The next morning, 21300 EXP and 30,000 NBs richer, I was scripting upgrades for Meowser.

Pushing his reaction speed, and increasing the damage his injection protocols could inflict. This was maxing out the ICBD, they weren't made for Smithing.

Time to look into that. I wanted my boy to be the best mob this world had ever seen. We had a long way to go.

Mostly, out of boredom, but also I was lonely. It had been creeping up on me from the moment I'd arrived in this forsaken world.

A rocket rumbled the near by city.

Ah, that meant I was near the Central Texas Space Port.

In the late 2070s even during the Consumer rebellion, research didn't stop.

Alcorn an aero and astronautics manufacturer, succeeded in creating a just barely faster than light travel system. My info didn't tell me how it worked, sadly.

The Corps and Govs jumped on the opportunity to not only finish colonizing this system out past Saturn, to to reach other stars as well.

They had huge amounts of resources coming in from the original colonies, and they wanted even more.

Great Colony Ships were created, not only as generational ships capable of serving as viable living habitats for the colonists, but with an advanced cold sleep systems to keep the trip mild and pleasant.

Basically they were humongous ARCs in space.

Everything known within 10 light years was a target, whether planets were thought to be around those Stars or not, after all if nothing good was there, they could just keep going.

There are now known to be Colonies in the Centauri, Gliese, WISE, and Sirius systems. The messages sent by other ships had returned negative results around the other stars, so they kept going. A few exchanges between Systems had already happened, thus things like zorsteel.

And somewhere out there the Xenos and Glomped some of them. Poor bastards. A problem that expands exponentially.

Meowser Nya-ed as he completed another challenge. The light overhead turned off. Sigh. The road to the top is long. Ganbatte, Meowser!

Needed to design a stand alone system so I could forge up mobs, and have them handle all of my ISL requirements.

Grumble, more points to spend on more skills, that are really only useful here. But pursuing your messed up ideas, over quicker short term gains, kept you grounded. Not out there turning people into hamburger, for that sweet exp.

Most Smiths were like wizards, throwing spells around to solve problems, I'd be like a Summoner with my swarm of mobs.

Wait!?

Beast Tamer... Magic Type Summoner, that's what the fuckin' Clown said. Can't believe I forgot that. Call Beast, could it be?

No, even if it was, not here not now. People would null the Woen, just because. Never mind all the Corps wanting them for their genestock. When I had a Base and more connections, but it was goal. Put a pin in it.

I missed them dearly.

A Nya rang out and Meowser turned on a holo-screen, showing a report on the latest troubles in the local area of Beltway City.

"No information regarding the disappearance of several Scions of Elite Families, ours sources have indicated that tension between the Corporations involved have risen drastically. In other news, the BWPD has increased the threat level of the Fringes, due to rashes of gang violence."

Hmm. Plenty of work could fall out of both situations. Everyone needs someone nulled.

Saul called later that afternoon.

"Vick, I got a couple of offers just slide in, looking for cancellations. Also, got a Bodyguard gig on tap. Asked for you, or rather the person who saved her." Saul sounded chipper today, must be big, New Bucks.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

Ah, Sarah you could do better.

"No to the bodyguard work, I'm just not suited for it, but I'll take all the canning jobs you got."

I felt my grin. My hearts racing. More grist for the mill. Maybe, I should get my head examined, I was never this wired to enjoy violence.

The first job was to raid a drug lab.

Stated goal, prevent the Junkers inside from making more drugs. My conclusion, hard to make more drugs when you are nulled.

While these rusts provided a diversity of products, their mainstay was called Sling. Known for making it feel like your mind had been thrown from your body. Then euphoria and hallucinations. The crash was mild paranoia the first couple of times, then each time gets worse and worse, until you couldn't function. Terrible.

The lab was in a nearer section of the Fringe. In what otherwise looked like about as nice as neighborhoods get in the outskirts.

Once again, I saw no reason to be subtle, however the Kraken was Overkill for a few drug pushers. Time to practice with my new axe. Plus a good chance to see how well the armor holds up, before I integrate it and the weapons.

After all, right now, I have no easy way to make credits. I had wondered why there had been no random encounters, then I realized that they were probably going to start up after I laid down a Base. That would probably start the integration.

I could start now, just make my apartment the Base, but that felt like a bad play. Couldn't explain it, but my gut, didn't like the idea.

Maybe, I just wanted to be able to see people coming from a long way off.

