Astra, what the hell is all of this? Aidan was slightly overwhelmed.
The System has recognized you as the leader of a faction. Astra spoke as if nothing was out of the ordinary. It’s given you more abilities commensurate with your new role.
Did Smith have access to the same features? He wondered as he peered through the messages.
Not likely, the AI sounded unsure. Otherwise, she likely would’ve made better decisions. Maybe the System didn’t recognize her as a true leader?
Aidan snorted. It didn’t take the System to tell me that.
Then envoy sat up in his bed and looked through the notifications.
Congratulations! You have been made the leader of the faction: The United States of America
Your current Capital is recognized as: Camp Plymouth
Your current Title is: Commander
Your current Government Type is identified as: Military Dictatorship
As a faction leader, you can adjust the central spawn point of your faction, manage faction respawn points, manage faction membership, see faction resources, enter or exit diplomatic agreements, and detain faction members.
Government Type: Military Dictatorship
Tier I Attributes:
+1 to all attributes per level for all combat-related Classes. +25% leveling speed for all combat-related Skills. +5% chance of inspiration breakthroughs in military-related technology. +25% build speed to military-related structures and equipment.
The leader may create an elite corps to protect their position of authority. These members receive an extra +1 to all attributes per level.
Warning! This Corps cannot consist of more than 10% of the faction’s total combat strength.
Diplomacy checks are less effective with factions ideologically opposed to your own.
Increase the size and influence of your faction to increase its tier.
Title: Commander
Tier I Attributes:
+2 to all attributes per level. +25% leveling speed for all combat-related Skills. +25% leveling speed for Authority, Leadership, and Discipline. +50% Mental Resistance from Psiomics, Intimidation, and Charm. -25% leveling speed for diplomacy.
When commanding a group, members receive +25% leveling speed for all combat-related Skills and
+50% Mental Resistance from Psiomics, Intimidation, and Charm.
When commanding a group, all experience gained is group experience rather than sole experience.
Increase the size and influence of your faction to increase your title tier.
As a Military Dictatorship, you can create a rank structure. Create and assign these ranks to award extra attributes.
Well, he commented, that’s certainly a surprise. Is an envoy considered a combat class?
It is, Astra assured him. An envoy’s life is almost guaranteed to be filled with conflict, and the System classifies it as such.
Well, that’s nice. I can see why people would want to remain in charge of their factions. The benefits are great.
A thought suddenly occurred to Aidan. Does everyone else know about this?
The rest of the camp was informed as soon as you entered the System. Astra answered.
Aidan swore and leaped up from his cot. When he ducked out of his tent, his team was already gathering.
“I can’t tell if this is a good thing or a bad thing.” Agerwal sniggered. “But I do know that it’s going to be interesting.”
Wang elbowed the engineer. “What do we do now, Commander?”
Aidan frowned at the use of his new title. It wasn’t something he asked for, and it sounded strange coming from the mouth of his allies. However, faking it until you made it was practically the first leadership lesson. People needed their leaders to project confidence and competence even those leaders didn’t feel so themselves. Instead of answering, he looked around and realized someone was missing.
“Where’s Guzman?” He asked.
“I’m here!” the shock trooper shouted as he sprinted around a corner and skidded to a stop with the rest of the team.
“Sorry, Commander. My tent is on the opposite side of camp, and I didn’t realize I’d be logging into such a shit storm.”
“Neither did I,” Aidan said with a sigh. “Alright, first things first. You guys are now the Diplomatic Security Service.”
You have established an elite corps: The Diplomatic Security Service.
Aidan assumed everyone was receiving the same messages, so he continued. “Guzman, you’re going to be its director, and the rest of you are special agents. According to the System, we can pick up one more team member, so be on the lookout.”
Guzman nodded gravely and appeared to be distracted. He was probably looking over his new title and its associated benefits.
“I don’t expect this military dictatorship thing to last,” Aidan commented. “Especially when someone back in Washington catches wind of it. Regardless, we have a mission to accomplish. Our goal is to root out the spy. To do that, we first need to ensure we have command of the camp. Let’s have a chat with Dr. Smith.”
You have issued a new mission to the Diplomatic Security Service:
MISSION: Find and neutralize the spy in Camp Plymouth
REWARD: 1 common engram
“Woah,” Weir gasped. “I didn’t know you could issue missions like that.”
Aidan was stunned. “Neither did I,” he replied softly.
The Stalakmitzil council issued you a mission. As a faction leader, why wouldn’t you be able to give assignments as well? Astra asked him like it should’ve been obvious.
