[Calculating loot rewards…]
[Skip?]
[yes/no]
[Sophisticated Augmentation]
Name: Sympathetic Node
Rank: Cadet
Rarity: Gold
Information: The sympathetic Node is an alternative node structure that utilises the existing nerve system to amplify wireless control methods.
[Simple Tool]
Name: Cole Industries Mining Laser
Rank: Cadet
Rarity: Bronze
Information: Cole Industries, a defunct ship builder, has found new success in the component manufacturing business. The standard hand-held laser can mine most raw materials.
[Simple Weapon]
Name: Hexlik Seamitar
Rank: Cadet
Rarity: Bronze
Information: A homemade Seamitar developed in the classic tidal style. This particular blade has excellent durability.
[Standard Ship Device]
Name: Automated Cargo Drone
Rank: Cadet
Rarity: Silver
Information: A Cargo drone not much is known about besides its impressive cargo capacity.
[Simple Personal Device]
Name: Hyrak Personal shield
Rank: Cadet
Rarity: Bronze
Information: A family heirloom that has been passed between members of the Pearl of tranquillity Pod.
[Simple Ship Tool]
Name: Schematic analyser
Rank: Cadet
Rarity: Bronze
Information: A technology analyser that can decode up to gold ranked schematics.
[Simple Ship Software]
Name: Docking module
Rank: Cadet
Rarity: Bronze
Information: A system generated automation item. Docking module requires two module slots.
[Simple Weapon]
Name: Plasma Rifle
Rank: Cadet
Rarity: Bronze
Information: A Segunda Consortium Plasma rifle. This design is prone to failure and, in rare circumstances, has made an excellent if deadly unintentional explosive.
[Superior Dwelling]
Name: Mobile Base
Rank: Lord
Rarity: Diamond
Information: The mobile base is an evolving and expansive, mobile operations centre.
After, a quick glance at the items I received. My mind moved about as fast as a mountain. This went against everything we have been taught. Solo runs are too dangerous as the rewards are only subpar in contrast to the risk. If this is just from my first trial. Then I should be able to do this. First though, I wiped the sweat off my head. Only to have a waterfall of sweat in a tide of disbelief as I looked at the final system message.
[Boss Clear Reward!]
[Special Ship Package!]
[Upgraded for Solo Clear!]
[Special Ship & Equipment Package!]
[Ship Package]
Name: Special Ship and Equipment Package
Rank: Advanced
Information: This ship package can be turned in at any shipyard for the construction of a Symbiont Ship. The selection is restricted to the level of development[4]. The equipment package will issue four complete material packages.
I’m sure if anybody could have seen me at this moment. They would think I was the most royal of pigs. I grunted, of all things. As I forced myself to breathe. A ship package are a rarer reward type than a token. Packages always give the Seeker options before building their ship. Most packages will cover additional resources costs. The one I have will also give me four material packages, which can be resources, technology, schematics, modules and or items.
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I glued my feet to the ground as my greedy heart tried to make me leave for the ship building platform. Also, I needed to test whether my controller idea is correct. Gritting my teeth I Put down the rubix cube-sized platinum inlaid ship package. On each side the vague outline of a ship, I think I have seen them in the past. Symbiont ships are as varied as the stars, that is to say, they are all stars but each is unique in its own way.
I took the Somatosensory controller. The advanced augment is my only way forward. Of all the equipment I got this is now the core of my build. Items like these aren't unknown, but I would be forced to push passed my limits.
The human mind isn't built for hive mind acrobatics, but a seeker's mind can be upgraded to do so. I already know I am looking for an overlord-type augmentation. When I hit silver rank or Captain Commander. This will make bio-droids operate as individuals, but they are completely under my control. The limits imposed by my Somatosensory controller that must be interwoven into node.
The roundish sticky dishes feel cold as I put them on my skin. Each one melted into my open internal augmentation ports located behind my ears. They felt like little flattened ovals. The dishes created new stem ways for the augmentations to grow with me over time and it sapped my body. For the first time, I felt tired and drained, even sleepy.
[Somatosensory controller detected]
[Install Augmentation]
[Required open slots: 10]
The Somatosensory Controller is a prominent piece of technology coming from the Kutal Enclave. They are masters of centralised controls. This particular technology represented a breakthrough for the Enclave and is carefully licensed and distributed. Warning: this system is incompatible with gestalts, hive mind, unitrix, chemical obedience, and Forge-bound slave collars.
Do you wish to proceed?
[YES/NO?]
[59 minutes remaining]
I wished the damn thing told me I couldn't move during the process. Then I would have chosen a more comfortable position than hunched over the special ship package. I didn't need this waste of time, however at least the sympathetic node had started at the same time. A simple trick used early on is to overlay upgrades. Once I leave the trial ground it will no longer be possible as the experience point cost to do it is prohibitively expensive.
I thought of revenge which was difficult. The special ship package was like a well cooked steak to a hungry man. Still, It took me thirty minutes to let go of all the stress and pain. I centred my mind, gripped my emotions and swirled them rather than trying to suppress them. I was trying to get them under control. Swirl is an acronym for some weird military meditation method that I can't fully remember what it stands for.
The calm didn’t come, the thought of them made it worse. I don't want to understand why she did it. There is nothing an eleven-year-old could have done that is so terrible that I deserved to suffer like that. It was her parents that I ran from anyways, so she knew why. I left, shit! I was already doing it. I tried to create an excuse for her so that I could try to salvage the friendship we had.
