The night passed quickly as Aidan took the opportunity to get some sleep. He had been awake for close to three days, and while he didn't explicitly need to rest, he figured he should take the opportunity to do so because the next twenty-four hours were likely to be chaotic.
When he woke the following day, Nikita was nowhere to be found, but Aidan knew she would be nearby. Astra provided him a series of updates on the team's progress while he had been asleep. The engineers were on track to refit one of the PRC transports. They had picked the least damaged one and were producing the required parts using the massive replicator in the basement of HQ.
The rest of the Directors had decided which team and pair of pilots would be accompanying him on the raid and they were in the process of getting new gear to help them in their assigned mission. He asked his AI companion to schedule a time to brief all participants before setting off. He also wanted to take the time to meet the pilots that would be guiding the craft to its destination. Since vehicles were going to start being used by the faction, he wanted to recruit one of the pilots into the Spectres. Just like Agano, having a dedicated member would give his personal team more freedom to operate.
Finally, Agano had sent him a message asking him to come down to her labs as soon as he was available. Aidan had to admit that he was more excited about the new weaponry than he was about the mission they would perform that evening. He asked Astra to send instructions to the rest of the Spectres while he got onto the elevator.
He took the lift to the bottom and stepped out in B3. Engineers and scientists were moving frantically on the floor from one lab to the next. They didn't even acknowledge the commander as he walked by them to Agano's lab. He figured that refitting the Chinese transport had them running around in a frenzy.
When he stepped inside Agano's messy lab, he found most of his team already there. The only one not present was Guzman, and Aidan figured that was due to some last-minute coordination with the other team accompanying them later that night. The rest of his team greeted him with none of the pomp and circumstance required when he walked into any other room. Instead, a slight nod or a quick greeting was exchanged as they focused on the new armor that Agano and Pierre had developed for them.
"Commander, you're finally here." Agano put down a piece of armor she was working on and walked toward him. As she neared, Aidan noticed the dark circles under her eyes and the manic gleam to her gaze. He checked the time and realized it was only eight in the morning.
"I didn't sleep in or anything," he said, confused.
"Oh, it's only eight?" The engineer asked as she looked at her System clock. "I lost track of time. Andre's people brought the armor plates in late last night, and I've been working on them since. They should arrive any minute with the miniaturized fusion reactors to complete the armor."
Aidan nodded and placed a comforting hand on the small woman's shoulder. "Thank you for all of your hard work, Agano. I know we're asking a lot."
The woman shrugged off his hand and awkwardly smiled. "We're all just doing what we have to, Commander. We'll do our part so that you can do yours."
Deciding the movement was over, the engineer moved on to business. She led Aidan to a nearby storage crate with his name spray-painted across the front.
"This set is yours," Agano told him. "Go ahead and look through the gear and then put it on. Each piece attaches directly to the circuitry on your SBS. When the reactors arrive, I'll help you install them into the armor."
"SBS?" Aidan asked about the new acronym.
"You'll see," Agano rebuffed.
Aidan nodded and placed a palm on the container. He took a look at the descriptions of each item.
XSM1E1/DED Spectre Assault Armor
The Spectre Assault Armor consists of a duralloy cuirass, pauldrons, vambraces, cuisses, and greaves to protect the chest, arms, hips, legs, calves, feet, and hands. The armor is very resilient, can take significant punishment, and is impervious to small arms kinetic attacks.
An onboard psi field generator provides Tier IV protection against explosive, directed energy, arc, and plasma attacks. Any attack that makes it through the psi shield is mitigated by a refractive coating on the armor itself.
Small magnetic strips have been placed on the suit's shoulders, legs, waist, and back to retain utility pouches or weaponry.
Electromagnetic systems in the hands and feet allow the wearer to attach themselves to metal surfaces in low- or zero-gravity environments. All magnetic systems can be toggled on or off by the user.
The duralloy has been enhanced with synthetic chromatophores that allow the user to change its appearance according to predetermined colors and patterns.
Note: A small multi-tool has been attached to the vambrace of this particular variant to allow the user to interface with most types of technological systems.
XSM1/F Spectre Psi Rifle
This rifle has been enhanced with a psionic focus to utilize psionic energy as a projectile weapon. The weapon has four modes: Kinetic, Laser, Arc, and Plasma. Changing the mode changes the characteristics of the psionic energy to reflect the type of round being fired.
Warning! Due to the extreme amount of power required, this weapon must be used with the XSM1 SAA.
XSM1/F Spectre Psi Sword
This duralloy sword has been enhanced with a psionic focus to utilize psionic energy as a cutting weapon. Psionic energy forms along the blade and allows it to burn through any material not protected by a refractive coating.
XSM1/F Psi Pistol
This pistol has been enhanced with a psionic focus to utilize psionic energy as a projectile weapon. As a weapon of last resort, this weapon only has one high explosive mode.
Warning! Due to the extreme amount of power required, this weapon must be used with the XSM1 SAA.
