Havok Bringer

Chapter 20. A Tear

After the very awkward happenings on the bridge, CJ, Tiff, and I decided to head to the galley to get some food and discuss stat point allocations. Elvis already had us under way to the AI containment facility and we were just a few days out.

Our original plan had us arriving at the Red Moon of Alcara with 5 days to spare. It would take 11 days to retrieve Tiff’s body and another 14 days of travel to the moon after that. We lost one day on our detour to the grind station but the three extra levels I gained made that pit stop well worth it.

“Elvis, how long will we have to plan and organize once we reach the containment facility?” I asked.

“Elvis planned one 24 hours for operational strategizing. After 24 hours, Bloodhound will move into orbit of facility. Tiff and Elvis will be incapacitated during that time. Ship will be programmed to disengage 12 hours after Captain leaves Bloodhound,” Elvis replied.

“How will the ship run if you are inactive Elvis?” I asked nervously wondering how the ship would still be operable.

“Elvis higher functioning systems will be off-line, but Elvis has programmed sub-minds to operate the ship in his absence. All primary systems will operate at acceptable levels until ship is outside of dampening field,” Elvis said.

“Hopefully this doesn’t take 12 hours, Elvis, what if I get back sooner? I’m going to assume the containment facility has some sort of external defense system as well. If I’m coming back to the Bloodhound under duress, we will need to get out quickly,” I said. I could feel the stress mounting on me physically as I spoke.

“No problem, Captain. Elvis programmed OS switch on Captain’s console,” Elvis replied.

“OS switch?” I asked. I understood more and more when Elvis and Tiff explained advanced technology to me lately. The increase I had received in my intelligence stat not only allowed me to absorb knowledge more easily, but it also allowed me to recall basically anything I had ever learned.

“Yes, Captain. The ‘OH SHIT’ switch will allow you to disengage. The Bloodhound will travel to a preprogrammed jump location at full thrust and warp away,” Elvis replied.

“Elvis is smart. He has considered all variables. The Bloodhound also has basic defense capabilities if needed. The defense array will be set on auto. Captain will only need to strap in and hang on,” Elvis said.

“Okay, Elvis, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” I said shaking my head.

It was easy to forget how advanced Elvis was. Tiff had a physical form and was capable of things that I couldn’t yet fully comprehend. It was easy to understand that she was an ultra-advanced life form. Elvis, on the other hand, was just a voice on a ship and he chose to speak like a violent cave man most of the time. Between that and his on-going junior high squabbles with CJ, it was easy to take him for granted.

“Captain, you have enough to worry about without considering the ship. Elvis has that under control. Just focus on the mission,” Tiff said.

The pressure of this upcoming Exfil mission was mounting. I would be walking into a threat that I didn’t fully understand without all the information necessary to be successful. I had become dependent on Tiff’s knowledge and guidance, and I felt like I would be going in blind.

I was at least feeling better knowing that I would have CJ for backup this time, but if we got into trouble once we were on the containment facility things would go bad, very fast.

“CJ, how is the training coming on the drop suit?” I asked, turning to CJ who was greedily eating what looked like some sort of fried ball.

“What are you eating, man?” I asked a bit taken aback at the sight.

“It’s a fried boudin ball, bro! It has pepper jack cheese in it. This is like my fourth one today,” he responded with a mouth full of food.

“The food box can literally make anything and it has a database of every earth food. I mean literally any food you could ever want, this thing can make,” he said, still tearing into the boudin ball.

“Aaand, you chose a boudin ball?” I asked.

“Hey, fuck you, Andy. It’s comfort food,” CJ said as he finished off the last one on his plate.

“When did we start calling it a Food Box?” I asked chuckling.

“It’s easier than saying ‘Carbonized Atom Recombination Station’. Whoever named that shit needs a lesson in marketing strategies.”

“I named it the Food Box; it’s easier” he shrugged.

“Okay Tiff, let’s talk about free points, and you mentioned something about a new ability?” I asked, turning my attention to Tiff who sat across from me at the table.

“Yes, pull up your interface and let’s see where your stat levels are now before we assign the free points,” she said.

“Okay, doing it now,” I responded as I mentally pulled up my stat screen.

Captain Andrew Dawes

Level 7 – Human

Class - Havok Bringer

Stats:

Intelligence – 88

Stamina – 87

Strength – 88

Vigor – 101

Dexterity – 146

Free Stats Available – 35

Abilities – Pulsar Blast

“Okay, first we need to assign those free stats, and then we need to talk about that new ability you have; it’s interesting to say the least,” Tiff said as I examined my stats.

“You have 35 free stats. You are already pretty heavy in dexterity, which is a good thing. You will have better reflexes and be an overall better fighter. You will be faster as well. Since the suit levels with you, I’m assuming the speed increase will carry over.”