Meeting her during basic brought up so many terrible emotions for me, but none of them were of her. And right now, all I felt was this weird lump of rage burning away everything good about her in my memory.
[Installation complete]
I thanked God for her small mercies...I sighed, my mind had no relief from her and my mind isn't the same. I felt like those times I had starved, where even after eating, that unrelenting chasm in my gut never ceased to moan. It was so deep, that when I focused on it, I understood what that was…unbridled rage!
[Symbiont Ship not detected]
My bio-droids have stood frozen since I selected them. The installation of their sympathetic receiver is not difficult as it has a really disgusting auto install feature. I licked the slug like sympathetic receiver. Under the tongue is where a free supply of unbound nanites is found in my body. I never liked the cutting-the-hand thing. A decision I regretted simply because it tasted like old cigar ash. The nanites linked my droids to me. The receivers came alive and prompted me to install it into the equipment I want to control.
Yeah, so I did that ten times and had to watch ten times as the receiver entered through the ears, nose, and mouth. It was really gross in a way I didn't think would bother me.
Like when I was in this one home early on. I was assigned as this kid's big brother. This meant I had to make sure that he was fed, clean, and happy. The problem was that he vomited all the time. I got used to it but whenever other kids would vomit, I would feel sick.
Now this is the odd thing, the Somatosensory controller is in itself a sort of operating system, so when I installed the new equipment. I knew how to operate them. The bio-droids are me in that I don't control them like my arms and legs, but rather like my breathing. It is mostly automated, but I can control it when I want. The integration with them lets them know what I want and they move to do so. Which was basically guard duty right now.
"Willow, you take the package." Willow looked like a prehistoric waitress who worked in a restaurant. She wore a dark blue overall with bright yellow numbers on them and a white t-shirt underneath. Her defining mark was the nine tails seal on her belly button. She only nodded without an artificial construct in her mind. She won't have a personality. I am very much undecided on that. I knew one guy briefly who had synths in his house and one pissed him off so bad he told it to walk into a woodchipper and it did.
The next room was a bit different. Normal doctrine teaches that clearing all the rooms is unnecessary and provides only some small material gains but It is clear to me that it is no mistake that it is taught this way. And when I own my Founder Forge world I would do better.
[Warning you are about to enter another Trial room after completing your Required Trial Room.]
[The difficulty of M.O.B.S. will be increased]
[Do you wish to proceed]
[YES/NO?]
The verbiage is odd, like somebody ordering takeaway by saying, 'Two please burgers cheese.' It's not wrong but it sounded wrong, even a bit unnatural. That is how I felt about the Required Room Trial. It sounds off to me because all my life it has not been taught as such. Still, I am not, not going to do it. I needed more of everything If I am to survive. The world of Commanders is rough and I needed to be stronger.
The room door opened with a cloud of green smoke. My droids reacted to my instincts, and we all took a step back. As we heard a gut-twisting roar from within the room. There was nothing but jungle as far as my eye could see. I still am the strongest, the bio-droids are twice as strong by my estimates, I am at least five times stronger than an average human. The addition of G.E.A.R.S. and now my controller changed my body from the toe bone to the skull.
The skin-damping humidity did nothing for my mood. The Founders apparently had a love of insects. I have been stung multiple times, and with my skin that shouldn't be possible. Unless they are implying that these bugs are system creatures, which would mean they have levels. The trees weren't really trees, they were alive in a way that normal earth trees aren't.
A commodity in the Hegemony, as important as water to some, these trees are hardened fungoides. Trees and Orchards in general are symbols of The Human Hegemony. A society for humans by humans, with a strong national identity linking them to humanity as a whole. This juxtaposition in the minds of Hegemony citizens means that we are always willing to help. As long as you can prove your 99.98 earth human base 324556CE. The humans who left Earth after this period are automatically excluded, which has led to some interesting political and social dynamics.
One of these fungi trees breathed as I walked past. Its bulb shrunk into itself and loosed a cloud of paralytic powder. It immediately caused a reaction in my bloodstream. Whatever it normally hunts must be susceptible. I was disabused of this thought. A feathered wolf badger burst forth with teeth like a crocodile. It Latched onto my thigh and I greeted it with my elbow. It tried to twist, but I'm immovable. I didn't scream. The pain was there, but distant. Still raw and spread out. The pain was just a thing in my thigh, but at least my mind was my own. This fight took me to an odd memory of me fighting.
A friend told me once, “You can‘t sleep with my sister and expect us to be friends. I know what you are like.” He was right. I was a bit of a hoe in my late teens. Years of training will make even a rust bucket-faced man like me look appetising.
My bio-droids spread out and secured the battlefield. Except Willow. She eyed the fight. I felt something from her, like she is another part of my mind that would have made a different decision. Usually, I do that kind of analysis after a fight and I always win because I never change the opponent's moves. It always made me feel better, especially if they wiped the floor with me Like the...
[ Simple Duplicated M.O.B.]
Name: Ilaekraaa [E!-L-K- Rã]
Rank: Cadet [2]
Rarity: Bronze
Information: The pack animal of the Gort Assembly, these animals have been carefully modified to function as part of Gort Mercantile Society. In the wild Ilaekraaa appear to be mostly solitary but have been known to operate in bonded pairs.
Exp per kill: 20