State Poland, Free Rzeszów, TACTA
Team Ghost of the Future, August 15, 2049, 12:57 PM
Nikola slipped quietly from Max’s room, gently closing the door behind her with a sly smile. Sunlight peeked playfully through the curtains in the hostel corridor, and she leaned against the wall, grinning to herself.
“He-heh, no witnesses, no crime. Nothing happened!” the girl mused with a soft chuckle.
It was nearly one in the afternoon, and the shared kitchen was surprisingly empty. The aroma of fresh coffee and traces of morning conversation had long since faded, leaving only the faint hum of the refrigerator in the silence. Apparently, the hostel’s other residents had already scattered off on their missions. Nikola moved to the window and looked out over the bustling streets of Rzeszów, where life surged on, undeterred by recent events…
After lunch, Maksim had called for a team meeting in Alisa’s room for a briefing — it just so happened she’d been given the largest, sunniest one. As everyone gathered, the mood turned serious. Alisa perched on the edge of the bed, while Nikola settled by the desk with an extra cup of coffee she’d brought from the kitchen. Dasha sat in the chair with her legs tucked up, pulling out from the pocket her ever-present vape. And Max took his place by the window, arms folded across his chest.
“All right,” he began, “we need to decide on our next steps and what to order from TACTA with our hard-earned one hundred and twelve thousand, give or take, in grants.”
He paused, letting his gaze travel over everyone in the room. It was obvious they were in the mood to relax, but this was an important moment to drive the message home. After all, this team was made up of some... rather unique characters. And, surprisingly, it wasn’t only Nikola who needed a reminder of basic safety rules. He’d already given her a private lecture and a thorough round of punishment. A very thorough round, at that...
“But first, I want to remind everyone to be cautious during combat missions.”
Nikola raised an eyebrow, smirking.
“Yes, you got it, Redhead — this is about you,” Max said, looking straight at her. “According to Dasha’s theory, everyone has some built-in tendency toward certain System characteristics. And since you’ve got the ‘Berserker’ ability, chances are you’ve always been one.”
“Yep,” Nikola chuckled, tilting her head with a grin. “Sounds about right.”
Max just sighed, frowning slightly.
“So, we won’t try to hold you back in a fight, but you’re also not rushing ahead of the drones. We don’t have a spare Nika, you know.”
Redhead winked at him, crossing her cybernetic arms over her chest with a look of confidence. “Don’t worry, I take care of myself just fine.”
Dasha, glancing between the two, couldn’t help but admire Nikola’s behavior. “How does she manage to be both friendly and stubborn at the same time? That’s impressive… I could never pull that off…”
Meanwhile, a certain idea had been circling in the threads of Alisa’s mind for a while now: “In theory, creating a backup of Nikola might actually be possible, if I understand everything correctly. The only issue is the capacity of our current equipment.”
“Back to business,” Max resumed. “We’re a small team, and competition isn’t slowing down. Look at the ‘Wild Cats’ — they’ve already achieved so much. They started out with a top-tier military base, have upgraded cyborgs, and rose through the ranks in no time. It’s been barely any time since the invasion began, and they’re already miles ahead. How are we supposed to keep up?”
“We’ll need to either bring in more people or ramp up our tech capabilities dramatically,” Alisa noted. “Ideally, both.”
“Exactly. We were planning to expand our technical arsenal anyway, so let’s go over that now. But where do we find people? Quality teammates, like Nika here, aren’t just lying around on the roadside, waiting to be picked up,” Max smirked, casting a glance at Redhead.
“For the record, not on the roadside, but the stadium,” she grinned, recalling their first encounter. “And as I remember, it was mostly you lying around then. So, who really picked up whom?”
Laughter rippled through the group, and the tension eased.
“I vote for more tech,” Dasha chimed in cautiously. “People are just… too complicated, yeah. Tech’s more reliable.”
“So, we’re unanimously voting for tech,” Max summed up. “But we’re still going to need people. The idea of forming a clan really got me thinking — there’s no way the four of us can handle all this work on our own. Who’s going to take care of R&D, for instance?”
“We could draft a list of roles,” Alisa suggested, “and post openings on the forum. Start with a few essential positions and not bring in too many people at once. We’re still far from becoming a full-fledged clan or let alone, a guild.”