"Holy shit," Aidan breathed before immediately equipping the armor.
The cuirass fit his frame perfectly and covered his chest, ribs, and back. The cuirass was more rounded than angular. Aidan assumed the shape was to help deflect and ablate weapon fire. He noticed a raised collar that would help better protect his neck.
Next, he equipped the pauldrons, which covered his shoulders and most of his biceps and triceps. The armor was still rounded, but there was a gray line that Aidan took to be one of the aforementioned magnetic strips. Etched into the pauldron, like a unit badge, was a symbol he had never seen before. It was the top half of a simple skull with an equally simple pair of crossed lightning bolts behind it.
"What's this?" He asked Agano while pointing at the skull and lightning bolts.
The small woman smiled evilly. "Gray and I decided the Spectres needed more of an identity." She lovingly traced the design with a fingertip while continuing. "I officially reclassified your equipment, including your helmet and battle suit, and designed this symbol to represent the Spectres. I want our enemies to see it and be afraid. We also gave your team swords so they would have a recognizable weapon."
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Aidan wasn't sure why he was uncomfortable with the decision. It felt too much like an inflection point in the long march of history. He looked up and found the rest of his team carefully looking for his reaction.
"Well?" He asked them.
"I think it looks badass," Agerwal immediately opined.
Wang shrugged his heavy shoulders. "Every other elite unit has a symbol—the eagle and trident, the eagle and dagger, the dagger and lightning bolts…" the large man trailed off as Guzman walked into the lab.
Aidan's friend immediately sensed he had walked into something important and awkwardly stopped. "I miss something?" He asked.
The commander tapped the symbol on his armor. "Hiro and Gray came up with a symbol for the Spectres—I was asking everyone's opinion on it."
Guzman walked over and picked up a nearby pauldron, and studied it. "It's a little grim," he eventually admitted. "But then again, we named ourselves after ghosts, and we go to sleep in what we jokingly refer to as coffins stored inside a crypt."
He tossed the pauldron back on the container it came from and shrugged. "I like it," he decided.
Aidan trusted his friend. He nodded and turned back to the engineer. "Alright, Agano. It stays."
Authority increased to level 31! You have earned 155 experience.
Taking the system message as a good omen, Aidan continued equipping his gear. After the pauldrons, he put on the vambraces and their associated smaller reinforcement panels. The vambrace covered each forearm and extended past them to protect his elbows. Smaller panels attached to the backs of his hands and fingers. He flexed one of his wrists, and a small metal probe extended from the armor. Tiny filaments of clear wire separated from the probe and twisted around like a nest of living snakes. Aidan assumed this was the multi-tool that the armor description detailed.
This will help me interface with just about any technology we come across. Astra informed him. I sent the schematics to Agano and made it appear as if it came from you. Now, I'll have a direct line into whatever system we want to break into.
Aidan nodded his acceptance. Does that mean we won't be leveling AI Operations as quickly since it's easier? He asked.
To the contrary, Envoy. Astra disagreed. The leveling will go even faster because I'll be able to work simultaneously on multiple systems I come across. Not only that but I'm now networked with every suit of Spectre Armor. I'll be the glue that ties the entire unit together.
Aidan could already see the benefits of closely integrating the various members of the team. Even though his reactions were quick by human standards, Astra was on a different plane of existence. She could detect and react to changing circumstances on the battlefield long before he had even made a conscious decision to act. She had demonstrated her value in the battle against the kobold outpost by painting targets in real-time and coordinating the various responsibilities of each Spectre.
Next came the cuisses. They protected the front, sides, and back of the commander's thighs. There was even a band of armor that stretched over his hips and connected to a groin protector in the front and a tailbone protector in the back. He experimentally squatted and found none of the pieces hindered his movement in the slightest. Attached directly to his battle suit as they were, there wasn't any room for the armor to slide around or obstruct his maneuvers.
Finally, he equipped the greaves. They covered his lower legs and had a separate panel that moved smoothly between the cuisses and greaves to protect his knees. A small armored panel over the top of his foot and over his heels completed the protection.
Initial armor equipped, he started placing utility pouches on his armor. He put two on the hip opposite where he liked to place his pistol and then added one to each shoulder, lower thigh, and upper calf. He now had as much storage as a typical set of camouflage fatigues. Even more so because each pouch was its own dedicated System inventory slot. To finish the look, he donned his camouflage cloak, which fell into a dedicated channel directly in the center of his back.
He realized it was necessary to keep the cloak out of the way most of the time because the back magnetic strips would hold his sword and rifle. He attached his pistol to his upper right thigh to test his theory. After that, he put his rifle on the left side of his back, and the sword on his right. He experimented with drawing either weapon and found that the cloak didn't impede them. After testing his ability to remove the weapons, he found it awkward to pull the cover over his body when both weapons were on his back.