“We need to boost your strength to compliment that dexterity, so I would suggest this:

+15 Dexterity to make it 161,

+10 Strength to make it 98,

+5 to Stamina and Intelligence to make them 92 respectively.”

“Your Vigor is already at 101 and, with the suit for protection, we don’t need to focus on Vigor right now. Any issues with the suggestions I made?” Tiff asked.

“No, makes sense to me. We’re going to build on my strengths and supplement some of my weaknesses; seems straight forward to me,” I responded. “I’ll go ahead and allocate the free points now.”

I mentally focused on my free points and a message popped up:

Allocate free points now? Y/N

I mentally selected yes, and the interface allowed me to drag and drop my free points to the desired stat.

“Okay, all done. I feel…better?” I wasn’t sure of the right word. The sudden influx of stat points flooded my body, and I could feel my muscles tighten as my body grow to fit the increase in stats.

I took a look at my stats after the allocation of free points.

Captain Andrew Dawes

Level 7 – Human

Class - Havok Bringer

Stats:

Intelligence – 87

Stamina – 92

Strength – 98

Vigor – 101

Dexterity – 161

Free Stats Available – 35

Abilities – Pulsar Blast

I felt my stomach, and jerked my shirt up, “Hey, holy shit! I have abs now!”

“Fuuuck you, Ryan Gosling!” CJ shouted and flipped me off while he laughed in astonishment.

“Don’t all humans have abdominal muscles?” Tiff asked, obviously not understanding the significance of my new bulging stomach muscles.

“Uh yeah, it’s just, I just couldn’t really see mine before and now I can,” I responded.

“I told you that the stat increases would cause some physical changes; it shouldn’t be a surprise,” Tiff said.

"I know, I remember what you said, but I just didn't expect this. My body is actually changing as I grow my stats, it's pretty damn cool" I said, still rubbing my new abs.

“Well, let’s move on to that new ability then,” I said as I read the new ability.

“Pulsar Blast,” Tiff said. She was obviously reading my mind at this point. “Highlight the ability and it should provide you with a description,” she said.

I mentally focused on the title of the ability and, as I did, it highlighted and expanded the description. I read it out loud:

Pulsar Blast – The Pulsar is a dying star that emits highly magnetized beams of electromagnetic radiation from its poles. Immense power is radiated as the star dies. You can now harness that power through a defensive ability that should be used as a fail-safe when no other relevant options present themselves. This ability will allow you to emit a blast of electromagnetic radiation from each hand. Upon activation, the blast will disarm and injure any enemies that are directly hit by the blast. Once disarmed, any weapons of metallic origin will be drawn toward you, effectively eliminating the current threat. The suit will provide an impenetrable field for 10 seconds following the blast to dissipate and you will be rendered immobile for the duration of this effect. Use with caution and only as a last resort.

“Well, that is both damn cool and really dangerous,” I said. “I won’t be able to move for ten seconds after I use it, but I will have a shield. There is a lot to consider here. For now, I won’t use the ability unless it is absolutely necessary, and I would like to test it in the VCR before I have to use it in live combat.”

Tiff looked concerned as she spoke, “Andrew, there are some things we need to discuss before we get to the Red Moon, but for now just know that the ability you received is basically a get-out-of-jail-free card. Use it only when you have absolutely no other alternative, but it will most likely save your life more than once.”

“What do you mean there are some things we need to discuss Tiff?” I asked. “What are you not telling me?”

I trusted Tiff completely since I had met her, but that one comment gave me reason to question her intentions for the first time.

Tiff looked directly at me, her eyes meeting mine, “Andrew, I will tell you everything that I can when the time is right, but we have things that are pressing right now that we need to stay focused on, understand?”

I became irrationally angry at that comment. I had been stolen away from my planet and asked to take on the impossible task of trying to save the world. I had been expected to trust an alien that I had never met, from a race that I didn’t even know existed before a few weeks ago. I had unintentionally involved my best friend in all of this and now I am being brushed off because I felt like there is information that I am not being told.

“No Tiff, there aren’t more important thing. This is my ship, Elvis answers to my orders, and CJ follows my direction without asking anything in return. If there is something that you aren’t telling me that could possibly endanger my life, CJ, Elvis, the Bloodhound, or the overall mission, I need to know and I need to know now.”

For the first time since I had met her, Tiff looked concerned, nervous even. She fidgeted in her seat and looked down at her hands. This was the most human emotion that I had ever seen from her.

“Andrew, you have to understand that I’m about to tell you something that has impacts across the universe, and when I started on this journey, I didn’t know you. I made decisions for the good of my people and the Universe. Please understand that I want you to trust me, and I hope you will after this,” Tiff said as tear escaped from her left eye.

The AI was crying.