Max nodded, making notes in his AR ‘notebook.’ “Good idea. Let’s go with that.”
He paused before addressing Redhead’s situation. “Now, about you, Nika. Unfortunately, you’re temporarily out of combat action. As our top-heavy assault, your recovery is a top priority.”
She shrugged. “They promised us new ninth-series cyber-limbs. Those’re even better than what I had before. But my neuro-interface and connectors are damaged. Without replacing them, I could attach the new limbs, sure, but actually using them in combat? Not a chance.”
“Nika and I went through all the options available from TACTA,” Max continued. “Even if we limit ourselves to bio-cyber kits we can install ourselves with our AI-assisted surgical robot, it’s still way beyond what we can afford right now.”
He quickly opened an AR display and projected a detailed report.
“Here, take a look,” he said, sharing the link in the team’s conference.
// Report:
Neural Link “Berserker Overdrive”
Base Version + Essential Enhancements, Self-Installation Kit
Price: 10,000 grants
Enhancement Modules:
* Increased Bandwidth
Amplifies signal transmission speed
Price: 3,120 grants
* Enhanced Control Circuits
Allow handling larger signal volumes
Price: 2,000 grants
* Additional Energy Channels
Support “Cybernetic Berserker” Skill Set and other related abilities
Price: 3,850 grants
Total: 18,970 grants
Installation Time: 2.5 hours
Recovery: Light physical activity possible after 12 hours; full recovery in 4 days
Bio-Compatible Connectors (Arms)
Standard Arm Connectors
Price: 9,000 grants
Enhancement Modules:
* Implantable MYO-enhancers (muscle-strengthening implants)
Boost the power and speed of natural muscle movements in the shoulder girdle, enhancing upper body strength and precision for complex arm functions.
Price: 24,500 grants
* Comprehensive Shoulder Girdle Bone Reinforcement
Provides external and internal bone strengthening to withstand high physical stress and prevent damage during heavy cyber-arm usage
Price: 14,800 grants
* Physical Load Distribution System for Overdrive Modes
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Provides load distribution for the shoulder girdle and joints, ensuring safe use of cyber-arms in overdrive and minimizing microtrauma during intense movements
Price: 12,000 grants
Total: 60,300 grants
Installation Time: 3 hours per arm
Recovery: Light physical activity possible after 24 hours, full recovery in 5 days
Bio-Compatible Connectors (Legs)
Standard Leg Connectors
Price: 6,000 grants
Enhancement Modules:
* Implantable MYO-enhancers for Pelvic Muscles
Strengthen the primary muscles of the pelvic girdle to support enhanced leg mobility and increased load-bearing capacities
Price:14,500 grants
* Comprehensive Pelvic Girdle Bone Reinforcement
Strengthens the pelvic bones to withstand high loads associated with cybernetic activities, and reduce the risk of injury during intense physical strain
Price: 12,000 grants
* Physical Load Distribution System for Overdrive Modes
Reduces stress on pelvic and thigh-bones in high-intensity modes, preventing microtrauma and extending component longevity
Price: 9,000 grants
Total: 41,540 grants
Installation Time: 2 hours per leg
Recovery: Light physical activity after 24 hours, full recovery in 5 days
Alisa carefully reviewed the data, biting her lip.
“These really are crazy expensive,” she said at last. “I was thinking we could buy assembly kits for combat drones compatible with Earth-grade weapons. And maybe we could source ammo locally through barter or services, so we don’t end up burning our precious grants.”
“What if we just buy blueprints and build the drones ourselves?” Dasha cut in, her eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. “I mean, we’re an engineering and software startup, not some gang out there to bust heads… uhm… you get the idea… yeah…”
She shot a cautious glance at Nikola, giving her a slightly apologetic smile.
“Well, we’re a gang too,” grinned Redhead, winking. “But… yep, it’d save us money, and we’re going to need a crafting complex anyway!”
“That’s could work too,” Alisa nodded. “The only catch is, a SynthForge crafting complex is way out of our budget right now — it’s nearly a hundred thousand grants. But if we buy the blueprints, gather the materials, and rent a TACTA drone equipped with a crafting module… Sure, we might lose about 70-80% of the raw materials, but it’ll still cost less than buying ready-made drones. And once we get our own fabricator, we’ll make up for the blueprint costs.”
