State of Poland, Free Rzeszów, TACTA
Ghost of the Future Team, August 16, 2049, 09:29 AM
A heavy silence settled over the room as everyone retreated into their own thoughts. Dasha’s eyes were half-closed, her lips moving in barely audible murmurs as she alternated between counting on her fingers and absentmindedly pulling her vape from her pocket — only to shove it back in, forgetting entirely to turn it on.
Maksim thoughtfully pulled up the file with the purchase list and overall plans shared earlier. He froze, staring at it as though meditating on its contents.
Alisa shifted her gaze between them, then cleared her throat tentatively.
“I wanted to ask… What are you thinking? About everything I just told you. About… all of it.”
Both of them snapped out of their respective reveries at once, turning to her with expressions that, though slightly different, carried a shared undercurrent of bewilderment.
“You’ve come up with an amazing architecture,” Dasha finally blurted out, her voice bursting with enthusiasm. “The way you’ve developed the ‘computational node’ concept is just brilliant! Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I mean, everything we’ve done so far was built around having a single central core — Moira. At first, I thought what you’re suggesting was outright impossible, like… totally! In fact, I feel that without Moira as the backbone, these clusters won’t work. But handing her over? Or even a copy? No chance!”
Grabbing her vape, Vasilevskaya took a furious puff, exhaling a massive plume of vapor as if trying to clear her thoughts.
“But then it clicked! I just ran the ‘Digital Insight’ ability — burned all my energy to zero — but now I get it! We don’t need to copy Moira, yeah! I’ll design a specialized module just for this. I’m calling it Bifrost! Oh, Max, sorry, I know I already used that name, but it fits so much better here, doesn’t it? And then I can…”
“Ahem.” Maksim interrupted gently but decisively. “That’s all fascinating. And important. Really important. But let’s hit ‘pause’ on that brainstorm for a sec, WonderKid. I’m pretty sure that’s not what Alisa was asking about.”
He glanced at his sister’s tense face again before continuing.
“I’ve got three thoughts after everything we’ve seen and heard. The first one—well, Nika summed it up pretty well with something along the lines of ‘holy shit!’ Yeah… that about covers it.”
[Right? That’s exactly what I thought,] chimed in Redhead’s voice over the conference, breaking her own stunned silence. [Total mind-blower, Alisa! But seriously, good thing I picked you guys up at the stadium. Life’s never boring with you around!]
Maksim let out a small laugh at the interruption, then carried on.
“My second thought,” he said, leaning forward slightly, “is that I really hope you’ll stop operating behind our backs and dropping bombshells like this. Maybe, as a brother, I didn’t earn your trust before, but things seem to be improving now. I’m not even going to ask what else you’re keeping from us. I just hope that, over time, the number of secrets gets smaller.”
He raised a hand to cut off any protest or apology Alisa might have been about to make, and kept going.
“And my third thought? Yeah, it’s back to ‘holy shit’ again. This time, it’s about how much work lies ahead — building this new architecture, handling the first flood of users, and laying the groundwork for future growth. And that growth isn’t waiting around; it’s already breathing down our necks. Hell of a gift you’ve dropped on us, sis. But you’re absolutely right — we can’t afford to ‘stay in place.’ So yeah, we’ve gotta ‘run twice as fast,’ right?”
Alisa smiled in relief. “Thank you. That really means a lot to me. So, does this mean you’re giving the green light for the entire… plan? It’s not all ready yet, but I’ve been working nonstop! Soon, we’ll be able to start placing orders.”
“And after that, kiss sleep goodbye!” Maksim laughed. “If you’re waiting for my approval, you’ve got it — ‘yes!’ Go ahead and fill up the ‘cart’; no need to drag it out. Honestly, I thought you’d already done it all… Miss Independent. But hey, good on you for deciding to check in with us first.”
“Oh, by the way,” he added, as if struck by sudden inspiration, “don’t forget the cakes. That’s important too. You could even order them right now — gotta celebrate milestones like this!”