I guess I didn’t think of that, Aidan replied. What’s to prevent me from abusing this?
The System, Astra said automatically. It determines whether the parameters of your request constitute a System-sanctioned mission. It also determines the quality of the subsequent reward.
“Astra says the faction leaders can issue missions, but the System decides what becomes one and the type of reward,” Aidan informed the rest of the team.
Guzman nodded. “Well, it’s nice of it to reward us for something we would do anyway.”
Faraj raised his hand before asking a question. “Why didn’t Dr. Smith issue missions? We could’ve been progressing much faster than we have.”
Aidan shrugged before answering, “The System didn’t recognize her as a leader for some reason.”
The group chuckled because the statement was practically obvious.
“We’re wasting time,” Aidan finally said. “Let’s move out.”
The envoy nor his team bothered to draw their weapons. It was after dark, but it wasn’t so late that Aidan thought Dr. Smith would have already retired to her tent. If she was the obsessive researcher she appeared to be, she was likely trying to decrypt the Codex.
As they strode through the camp, Aidan was barraged with System notifications.
Authority increased to level 15! You have earned 75 experience.
…
Authority increased to level 20! You have earned 100 experience.
Notoriety increased to level 6! You have earned 30 experience.
…
Notoriety increased to level 10! You have earned 50 experience.
Clearly, he was now as well known in his own camp as he was in Stalakmitzil. It also appeared that his leveling bonuses were starting to show their efficacy. Aidan might have a chance to catch up in level with the rest of his team. When that happened, all his attribute bonuses would compound, and he’d likely be the strongest person in the camp.
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The only thing that brought him back to reality was that the United States was one of the last factions to have a set leadership structure and leader. That meant that all this time, their adversaries were getting leveling and attribute bonuses while the U.S. didn’t. There was no telling how far they had progressed while his faction stagnated. It was a situation he wanted to remedy as soon as possible. It gave him the determination for what he needed to do next.
As he ducked into the tent that served as the faction headquarters, he was greeted by a relatively anticlimactic scene. The space was emptied of all the scientists and researchers except for the lone Dr. Smith. She didn’t even look up from the Codex as Aidan walked toward her, and the rest of his team fanned out behind him to guard the entrance and prevent the woman’s escape.
When he approached close enough for the flicker blue hologram to illuminate his face, Smith finally looked up.
“What do you want?” Her gruff tone implied that he was interrupting something significant and he should see himself off.
“Did you see the System notification?” Aidan tried to be diplomatic.
“I did,” she confirmed. “Something or the other about you being the new leader of our faction. I hope you don’t think that means anything to me.”
“Right,” Aidan sighed before vaguely gesturing to the air. “You think this world doesn’t mean anything.”
The envoy watched the inscrutable symbols vertically scrolling in the air as he gathered his thoughts. They changed form at random intervals and looked utterly nonsensical.
“It doesn’t matter, though,” Aidan finally told her. “The orders came from our world. You’re being replaced due to national security.”
Aidan didn’t want to tell Dr. Smith that there was a spy. The news needed to stay within the circle of vetted personnel for as long as possible. If they revealed their cards too soon, the spy might get away or destroy any evidence of their misdeeds.
Dr. Smith scoffed at his justification. “So it’s a military coup, then? Do you think you can just walk in here and tell me that I’m no longer in charge? It’s just like the military to come in and mess up a scientific expedition.”
The woman circled around the display to jam a finger into Aidan’s chest. “What’s to stop me from logging out right now and causing this whole house of cards to tumble?”
Aidan gently removed her finger from his chest. “You would immediately be arrested and confined to your quarters.”
“They wouldn’t dare,” Smith hissed. “It’s only because of my efforts that we’ve been able to decode as much of the Codex as we have. If it weren’t for the resources that I’ve been able to apply to this problem, you wouldn’t even have the luxury of being in this tent to harass me.”
“That’s probably true.” Aidan easily admitted. “I hope that you’ll continue to provide those resources despite your lack of leadership position.”
“As if,” the woman snarled before a look of realization crossed her features. “This is about those creatures you made a deal with, isn’t it?!”
Aidan saw no need to lie to the doctor. Everything would be easier if he could secure her cooperation.
“In part,” he nodded before continuing. “Meeting another sapient species in the System has changed our mandate from a scientific one to a military or diplomatic one. It’s in the nation’s interest that we foster these agreements wherever possible to make your job unlocking the System’s secrets easier.”
“I can make those agreements myself.” The doctor angrily protested. “I don’t need the military to come in and stifle our innovation.”