Maksim rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Alright, that sounds good. But what about Nika?”
Redhead raised her hand as if she were a student in class. “I’ve got an idea! Let’s take it one step at a time. We’ll start with just the connectors and the neural link. My old ones need replacing anyway. Installing Earth-based implants now only to switch them out for TACTA later would be a waste. This way, I get the alien-standard foundation from the start. Sure, I won’t have the fancy TACTA limbs made specifically for ‘Berserker’ mode just yet, but the ones we’re getting from Rzeszów will do just fine for now.”
Max’s face lit up. “That’s a brilliant idea! It lets us get you back on your feet without extra risk.”
“To be honest, I can handle the first level of ‘Berserker’ without additional modifications or TACTA-grade limbs,” Nika assured them confidently. “It’ll hurt, yeah, but I’m used to it.”
Dasha nodded, brushing away a stray lock of hair that kept falling across her face. “And while we’re at it, we can work on figuring out if we even need to buy TACTA cyber-limbs. If we can figure out what makes them different from Earth-made ones, maybe we can even craft our own.”
“Now for the tough part,” Max sighed. “I’ve come up with a solid solution to fit out the truck as a mobile surgery module. But it’ll eat up almost our entire budget. It’s based on a grav-compensator module, usually used to increase vehicle load capacity or for building various hover platforms…”
“But you’re going to use it for vibration control in the trailer!” Alisa jumped in, supporting his idea. “Clever move.”
“Yeah, that’s an awesome idea,” Dasha agreed. “And we still get the load capacity boost, yeah! We could haul way more goodies — assuming we find some, of course...”
“Let me guess,” Redhead chuckled, “the only hitch is this beast’s price, right?”
“Exactly,” Max exhaled. “Sixty-nine thousand grants. And that’s just for the base module. We’d still have to calculate and craft all the fittings ourselves. If we set it up wrong, this ‘beast,’ as you put it, could tear the trailer apart. I even considered hiring TACTA experts for help, they offer that option. But honestly, we don’t have the funds… and we haven’t even received the vehicle yet.”
“So, in short, it’s not an option right now!” Alisa declared. “Otherwise, we’re really going to zero out… Looks like we need everything at once: a big budget, crafting resources, and Nikola’s surgery.”
“Alright, here’s the plan, ladies,” Maksim suggested after a brief pause. “For the surgery, we’ll look into local clinics, since that’s priority number one. Meanwhile, I’ll try to schedule a meeting with the Colonel to finalize the truck arrangements. And for now, let’s wrap up this briefing and take a look around Free Rzeszów. I’d like to get a lay of the land myself. Then we’ll scout for missions and start gathering materials.”
He shared his screen in the conference. “I looked over the map this morning. Just so everyone knows, unauthorized looting is banned within the City’s control zone. And all the prime resource points have already been picked clean.”
“Seriously? No looting?” Nikola asked, raising her eyebrows. “And who’s actually checking, anyway?”
“Drones’ll catch you, yeah…” Dasha muttered, taking a drag from her vape. “Maybe not on every spot, but definitely on the major ones.”
“Hey, Max,” Nikola mused, “what the hell is up with this whole setup? I mean, I have some guesses, but I’m sure you’ve done your research.”
“Oh, I have. Me and Alisa both, actually. And Dasha’s Ravens… they’ve been ‘flying around’ a lot,” Maksim smiled. “See, Free Rzeszów was founded by corporate military, and they’re no fools. Easy-access resources like abandoned cars, shops, and warehouses would be stripped bare pretty fast. The old logistics network is gone, and who knows when a new one will be up and running.”
Maksim paced as he continued. “The city needs resources — basic construction materials, food, weapons, and equipment for defense against the Shaiszu. So, they set up strict monitoring and inventory control from the start. The first missions Rzeszów’s started issuing were recon: first within the control zone, and now beyond. We just completed one of those assignments ourselves.”
“The juiciest spots, naturally, were snapped up by the City,” Alisa added, having done the analytics on the matter earlier. “Everything else goes up for auction. Plus, there’s a tax — 10% in resources, calculated at market rates, or 20% if you want to keep the resources and pay in grants. They’ve already got a commodities exchange up and running, so everyone can see the prices clearly.”