[Cakes? Seriously? That’s it?] Nikola’s voice rang through the conference, full of mock indignation. [This calls for a bottle of something good. And big!]
Alisa giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. [Oh, don’t worry. I already celebrated. Just finished off an NFT bottle of Louis Roederer Cristal Brut 2037 vintage all by myself. Original digital taste — no copy. Highly recommend.]
[Wow, living the high life in your VR, I see,] Nika sighed, having no idea what made 2037 a standout year for champagne but fully aware of the brand’s exorbitant price tag. [Anyway, guys, I’m logging off for now. The Colonel, bless his kind heart, sent me new paws straight to the clinic. So, I’m off for procedures, tests, tuning, and all that fun stuff. Reboots and consciousness shutdowns included. If anything major happens, shoot me a message, okay? Hopefully, I’ll be back soon. On my own two feet.]
“Of course,” Maksim replied warmly. “I’ll keep you posted. Good luck with the operation — and come back to us soon.”
Dasha and Alisa joined in with their wishes of luck as Nikola signed off from the conference.
“Speaking of celebrations,” Maksim said, “we should enjoy what little time we have before the equipment arrives. But we also need to start planning for team expansion. There’s no way we can handle everything with just our current crew. I’ve looked into it, and with the kind of cash flow we’re dealing with, transitioning from a small group to a full-fledged Clan won’t be a problem.”
“By the way, Max,” Alisa tilted her head questioningly, “if we’re upgrading our status, there might be a chance to change the name. I remember you weren’t exactly thrilled with the current one.”
“Eh, forget it,” Maksim waved it off. “Feels like bad luck to change it now — uh…” He glanced at Dasha, remembering her earlier comment about his disbelief in superstitions, and quickly corrected himself. “I mean, bad idea. Besides, we’ve built some reputation with this name already. Not that it’ll matter much once things really start rolling, but still…”
Dasha, who had initially frowned, now exhaled another puff of vape steam and spoke up. “And… yeah… for some roles, we’ll have to bring in humans. Like, actual humans. Or cyborgs, at least — you know, the ones who can use System-based magic abilities. But honestly? I still like AIs better. Except you guys, of course. You’re the exception, yeah.”
“You’re right, WonderKid,” Maksim said with a grin. “Considering what I’ve been thinking about and everything that’s… well, landed on us, we urgently need to fill a few key roles. A medic-scientist, an engineer-scientist, and at least one career military officer — a sergeant at the very least, though a lieutenant or higher would be ideal. Military, because sooner or later, we’ll need to organize combat squads. Scientists, because…”
“That much is clear,” Alisa cut in smoothly. “We’ll need to set up a substantial tech park. On top of that, building our own production lines and developing assembly schematics could become a powerful source of additional income. And that’s not even touching on the need to study TACTA’s equipment and engineering techniques.”
“Agreed,” Dasha chimed in, lazily rocking in her cloud of vapor. “Super skills aren’t just about fighting, you know. Take Maxie’s one — it works just as well in combat as it does in everyday life. And mine? I barely use them for fighting at all. But what a super-medic or super-engineer could do… that’s almost terrifying to think about. But also... really thrilling — oh, crap!”
Lost in her excitement, she jumped up and promptly smacked her head against the wall she’d been leaning on. Hissing in pain, she rubbed the sore spot before continuing, a sheepish grin on her face.
“And hey, A.M.I. is gone now, right? That means we can actually start using full-fledged AIs for key roles — truly intelligent and efficient ones. Yeah! It’s such a fascinating idea! I’ve been dreaming about this since the Invasion started, and now it looks like we can actually make it happen. Right? The only problem is, where do we get the hardware? There’s nothing on the market. And we still need to expand Moira for the System — pretty significantly, too.”