Aidan rubbed the bridge of his nose to mask his annoyance. “With respect, Doctor, you’re a scientist and not a diplomat. You’ve shown little interest in the day-to-day operations of the camp.”
The envoy spread his arms. “As our resident diplomat, it’s more appropriate for me to lead the camp now.”
Aidan took a moment to look the doctor in her eyes. All he observed was undisguised rage and contempt. He tried one last effort to convince her.
“We don’t need to be at odds here. I need every scientist and researcher I can get,” the envoy pleaded. “Weren’t you frustrated by your leadership duties anyway? It has to be a sign that despite being in charge for almost nine months, you were never recognized by the System as the leader of our faction. Because of that, our faction is now well behind the others.”
“Your pretty words don’t hide the fact that the System classified this as a military dictatorship,” the doctor derisively told him. “It goes against all of the values our country is supposed to promote. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at the hypocrisy of our government.”
Dr. Smith crossed her arms and glared at Aidan. “Well, I don’t have to go along with this. I’ll talk to the other researchers and scientists. We outnumber the military ten to one, and we don’t need your support to unlock the Codex.”
Aidan realized that now they had tread into dangerous territory. Dr. Smith could not be allowed to foment dissent in the camp. This was precisely the opportunity a foreign adversary would take advantage of. Worse, they wouldn’t even be able to hide the fact that they were falling apart. The spy would report the news at the first opportunity.
“I’m sorry, Doctor,” Aidan said regretfully. “I can’t allow you to do that. I’m going to have to confine you to your quarters.”
You have detained the faction member: Tamira Smith. She is no longer able to log out.
“Fuck that,” Smith spat.
Before Aidan responded, the lead researcher drew her pistol from the holster on her thigh. The edge of the barrel got caught on the loosely secured holster as she tried to remove it. Before she fully drew the weapon, two laser discharges flew over Aidan’s shoulder and hit her in the chest.
The impact threw Smith from her feet and caused her finger to clench on the trigger of her pistol, and the weapon went off. A laser bolt harmlessly slashed against the packed dirt floor. Aidan peered down at the fallen doctor and realized she hadn’t died. Her health bar was likely near empty, but she was still screaming on the floor. She had the presence of mind to hold onto her pistol and try to raise it for another shot. Aidan didn’t give her a chance.
Time seemed to slow as Aidan drew his own pistol from his inventory, and it fit into his palm like a natural extension of his arm. Aidan pulled the trigger without any expression and sent a high explosive round speeding toward the women’s forehead. The bullet did what it had been designed to do. Dr. Smith’s head exploded with blood and gray matter at point-blank range. As a result, the new faction leader’s face, arm, and chest were peppered with gore.
Level 9 Human Cryptologist slain. Group Experience earned: 175 experience.
You have earned 175 experience.
Aidan sighed before turning to look behind him. His team’s faces were grim. In a surprising twist, it was Wang who had drawn his rifle and fired on the former camp leader. Aidan had assumed it would be Guzman who took the shot.
“How long does it take to respawn?” He asked the team.
“The first time takes about an hour,” Faraj answered.
Aidan nodded and then looked back at the doctor’s corpse, but he needn’t have bothered. It had already disappeared. The only thing left behind was a small leather-bound journal.
“And this?” the envoy asked as he leaned down to pick up the book.
“When you die, there’s a chance to drop something from your inventory,” Guzman explained.
Aidan picked up the journal and started to rifle through its contents. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t be willing to search through someone’s private things. Unfortunately, these weren’t normal circumstances.
The majority of the journal held Smith’s notes on the Codex. The envoy was impressed with the detailed diagrams, the various ciphers, and the direct translations of the Codex data. To be frank, Aidan didn’t understand most of what was in the journal, but no matter what, this kind of information was priceless.
Astra, can you make sense of all this? He asked.
Of course, Commander. The AI sounded like the question was a stupid one. Finish flipping through the journal, and I can create a subroutine based on her notes.
What will that do?
Well, I’m not going to decode the Codex, Astra answered. That would technically be cheating to the System. However, I can create a tool that helps your own scientists dig deeper into the Codex. It’ll be based on Dr. Smith’s notes, and you can think of it as something like a translation program. When you have networks set up, I’ll be able to share the subroutine with your researchers.
Noted, Aidan said. I’ll make a network a priority then.
After he was done flipping through the journal, he stowed it in his inventory and stood back up. He addressed his team. “Alright, we don’t have much time to get things in place before the camp wakes up tomorrow. I’m sure some people have already seen the notification. Especially the higher-level combat Classes who need less sleep. However, the lower level researchers will likely get the notification in the morning.”