“So, people just rolled over and accepted these rules?” Nikola scoffed. “Sounds like daylight robbery, doesn’t it?”
“Not exactly,” Max countered. “The City’s offering plenty in return, as you’ve seen yourself: safe, comfortable lodging, rentable storage and workshops for tech maintenance, dining halls, bars, public bathhouses… even saunas.”
“Ooh, saunas, yes — those are a win!” Nika sighed, though her voice held a hint of longing. “I get it, I’m just grumbling.”
“And robbery? That’d be Protectorate cities for you, yeah!” Dasha said snidely through a cloud of vape. “Nothing belongs to regular people there, by the way.”
A brief pause settled over them. Maksim, glancing at the now-silent girls, wrapped things up.
“Let’s place a basic order through TACTA to get Nikola battle-ready at a local cyber-clinic… they won’t deliver it instantly, after all. While we wait, I’ll get in touch with the city’s info line to set up a meeting with the Colonel. Then, I’ll look for a warehouse to unload the truck, and extend the hostel reservation for a couple more days,” he summarized the plan.
“Good plan. Meanwhile, I’ll start looking for missions we can do to earn some cash and gather materials,” Alisa added.
“If you don’t really need me for unloading the truck, Max, I’ll get back to coding,” Dasha said. “I’m just about done with the crafting module and attributes. Alisa and I are designing it with expansion in mind, so that as soon as we get the SynthForge, we can integrate it into the System right away.”
“Absolutely, WonderKid. That’s super important,” Maksim nodded, giving her a thumbs-up. “Once I finish with the vehicle arrangements, I’ll contact the Linkers and Miro and pitch the System to them. So, I’ll stop by your room first to get an update.”
“Listen, Max,” Nika spoke up, also standing to pace a bit, “I can reach out to the clinics about the surgery after we’ve ordered the necessary components. Gonna reserve a time slot, and while we’re waiting for the delivery, I’ll help you with the unloading. As long as we don’t push it too hard, these paws should hold up just fine. How’s that sound?”
“Okay, that works perfectly. Schedule for the earliest time you can, and we’ll work around it. Alisa, what’s the cost breakdown on the drone blueprints?”
“All set, I’ll send over the numbers now,” she replied. “The price depends on the maximum units that can be produced and the ‘rarity’ of each item…”
“Yeah, and ‘rarity’— that was my idea, by the way! Clever, right, yeah?” Vasilevskaya cut in with a grin. “TACTA’s original term was something like ‘expanded integral coefficient of layered systemic technical intricacy,’ which sounded ridiculous. My version just makes total sense to gamers, doesn’t it?”
Max gave her a wide smile. “Fine by me! ‘Rarity’ it is. But honestly, we don’t need anything too fancy right now. Standard Earth tech should do the trick. But I couldn’t resist the idea of adding micro grav-compensators. They’re cheap, and the effect is just fantastic.”
“That’s exactly what I included in my calculations,” Alisa nodded, sending her prepped report. “Here’s the file with my recommendations. I suggest holding off on bulk purchases or unlimited-run blueprints for now. Let’s field-test a few key items on the next couple of missions and then decide based on their effectiveness.”
“Thanks, little sis. I’ll take a look now. The sooner we order, the sooner we get them. And since the blueprints determine what materials we need to gather, we’d better sort it out as soon as possible.”
“Exactly. I’d prefer to plan our mission strategy with a clear picture of the resources we’ll need.”
“Alright then, looks like we’re all set!” Max said, wrapping up. “Let’s split up and get to work. Before we head off to Marseille, as we originally planned, we need to gather resources, gain crafting access, and, of course, secure some solid tech. Because trucks only take us where there are roads — and something tells me roads won’t always be there.”
With that, Maksim decided not to drag things out. He called the City’s info line and got in touch with the Colonel’s secretary. And — amazingly — either they’d been given high priority, or they just got insanely lucky, because an available time slot opened up for today at 9:45 PM.
“The Colonel probably hasn’t slept in days and is running on stimulants,” Max thought, with a mix of respect and amusement. “Considering the invasion started only a short time ago, they’ve accomplished an incredible amount already.”