“You’re absolutely right,” Alisa said. “And as for hardware, it’s not all bad news. For one, the Quantum Cores are on their way! That’s the cornerstone for everything we’re working on. The rest? We can scavenge if we need to. Worst-case, we send drones to comb through abandoned buildings and salvage whatever PCs are still there. Not the best tech, sure, but it’s enough to get us started. Of course, negotiating with the Colonel might be a more efficient option…”
“Wait, quantum cores? Are you serious? How did you even get them?” Maksim exclaimed, his voice laced with disbelief. “I thought you were saving that two million for the future — you know, just in case.”
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
“From the Club, where else?” Alisa said smugly. “Twisted a certain someone’s arm — figuratively, of course — in exchange for letting twenty of their people join the System. But we’ll still have to pay for the hardware when it gets here. I factored that into the budget. Asking for freebies would’ve cost us more in the long run. That kind of favor always comes back to bite you later.”
“Alisa,” Maksim groaned, rubbing his temples. “What else haven’t you told us? Spill it — now. What’s next, a flying citadel parked outside? Something like the Queen Lamarck?”
“No,” she said, her eyes glinting with playful mischief, “but I like the idea. Consider it added to the shopping list,” she let the joke linger for a moment before continuing more seriously. “Honestly, that’s it. No more wild gambles on the horizon. At least… for now.”
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State of Poland, Free Rzeszów, City Cyber Clinic No. 2
Nikola Kowalski, August 16, 2049, 10:35
Nika stepped out of the clinic, a secret thrill running through her as she took her first steps on her new cybernetic legs. She silently thanked the Colonel for arranging them in advance. The doctors had gone the extra mile during the final operation, completing all the necessary adjustments as a bonus. By the end, she had passed the final tests and post-op evaluations on her own newly obtained limbs.
The sensations of her first moments “in the wild” were strange yet exhilarating. It wasn’t just the precision of finely tuned mechanics humming under her command — though it certainly played a part. The electronics in her new appendages far surpassed anything she’d used since her initial cybernetic augmentation.
Each limb was equipped with a dedicated AI, predicting her movements and refining them in real time. With every step, her movements grew more fluid, more confident. Her subconscious began to grasp the magnitude of the gift her brain had been given, and eagerly synchronized with these deadly, elegant “toys.”
Outside, the city welcomed her with a radiant brilliance. Sunlight bounced off the glass facades of buildings, flooding the streets with a vivid, golden glow. The usual clamor of urban life seemed oddly subdued, as if her new neural link — now seamlessly integrated with her auditory nerves and additional audio sensors — had instinctively filtered out the extraneous noise. Not its intended function, perhaps, but the effect was remarkable nonetheless.
She inhaled deeply, letting the crisp air fill her lungs. A sudden impulse overtook her, and she raised her cybernetic fingertips to her nose and took a curious sniff.
“A faint trace of ozone… fresh tech,” she mused, smiling at the memory it evoked — that first moment when her rehabilitation prosthetics had been replaced with real, functional limbs.
Unable to resist, she leaned in and licked the tip of her index finger.
“Mmmmmmmuaaaa!”
She knew, of course, that these new hands were equipped with tactile sensors 16 times denser than her old ones, their sensitivity far surpassing anything she’d experienced before. But her brain hadn’t been ready for the tidal wave of tactile information — vivid, textured, and almost forgotten until now. Her eyes drifted shut as she surrendered to the unexpected pleasure.
“Well? Tastes good, doesn’t it?”
A familiar voice suddenly cut through the air behind her, freezing Nika in her tracks. Her eyes snapped open as she whipped around, already half-sure of who she’d see.
Standing right behind her, exuding unshakable confidence, was none other than Tanya ‘Thunder’ Takahashi — the subcommander of the Wild Cats guild and leader of their third assault unit.
