Well, I'm screwed.
Completely, Terribly, undeniably screwed.
All I wanted was to earn my way through and gain some Power. Praetor Berry can help me with that. His inventions will fall apart or fail unexpectedly, but he can help me earn some fame and fortune.
Only, the first thing he asks me to do, I can't.
Kidnap some Syndicate psychics? No problem. Take down rogue Top Dogs? I'm there. Steal an invention from Doctor Keyes, the one who lifted me up from a deaf little girl and set me on the path of Power I'm on today...?
Problem. Definite problem. No, make that *huge* problem.
So... Solution to said problem? Well...
I'm walking south across the only bridge to Keyes Island. Walking. Not flying, not running fancy. Walking, head down trying to think about what to tell the man who gave me a life to live.
-Thud- scrolls up my H.U.D. and I stop, and look towards where it is telling me the sound came from. There's a Seer there, looking dazed on the ground, staring up at me with wide eyes and a dropped jaw.
-(deadpan): Y-your thoughts are not within acceptable bounds, Citizen. Do you require a referral to Praetor Tilman?-
Great. So depressed that the Seers are on my case. I quickly check her serial on the H.U.D. "No, Seer 5367. I am on my way to speak with my Patron. Thank you for your concern."
I swiftly move on, the PPD that are standing around glaring at me, whether because of the Seer or just because I'm Powers Division, they only know. Anyway, I'm on the island now. Where would Doctor Keyes be at this time of day? The labs? The reactors?
-Notice: You have an appointment with Doctor Keyes in lab 27 in 5 minutes- Pops up before my eyes. Or, I could just wait for him to realize I'm here and make time in his busy, busy day?
I'm screwed.
Lab 27 isn't that far away, certainly doesn't take more than two minutes to get there, even at the funeral pace I've set. I wave my gauntlet at the security panel, and it lights up as it reads my ID code. The airlock in front of me cycles open and I step in. The lab is sparse; there are a few Clockwork cleaning up or setting up new experiments for the Doctor.
A few rooms in I find him, bent over a table, tinkering with the insides of a huge Lifter Clockwork. His time is precious, but I don't interrupt him. I know better, and he is the one with Power, here. After a moment, he closes up the chest cavity of the Lifter, and looks at me.
-(annoyed): Well, Miss Rhodes, what brings you to my realm? Shouldn't you have some simplistic task to take care of, or other silly little thing to do for Berry?-
I swallow around the peach that seems to be lodged in my throat. "Praetor, ah, Doctor Keyes. You know that I'm working with Praetor Berry. Thusfar, I believe that he is my best bet for the opportunities that I seek." I stop, and try to moisten my mouth again. "However, he has asked of me something that I cannot do. I can't betray you like he asks, and steal one of your works for his experiments."
Even through the armor that Anti-Matter wears, I can sense his disgust. -(disgust): So Berry wants you to steal something for one of his 'Grand Projects'? What is it that he wants this time? What does he want that he can't go through the *proper* channels and take it from me that way?-
I incline my head and murmur, "A prototype cybernetic brain." I hold out the keycard Berry gave me.
Doctor Keyes yanks it from my hand, and swipes it through a reader at his side. He stands there for a moment, obviously consulting the data on his own H.U.D. -(snarling): That unmitigated *bastard*! How does he even know about that? I'll... I'll... ARG!- He turns and starts pacing back and forth, slapping the keycard in his hand over and over, muttering to himself. After a few minutes of this, he stops, and turns to me again. -(deciding): So. You came to me for a reason. Shall I assume it is because you don't want to betray me, like so many others?- At my nod, he continues, -So. I'll modify this keycard. You'll still be able to get into the lab. Still be able to get a cyberbrain. BUT NOT THIS ONE!- He taps code into the reader forcefully for a few moments, then swipes the keycard again. -(smug): This will get you a cyberbrain. One that he can 'use'. Meghan.- He looks at me again, and I know he's looking into my eyes, past his own helmet and mine. -(cautionary): Meghan, never, *ever* betray me. I made you what you are. I set your feet upon the path you now tread. I can unmake you, just as easily as this!-
Suddenly, my H.U.D. flashes red, and I see the radiation counter off to the side spike through safe levels and proceed quickly to 'instant death' conditions. Just as suddenly, it tapers off, but I can still feel the adrenalin rushing through me, my flight-or-fight nearly killing me with its urgency.
-(proud): Meghan- He speaks again, and I struggle to read it. -Go now, and become a Power. We'll no doubt speak again shortly.-
I nod again, and sketch a bow. Anti-Matter is already leaving, heading off to another project, no doubt. I've got to get on my own way, as well. Time waits for no one, and Berry...
Well. He'll have to see how quickly I can come up with a way to screw him over like he almost did me...