Guzman nodded his understanding. “So you want to head off any trouble and clear a few more of our people?”
“That’s right,” Aidan agreed. “Guzman, I want you to gather the leaders of the various combat teams and bring them here. Take Wang with you.”
The envoy turned to Faraj, “Doc, you’ve got guard duty. Disarm Dr. Smith and make sure she stays in her tent until we’ve caught the spy.”
“Weir and Agerwal,” Aidan addressed the remaining team members. “I want you to stay with me in case things turn violent. I’m hoping everyone will consent to have their inventory and stash searched, but we might have to expect the worst.”
Faraj frowned, “how far are you willing to go, Commander?”
“To the death,” Aidan shrugged. “We don’t have the luxury of keeping a spy in the camp. The entire time we’ve been in the System, we’ve probably been feeding information to our adversaries. Not only that, but because of Smith’s incompetence, we haven’t had all of the faction bonuses that everyone else does.”
Faraj flashed a small smile. “You don’t have to defend yourself, Commander.” The doc walked over and put a comforting hand on the envoy’s shoulder. “We’re all professionals here. We’ve served in several teams where we were required to do what’s necessary to win. I just wanted to ensure you recognized our situation’s reality.”
Aidan sighed before responding. “I do. I promise I will do everything I can to get us back on track. We just need to make it through this night.”
Authority increased to level 21! You have earned 105 experience.
“Well, let’s get the party started then,” Guzman prompted. “Wang, let’s head out.”
The heavy trooper nodded and stored his rifle in his inventory before following his boss out of the tent. With a last supporting smile, Faraj exited the tent right after them, and Aidan was left with just Agerwal and Weir for company.
Aidan grabbed a wooden chair and sat near the center of the table. He started a conversation while waiting for the military leaders to arrive.
“Weir, if someone doesn’t consent to be searched, do we have ways of breaking into their inventories?”
“Maybe,” Weir replied, unsure. He crossed the tent and took a position behind Aidan while Agerwal took a post by the door.
“There are probably classes that can swipe items from people’s inventory.” Wier continued. “Maybe a thief class or an interrogator, but we don’t have any of those in camp.”
“Out of all the military people we brought in, we don’t have an intel guy that doubles as an interrogator?” Aidan asked.
“Well, it’s possible that they lied about their classes.” Weir shrugged. “But to my knowledge, we don’t have anyone like that.”
“What about Yanovna?” Agerwal piped up.
“Yanovna?” Aidan repeated with a look at Weir.
The sandy-haired man shook his head. “She’s got a cool class, but I don’t think it’s what we’re looking for, boss.”
“What’s her class?” Aidan was curious.
“She’s a Shadow Trooper,” Agerwal answered. “She used to be a spook for the CIA. Her class gets bonuses for stealth, assassination, special weapons, and all that stuff. She can practically be a ghost when she wants to be.”
Aidan chuckled, “Let me guess, Agerwal, she’s hot.”
The engineer didn’t even have the decency to blush. “Hell yeah, she is. How’d you know?”
Weir rolled his eyes. “Because this is the only thing you sound excited about outside of blowing things up,” he answered.
Agerwal shrugged, “I’m a simple man, Weir. I just call things like I see them. My job is to break things, and Nikita Yanovna is the sexiest woman on this side of the System and beyond. These are just two indisputable facts of life.”
Aidan laughed at the other man’s matter-of-fact tone. “Is she currently attached to another team?” He wondered.
“I don’t think so,” Agerwal said hopefully. “She got here in the same batch you did, Commander.”
Aidan made a decision. “Alright, Agerwal, bring her here. We’ll screen her with the rest of the leaders, and if she’s clean, we’ll see if her skills can help us find the spy.”
“You’ve got it, Commander!” Agerwal practically disappeared in a cloud of dust in his haste to talk to the shadow trooper.
If Nikita cannot look into people’s inventories, I may be able to. Astra offered.
Oh, sorry, Astra. I didn’t even consider that you might be able to help. Aidan apologized. Won’t this be another thing you would be doing through wifi?
Yes, I don’t think it would be easy for me to subvert the System that way. Astra admitted. After all, your inventories are supposed to be private. However, if you send someone to respawn, I might be able to slip into the gap and see what’s there.
Good to know, Aidan said. I think we should save that as a last resort, though.
I agree, Astra heartily replied.
Aidan was going to ask his companion a few more questions about her capability, but at that moment, the first of the military leaders started trudging inside.