I geared up and rolled out.

Security for the lab was three Junkers, built out for street level combat.

[ Metal enhance Human

Tier o

Stats: Physical 25 / Mental 10/ Social 8

Abilities: ISLC (Low), Zapped Nerves (med), MetMuscle (med), MetSkin (Low), Firearms III, Sentry I

Traits: More than Human I ]

Ah on the path to become actual fulms.

They had various carbines, and scanning the streets with concern.

Oh, They knew they were a target. Interesting, leaked info, or just the insight of a fully working brain?

I just kept striding to them. Unless their Fire had expensive loadouts, I had nothing to worry about from them.

"Hey! You there, Stop!" One of them yelled at me.

"Nope." I leapt the 18 feet to the rooftop.

Forgot about my Alfar agility, hadn't I. Not anymore. I was as badass as any of their enhanced, and even a portion of the real fulms out there. Time to stop pretending otherwise.

My natural speed was better than a moderate Nerve enhancement, my reflexes more so. My strength as good as the best muscle replacements. I do not get tired, and as long as I enough food, I regenerate. The time for caution was over. It time to show them what I really am.

My axe had already cleaved the first's Junkers head in twain, blood and brains splashing, when his reflexive twitching caused his gun, some modded Ferret variant, to go off. The bullets sparked off my armor, I didn't even feel the impacts.

Wrap had really given me friend prices, no way this armor was that cheap. Even if he was off loading it to avoid catching heat, I'd have to thank him later.

I had already entered the space of the next guard, axe leading the way. It sank halfway through his torso so fast. The sounds of the damage, tearing flesh and ripping metal hadn't reached my ears, before I had already pulled it out to deal with the last guard.

He was just starting to realize how fucked he was, when I got to him.

Axe meet face, face meet axe. Face didn't like the axe, judging by all the blood. Everyone's a critic!

Ya know I'm really starting to think the axe might be my weapon. Then again, any weapon could become my weapon, all it takes is points, and bodies, lots of bodies.

I found a hatch leading down and tore it off it hinges. So much easier to apply your full strength when you didn't have to worry about your hands being ripped apart.

I dropped down into the drug labs, no one down there was ready, they scurried about like rabbits, trying to flee, and I was more than happy to play the wolf.

When it was done, I rang up Saul.

"Hey, labs done, send in the salvage. " Lots of the chemical involved could be repurposed to medicine and fertilizers.

"Gleam job, Vick. I'll get the crew on it." Saul voice had joy in it. Course did was Bucks were rolling in. 5000 NBs to me.

I hopped back in the Anky and headed to the next job.

This one was a super simple, clear the area of gang influence, killing preferable. Some barely above wannabes causing trouble, and a collection was taken up by the folk living and working there. Saul had brought me into it.

Well, I had my ways. Time to show people I'm not to be fucked with.

It was in the city proper, in a section of the city between ARCS 9 and 10. Strip Malls and cheap food places, and various other immediately identifiable buildings, like some offices for new low level Corps.

The Slag brained rusts were scattered about, and I was in no mood to chase them all down.

When I got to the first group, I slaughtered the first two, and left the last one there legless, screaming his lungs out. his ISLC intact to call his Lice.

It only took a few minutes.

They came a running, a Hootin' and a Howlerin' as if the noise would have changed their fates.

Oh sure, they were trying to be intimidating, but it didn't impress me.

I crushed their screaming friend's skull in front of them.

They opened fire.

Once again, none of their weapons could do much more than scratch the paint on my armor. Okay, I know it's top of the line stuff, but what the hell? Enough rounds in the same spot would usually do some damage. Maybe just a dent or a chip, but something.

I began to suspect that Wrap sold this to me for such a good price, because some serious heat was going to come down. This shit was too good.

I was like a freaking walking tank.

I didn't even bother to use the axe, I just beat them all to death with fists, or pulped them with my feet. The Victor Special made a surprise return.

I'll give them this much, they didn't try to run, they kept fighting to the bitter end.

I was hungry. I decided to take a break and return home for some food, even had an idea for what I wanted.

"Saul, gang jobs clear. I'm headed home for a break."

"Damn Comp, salvage crew not done with the first job, probably won't be much left by the time they get there. Mmmmm, I'll put a new crew on it. Yeah, please take a break, they don't all have to get done today. " Saul popped me another 5000 NBs.

Alright back to ARC 10-C.