering the nature of my current array of abilities. “I’ll think about it.”
“I’ll keep watch then. I’m not a massive fan either since they can’t be fixed as easily, but if you’re looking for enhancement, it might be the choice. In my professional opinion, you shouldn't get anything and maybe even downgrade, but I know what kind of field you're in. ‘Course, at the end of the day it's up to you, kid.”
“Chek.” I think I should hold off a bit longer still. Especially with my new Perks pending and all that. I also wasn’t quite sure how magitech would be affected by Quick Healing, Cold-Blooded, and other such ‘gifts’ that affected my body. Would they clash and cause another glitch or worse?
And I didn't really want anything to begin with. I didn't have a burning desire to cut away parts of my body for improvements like so many other mercs and runners. At least not anymore. Still, I couldn't deny how helpful they were.
Especially if I get caught out in combat like what happened at Mortas Motel. Having subdermal armor back then would've been incredibly helpful. Or maybe some kind of leg enhancement to get around better.
Nael shrugged and tapped on the countertop. "I'll run some more models and tests to make sure before anything."
“Thanks, Nael... oh, that reminds me.” I flipped my bag around and sifted through it for a few moments before my hand landed on what I was looking for. I withdrew, revealing a brightly colored action figure. It held a goofy-looking rifle in its plastic grip. “Finally got done with Doctor Absolom, V.3”
I pulled a string on the back and the little figurine spoke. Its voice sounded like Nael’s, but a bit deeper and with more vibrato. “Stop, foul fiend! Face the might of my syringer!”
I pressed down on a tiny button hidden on the figure’s weird-looking rifle, causing a small syringe to pop out attached to a string. “Eh? So, what do you think?”
“You dork.” He stretched out a hand towards my face. It took all I had in me to resist flinching away from his hand as he ruffled my hair. “The kids loved the last batch; they’re already all gone. The parents were very grateful- well, you know how it is.”
“Chek.” I shifted my gaze down to the little figurine. Maybe I should start making enemy figurines so it's not just Doctor Absolom? Hmm… it can’t be people though. That would defeat the purpose in the first place. Maybe some kind of monster? I’d have to think more about it later.
We chatted for close to an hour before Nael got new clients. I dropped off the rest of the figurines and slipped out of the clinic while he was distracted, though knowing the Medech he knew exactly when I left the place.
I was in a good mood as I slipped onto the streets and headed back to my bike. That was the social stuff done, at least for now. I did need to go see Mira, but I could wait till later for that. Now I just needed to gather some materials and head back to my apartment.
My next stop was in Bricktown, so I got on the intercity and veered through Little Yukoto’s traffic. I arrived shortly about a block from Tike Metal Co.
Tike Metal Co. was my solution to the temporary metal crisis I found myself in. It was a small, family-owned company without any apparent connection to a large corporation. Not that that last bit mattered too much. No one would care that I went and bought some metal in the grand scheme of things. They specialized in custom creations from a variety of alloys, which was exactly what I needed at the moment.
I stepped into the shop, a bell ringing over my head. The shop was set up like a museum with displays of worked metal and sculptures scattered around. Most looked to be simple steel, but some were made from titanium and aluminum alloys. There were all kinds from gigantic lizard monsters with LED lights built into their spines to lifelike statues of Dune Walkers in their state of bodily disrepair. Ironically, the Dune Walkers seemed to be silver.
”Hallo! Velcomen. How can ve help you?” A man asked from behind the counter, setting down a multitool. He seemed to be in the middle of repairing a radio.
”I’m here to put in an order.” I said as I approached the counter. “I need a Ti-Cube Alloy plate.” I pulled my notebook free from my bag and pulled a page out covered in my chicken scratch, handing it to the man. “Here’s the dimensions.”
The guy looked it over for a moment as he nodded his head. “Chek. Ve can do zis. Ti-Cube isn’t cheap though.”
”That’s fine.” I grabbed the page back and stuffed it back into my notebook. I already knew as much when I was researching what the blade should be made out of. Ti-Cube alloy was the best I could find, boasting a high tensile strength, corrosive resistance, and more importantly, high thermal conductivity. The only drawback was its price.
”Six hundred Rayn. Ve vill have it ready by the hour.” The man turned, shouting in another language to the back. Sounded Destinic, though that guess was probably influenced by the guy’s accent more than anything.
It hurt as I transferred over the Rayn. Especially knowing I still had several things to buy for the katana. Still, even with as much money as I pumped into fixing the thing, it probably paled in comparison to the jammer and suppressor’s combined cost.
I left the shop, my time now ticking by as I rushed to my next destination. This one was a hardware appliance store. I spent some time buying a plasma torch and the internals for creating some heating elements. My basic idea was to run electricity through with a high enough resistance to generate heat. That, all over the blade and at a low voltage, should get it to an appropriate heat level.
I also snagged a bunch of sheets of steel and some power tools, dropping me down by another nine-sixty Rayn. It was a bit expensive, but the torch was the main culprit. I opted to get one with a built-in air compressor so I wouldn’t have to go buy one of those too. I also snagged a Thermal Conversion Module for the actual blade itself from a rather nifty industrial shop. It would help with the actual heating part. I barely managed to get the boxes strapped to my bike and covered up.
Then it was back to Tike Metal Co. to pick up my purchase. They handed it over without much fanfare, which I appreciated. I got the sheet in the basic shape of the katana in an already heat-treated state. I’d have to shape it and put an edge on it myself, but that wasn’t too bad. At least it was already curved.
I wanted to do the curve myself since the whole process was interesting. Katanas got their curves from the tempering and stacking of steel and carbon. The quenching process caused parts of the metal to shrink, causing a natural curvature. A Ti-Cube sheet wouldn’t react the same way, so getting the initial curve was required. Less I could mess up, I guess.
I managed to get everything packed up, but it was a tight squeeze. All the more reason to go snag a car sometime soon. Still, that wouldn’t happen anytime soon with just barely over thirty-four hundred Rayn left in my account. Well, unless I found a good ‘deal’.
Instead of immediately heading home, I opted to drive by Ruby’s BBQ. It was stupid, of which there was no doubt in my mind. But I couldn’t help the thrill and endorphins going straight to my brain as I drove by the scene of my crime.
It was shut down, and there were armed Neo-Jokers all over the restaurant. The alleyways had guards walking around, and it looked like several guys were up on ladders installing new security. It would be a tough nut to crack if I ever decided to hit the place again.
I got a couple of glares as I passed by, but they seemed more general animosity than anything. There was no warning from Insight. Still, I just did a quick drive-by before getting back on the road to Little Yukoto. No point in tempting my luck to go bad.
There was still plenty I needed to get, but for now, this would do. The rest of the stuff I wanted wouldn’t be found in just any store anyway, so there was no point trying.
For instance, ballistic armor required a permit past a certain point. It would be much faster and easier to find a Night Market dealer. It was a good thing I had an in with that Constellation Market or whatever it was called.
But that all could wait until after I finished fixing the thermal katana.