Tanya still operated within her combat cyber-frame, a high-end model from ATS, Ares Tactical Solutions. However, she had shed the helmet, additional armor layers, and her strength-assist enhancers — systems designed to help carry all that heavy hardware and extra weaponry during combat. For her city stroll, she had also removed the dorsal block — a modular unit with a portable reactor and micro-drone deployment systems — leaving only her enormous black katana mounted in a custom holder in its place. On her right thigh rested a hefty submachine gun, holstered but ready.
Even stripped down like this, she was the very definition of a “walking death machine.”
Without her helmet, Nika could finally get a good look at her face: porcelain-white skin, piercing brown eyes, and an asymmetrical bob of jet-black hair, accented with rare streaks of metallic green. A faint, knowing smile played at her lips.
“Takahashi,” Nika said coldly. “What do you want?”
“I thought we cleared this up last time,” Tanya replied, folding her arms as her sharp gaze bore into the girl. “But it seems you didn’t get the message.”
Redhead’s fists clenched, her advanced polymer fingers grinding audibly under the force of her anger. Tanya noticed, a smug grin spreading across her face — nothing escaped her eyes.
“All the top combat cyborgs in Rzeszów — hell, probably in all of Eastern Europe — work with us. You think you can go far on your own?”
“I have my own team,” Nika snapped, her tone cutting.
“Your team?” Tanya raised an eyebrow, her smirk widening. “Those civilian rookies? Ordinary people? You really think they can help a combat cyborg like you deal with what’s inside you?”
A rush of fury swept through Redhead like wildfire, her heart pounding in rhythm with its roar. Her Cyber Core beeped a sharp warning: a critical adrenaline level.
“I have no fucking idea what you’re talking about, kurwa!” she hissed, bristling like an enraged cat.
Takahashi took a step closer.
“Oh, I know exactly what you’re feeling. That fire inside, burning you alive. The one you can’t control, no matter how hard you try. Admit it — it’s stronger than you!”
Nika stepped back.
“Stay away from me!” she growled.
Tanya tilted her head, her dark eyes flashing with a dangerous light.
“You won’t survive this on your own. But I can help you,” she said softly, her tone almost seductive. “I can teach you to control the Berserker within. Show you how to harness it — and unlock your full potential.”
“I don’t need your help!” Nika’s voice cracked, raw with anger as a blazing fury surged through her veins.
Her body stiffened, every fiber taut and ready to snap. Rage swirled in her chest, an uncontrollable wildfire threatening to engulf her.
Tanya’s wicked grin widened, her words slicing through the tension like a blade. “Then prove it.”
Those three words broke the dam.
// SYSTEM
BERSERK MODE LEVEL 1 – ACTIVATED!
Nika exploded forward, fists blazing. Her movements were a blur of raw power and speed, amplified by her new cybernetic limbs and the activated ‘Spark of Mechanics’ ability.
Her punch tore through the air, aimed squarely at Tanya’s face. But the guild subcommander was ready. With the precision of a seasoned warrior, she sidestepped the blow, her hand snapping around Redhead’s wrist like a steel vice. The grip was unrelenting, inescapable. With a smooth, practiced motion, she twisted Nikola’s arm, forcing her forward in a stumble.
“Too predictable,” she said with a mocking smirk.
Redhead reacted without hesitation, lashing out with a powerful backward kick aimed at Tanya’s knee. But Takahashi was already one step ahead. Shifting her weight effortlessly, she sidestepped the strike and countered with a sharp push, sending Nika reeling off-balance.
In the blink of an eye, Tanya moved in, her movements a study in ruthless efficiency. With a quick, decisive maneuver, she drove Nikola face-first onto the asphalt. Pinning her opponent with one hand pressing the wrists behind her back, subcommander used her knee to trap the girl’s legs.
What stung more than the physical pain was the crushing realization: Tanya hadn’t even needed to activate her Berserk Mode. She had bested Nika with nothing but pure skill and speed.
“Calm down,” she said evenly. “Fighting won’t solve your problems.”
Nika thrashed violently, rage seething through every nerve. But the hold was unrelenting, her legs and torso pinned to the unyielding ground.