He thought about getting rid of the cloak but then reconsidered when he realized that he would likely have one of his weapons drawn anytime he used the veil. If he didn't, he could store them in his inventory with barely a thought before pulling the cloak around him.
With everything equipped, Aidan had to admit he felt superhuman. The armor would protect them from almost anything an enemy had to throw at them, and they had weapons that would be effective in virtually any environment. Combined with their stealth abilities, all of that made them a force to be reckoned with.
When everyone else was kitted up as well, a group of scientists came in led by the Director of R and D, Pierre. The man was startled as he saw the Specters in their armor. The other civilians were just as much in awe.
"I wouldn't want to be the PRC right about now," Pierre commented with a strained chuckle. Aidan took off his helmet and stored it in his inventory.
"Hey, Doctor Pierre, you have those power sources for us?" The commander asked.
"Uh, yes, Commander." He moved out of the doorway so two scientists could enter with gray metal containers between them. Aidan was surprised to realize it wasn't a System stash when the two scientists popped the cover to reveal six short cylinders in protective foam padding.
Pierre reached into the container and pulled out one of the gray cylinders. It was capped with metal ends, but the center was glowing with a white light almost too bright to look at directly. The head scientist reached into his lab coat and pulled out a pair of sunshades. "Turn around please, Commander."
Aidan complied, and Pierre moved the cloak out of the way. He narrated his instructions to the rest of the scientists as he worked. The Director popped open a receptacle in the back of his cuirass and gently inserted the fusion reactor. As soon as it clicked into place, Pierre closed the container and quickly stepped back. System messages appeared in Aidan's HUD as a blue psi shield snapped into place before becoming transparent.
New attribute unlocked! Your XSM1/BEB Spectre Battle Suit (SBS) battle suit now has the following attributes:
+25% bonus to Strength, Agility, and Perception when worn.
An integrated pressure seal keeps the system airtight in underwater or in space.
New attribute unlocked! Your XSM1 Spectre Assault Helmet now has the following attributes:
An integrated rebreather prevents chemical and biological weapon attacks and will recycle carbon dioxide to extend the life of onboard oxygen reserves.
New attribute unlocked! Your XSM1E1/DED Spectre Assault Armor now has the following attributes:
Integrated charging cradles now charge your weapons when not in use. While in use, dedicated power circuits in the hands apply continuous power to your weapons.
Your psi-shield emitter has been activated. Check your HUD for shield durability levels.
Aidan checked his HUD and found that a third resource bar had been added alongside his health, mana, and stamina. Now a white bar indicated the strength remaining in his shield. He assumed that as he was hit by weapons fire, the shield's durability would go down until he had time to let it recharge.
He looked around as the rest of the Spectres were also fitted with their batteries. When everything was finished, Aidan went to shake the doctor's hand, and his arm practically flew through the air beyond his control.
"Shit," he noted.
"Be careful, Commander," Agano warned him a little too late. "The suit is now taking all your movements and enhancing them with extra force. You'll need to practice with the armor before going into battle tonight."
Aidan nodded and looked around the room. Everyone but Yanovna seemed to be having trouble controlling the explosive power of their new equipment.
"Bad news, Spectres," Aidan said with a chuckle. "Since Yanovna is the only person who seems to be in control of themselves, she will be in charge of our familiarity training."
A collective groan came from the assembled team, and Yanovna took it on with a malicious grin.
"You heard the Commander," she icily ordered. "Helmets on and get moving. We're going on a little run."
Of course, Yanovna's idea of a run was anything but. She led the Spectres out of HQ and beyond the camp. Once out in the open, she made them sprint eastward toward a small copse of trees.
She made them explore every part of their armor's capabilities within the shaded forest. She simulated war games between fire teams and gave the teams different handicaps to make them use every aspect of their new weaponry. She had them conduct ambushes and remain in stealth. Forced them to fight with their swords and learn the exact limits of their new psi-shields. She had even ordered them to duel underwater in hand-to-hand combat when they had stumbled across a deep pond. After that, she ran through drill after drill until they operated as one well-oiled machine. They did casualty drills, contact drills, and mounted and unmounted exercises using simulated vehicles.
Her sadistic training was all the more impressive because everyone on the team had superhuman recovery abilities and enhanced armor to help them take the load. It didn't matter. Yanonva squeezed out every ounce of effort she could from the team, and yet not a single person complained—not even Agerwal—because the terribly capable woman was right alongside them the entire time. She completed the same exercises, drills, and maneuvers despite having a lower level than everyone else on the team.
When the sun started to set, she had them do a cool-down run back to camp to take a break before the nighttime assault. Aidan hadn't checked his character sheet, but he knew that he and everyone else had significantly leveled their skills in the relatively short time Yanovna put them through their paces. He was so tired that he canceled his meeting with the pilots and the other infiltration team. The envoy asked Astra to compose a brief from whatever information she could obtain and send it to the other team. As a final matter, he would look into recruiting a dedicated pilot after the mission was complete.