Completely, Terribly, undeniably screwed.
All I wanted was to earn my way through and gain some Power. Praetor Berry can help me with that. His inventions will fall apart or fail unexpectedly, but he can help me earn some fame and fortune.
Only, the first thing he asks me to do, I can't.
Kidnap some Syndicate psychics? No problem. Take down rogue Top Dogs? I'm there. Steal an invention from Doctor Keyes, the one who lifted me up from a deaf little girl and set me on the path of Power I'm on today...?
Problem. Definite problem. No, make that *huge* problem.
So... Solution to said problem? Well...
I'm walking south across the only bridge to Keyes Island. Walking. Not flying, not running fancy. Walking, head down trying to think about what to tell the man who gave me a life to live.
-Thud- scrolls up my H.U.D. and I stop, and look towards where it is telling me the sound came from. There's a Seer there, looking dazed on the ground, staring up at me with wide eyes and a dropped jaw.
-(deadpan): Y-your thoughts are not within acceptable bounds, Citizen. Do you require a referral to Praetor Tilman?-
Great. So depressed that the Seers are on my case. I quickly check her serial on the H.U.D. "No, Seer 5367. I am on my way to speak with my Patron. Thank you for your concern."
I swiftly move on, the PPD that are standing around glaring at me, whether because of the Seer or just because I'm Powers Division, they only know. Anyway, I'm on the island now. Where would Doctor Keyes be at this time of day? The labs? The reactors?
-Notice: You have an appointment with Doctor Keyes in lab 27 in 5 minutes- Pops up before my eyes. Or, I could just wait for him to realize I'm here and make time in his busy, busy day?
I'm screwed.
Lab 27 isn't that far away, certainly doesn't take more than two minutes to get there, even at the funeral pace I've set. I wave my gauntlet at the security panel, and it lights up as it reads my ID code. The airlock in front of me cycles open and I step in. The lab is sparse; there are a few Clockwork cleaning up or setting up new experiments for the Doctor.
A few rooms in I find him, bent over a table, tinkering with the insides of a huge Lifter Clockwork. His time is precious, but I don't interrupt him. I know better, and he is the one with Power, here. After a moment, he closes up the chest cavity of the Lifter, and looks at me.
-(annoyed): Well, Miss Rhodes, what brings you to my realm? Shouldn't you have some simplistic task to take care of, or other silly little thing to do for Berry?-
I swallow around the peach that seems to be lodged in my throat. "Praetor, ah, Doctor Keyes. You know that I'm working with Praetor Berry. Thusfar, I believe that he is my best bet for the opportunities that I seek." I stop, and try to moisten my mouth again. "However, he has asked of me something that I cannot do. I can't betray you like he asks, and steal one of your works for his experiments."
Even through the armor that Anti-Matter wears, I can sense his disgust. -(disgust): So Berry wants you to steal something for one of his 'Grand Projects'? What is it that he wants this time? What does he want that he can't go through the *proper* channels and take it from me that way?-
I incline my head and murmur, "A prototype cybernetic brain." I hold out the keycard Berry gave me.
Doctor Keyes yanks it from my hand, and swipes it through a reader at his side. He stands there for a moment, obviously consulting the data on his own H.U.D. -(snarling): That unmitigated *bastard*! How does he even know about that? I'll... I'll... ARG!- He turns and starts pacing back and forth, slapping the keycard in his hand over and over, muttering to himself. After a few minutes of this, he stops, and turns to me again. -(deciding): So. You came to me for a reason. Shall I assume it is because you don't want to betray me, like so many others?- At my nod, he continues, -So. I'll modify this keycard. You'll still be able to get into the lab. Still be able to get a cyberbrain. BUT NOT THIS ONE!- He taps code into the reader forcefully for a few moments, then swipes the keycard again. -(smug): This will get you a cyberbrain. One that he can 'use'. Meghan.- He looks at me again, and I know he's looking into my eyes, past his own helmet and mine. -(cautionary): Meghan, never, *ever* betray me. I made you what you are. I set your feet upon the path you now tread. I can unmake you, just as easily as this!-
Suddenly, my H.U.D. flashes red, and I see the radiation counter off to the side spike through safe levels and proceed quickly to 'instant death' conditions. Just as suddenly, it tapers off, but I can still feel the adrenalin rushing through me, my flight-or-fight nearly killing me with its urgency.
-(proud): Meghan- He speaks again, and I struggle to read it. -Go now, and become a Power. We'll no doubt speak again shortly.-
I nod again, and sketch a bow. Anti-Matter is already leaving, heading off to another project, no doubt. I've got to get on my own way, as well. Time waits for no one, and Berry...
Well. He'll have to see how quickly I can come up with a way to screw him over like he almost did me...