“Let me go!” Redhead screamed, the fury in her voice raw and uncontained.
“Look at yourself,” Tanya said coolly, her calm cutting through the chaos. “Your Berserker’s in overdrive, and you don’t even see it. You just got out of surgery, and this is where we are. Keep struggling, and you’ll fry your neuro-link and tear out your connectors. Is that what you want?”
Redhead gasped for air, her breath coming in harsh, uneven bursts. Her muscles strained, but Takahashi was too strong, too fast, and utterly in control. Slowly, her words began to pierce through the fog of anger, the horrifying prospect of destroying her implants sinking in like icy needles of truth.
“You’re just…” Nika growled, her voice cracking, but the words died in her throat.
“I’m just trying to help,” Tanya said sharply, cutting her off. “Believe me, I’ve been exactly where you are. The first day of the invasion, I lost control. I almost destroyed everything — and everyone — around me.”
Takahashi eased her grip slightly, enough to let the tension subside but not enough to give Redhead room to lash out again. Slowly, the adrenaline burned out, leaving Nika’s body weak and trembling. The fire inside her ebbed, replaced by exhaustion — and pain. Sharp and piercing, it flared in the fresh wounds where her connectors had been implanted, demanding her attention.
“If you don’t learn to control your Berserker, you’ll end up being a danger to yourself — and to your team.”
Nika stopped struggling. Her breathing slowed, becoming more measured.
“Why are you doing this?” she asked quietly.
Tanya slowly released her arms and took a step back, giving Nikola space to stand.
“Because I see potential in you,” she said, her tone steady. “You can become stronger — if you choose to join us.”
Redhead rubbed her wrists, feeling the residual ache.
“I want to help,” Tanya ‘Thunder’ added. “But the decision is yours.”
Nika rose to her feet, avoiding her gaze. Shame burned hot in her chest, mingling with the sharp sting of disappointment in herself.
“Think about what I’ve said,” Takahashi continued, her voice calm but resolute. “I hope you’ll make the right choice. Time isn’t on your side.”
With that, the subcom of the Wild Cats guild turned sharply and walked away, her steps brisk and confident. Nikola stood frozen, watching her retreating figure as anger and confusion churned in her chest. The adrenaline that had fueled her rage drained away, leaving behind exhaustion and a sharp, stinging pain in her cheek — evidence of just how hard she was slammed into the asphalt.
“Kurwa! How could I lose it like that? What was that burst of rage? She caught me completely off guard. I didn’t even notice when I lost control…”
Nika quickly pulled up her interface to check her logs. The moment she realized her mistake, her face turned bright red, like a fourteen-year-old caught smoking in the school bathroom by the principal.
Caught up in the thrill of her brand-new “paws,” she had completely forgotten to reconnect to the team’s permanent conference after signing out during her Cyber Core’s initial reboot. Worse, during the heated confrontation with Tanya, it hadn’t even crossed her mind to activate a recording. Now there was no way to share what had just happened with the team.
“Perfect. Just fucking zajebiście, kurwa!”
She sighed and messaged Maksim privately.
“Nika?” His response was immediate.
“Max, I’ve got a situation. I need to talk, urgently. Heading to the hostel now.”
“What happened? Are you okay?” he asked, concern clear in his tone.
“I’ll explain when I get there. It’s... personal. If Dasha and Alisa don’t mind, I’d prefer to discuss it with you one-on-one.”
“Got it. I’ll wait.”
Ending the call, she broke into a sprint. Her new legs performed flawlessly, every step surging with strength and elasticity. Pedestrians instinctively moved aside, staring in surprise at the girl with cybernetic limbs, wild red hair, and a scratched-up face as she dashed past like a streak of chaos.
Her thoughts raced even faster than her legs. Fragments of the confrontation swirled in her head, along with the creeping realization that things were spiraling out of control.
She needed to act — immediately. But how?