Chapter 27 - The Mission Debrief and the Show and Tell.
We pulled into the driveway, and I saw Kara pacing through the window, her face brightening when she saw the car pulling in. I step out, and she rushes outside. "I'm so glad you're all safe." She said, hugging me, then Mana. Phoebus and Azalea step out as well, shutting the doors, and I hear Hazel's voice from the door. "Come on in. Lunch is almost ready, and I'm sure we'd love to hear all about your mission." She called.
We all went inside, sitting at the dining table, and I shot a glance at Azalea and Phoebus. "How long are you two here for?" I asked. "Until tomorrow morning, if that's all good with you. Mana invited the two of us." Phoebus informed me. I glanced at Mana, and she raised a brow. ::No complaints, I'd hope? I figured it's no harm done to invite them.:: She thought.
I nod at her, and Phoebus shoots me a glance. "Oh, nothing. Mana and I both have psychic abilities, and she just was asking me something." I told him. Azalea's interest seemed to have peaked. "Really? That makes three, then, because I swear—" She started, but that was when Hazel walked in with food.
I honestly felt bad about her always cooking, but she never really seemed to have a problem with it, so I didn't say anything about it. "I didn't expect guests, but I can put together something after we're done, if you'd like." Hazel apologized to them. "Oh, we're fine. We had enough food during the celebration." Phoebus told her. Huh. I didn't recall them having food at the celebration. I guess I wasn't present when it got doled out.
"Anyways, tell us everything." Phoebus said. I recounted my part of the story, Mana chipping in with what little she had. Nothing was really of interest to them aside from one thing that only Mana really heard about. "They had technology that could block my powers. I find it incredibly likely it got destroyed in the blast, and Revan wiped their databases of all records of all their tech, aside from one or two things. So we need to hope they don't redevelop that particular thing, or my power level is gonna plummet real fast." I finished.
Phoebus frowned. "That could be really bad. Let's hope nobody important looks too closely through the wreckage. You said it was basement level six?" He asked. I nodded. "People probably will get lazy. I don't think they'll dig that far down, though I could be wrong." He decided.
I nodded again, standing to clear my plate. "I'm gonna go train." I announced, heading onto the deck. After maybe five minutes, Phoebus walked out here with Azalea, and I didn't turn to face them, and just continued training. "Honestly, I'm surprised you took so long to come out here, Phoebus. I know you wanted to see my powers at work." I said, trying to maintain a large Force Storm in my hands, just to where it wouldn't hurt them.
Phoebus raised a brow. "Flashy, but that's about it. Anything more than that?" He commented. I threw the Storm at the fallen tree, and it burnt the tree to a crisp. "Flashy and effective." He corrected himself. "There are some other powers I can't show off, because I don't have any life form counted as disposable enough to use them on. Though there are a few more things still. Are either of you afraid of heights?" They both shook their heads.
"Good. Up you two go." I said, lifting them by their shirts, and placing them on the roof. "Basic." Phoebus noted. I sigh, and toss Phoebus a blaster, and an ammo clip. "Try shooting me, then." I smiled, summoning a Force Shield right in front of me. "Wouldn't that hurt you?" He asked, frowning. "It won't have the chance to. Just do it." I told him. He put the ammo clip in, and shot a single blast at me, deflected back at him with Force Shield.
Of course, knowing it was a possibility, I quickly froze the blaster bolt with Force Levitation, followed by a Force Push to direct it into the ground. "Impressive enough yet?" I asked. He shook his head, and Azalea started to protest. "I think that was pretty cool, Phoebus. Maybe not super impressive, but it was cool. You can't deny that." She said. He shrugged.
"I want to see something quick and dangerous. I want to see how little of a risk it was to send him on a stealth mission." He said. "Find me something living that I can kill first. I could just use it on one of you, and resurrect you, but I'd hazard a guess that neither of you wish to experience death." At their rapid nods, Phoebus scanned the area, looking for something living.
"There's a squirrel on the highest branch of that tree." He said, pointing up at it. I squinted to try and see it. Moments later, I see a rustle, and the tail of a squirrel. "Damn, you have a pair of eagle eyes." I comment, using Stasis, and Force Levitation to bring it down safely. "Ready?" I asked them. Phoebus nodded, and Azalea nodded pretty excitedly.
I unfroze the squirrel, and clenched my fist, activating Force Crush. I look back to them, and Phoebus has a remotely impressed look on his face, and Azalea looked slightly terrified. "But what if someone cried out in the process of the power working? It would draw attention to you." He asked. I froze him completely with Stasis.
"I wonder how I could do it. I really do." I remarked, using Improved Revitalize on the squirrel, and freezing it again, and unfreezing Phoebus. Looking Phoebus in the eyes, I used Force Crush on the squirrel, and not a sound from the squirrel was made. Not a squeak, a chatter, anything. "I may not be an assassin, but I am capable of such a thing if I wanted. I'm already painfully aware that your organization is likely behind more than a few shady occurrences in this country, and if you're scouting for an employee, until further notice, the answer is no." I told him.
Phoebus laughed. "He's got spirit, doesn't he, Azalea?" He asked. She nodded, smiling a little. I levitated the squirrel's corpse, and flung it back into the forested area with Force Push. "Satisfied?" I asked, tilting my head slightly. Phoebus nodded. "Your powers seem incredibly versatile." He noted, climbing down from the roof. Azalea jumped down next to him, shooting me a warm smile.
I smiled back at her, and they walked back inside. I glanced at my quest rewards from the mission, and at the notification about Kara's increased influence meter.
Journal Entry: The Mission!
You successfully infiltrated Aztecoro Labs with Mana, and destroyed their Empowered technology!
Rewards: Force Body, 25,000 credits, and 3 Power Credits.
Hidden Journal Entry Completed!
For completing this hidden quest of getting one of your companions to 200/200 influence, the influence cap for that companion is increased by 100, +10 to Cha, $1,000, and the ability to Observe most people, regardless of powers.
My eyes bugged out at the +10 to Charisma, and the thousand dollars, because that's huge. But I was excited about the ability to Observe people, even those who were Empowered. Maybe I could see what the actual hell Revan is with that? I resolved to check that tomorrow, when we're due to have another meeting about our operation.
But I liked where my stats were standing at.
Health: 460/460
FP: 1240/1240
Level: 26
Str: 29(x1.2+5+2) = 42
Con: 33(x1.2+3+3) = 46
Dex: 26(+2+1+3) = 32
Int: 47(x1.2+3) = 59
Wis: 46(+1+3+4+2+3+3) = 62
Cha: 34(x1.2+4+3+1+4) = 53
Computer Use: 30(+24 from Int) = 54
Demolitions: 30(+24 from Int) = 54
Stealth: 40(+11 from Dex) = 51
Awareness: 50(+26 from Wis, +2 from Jal Shey Meditation Gloves) = 78
Persuade: 50(+21 from Cha, +1 from Jal Shey Mentor Armor) = 72
Repair: 40(+24 from Int) = 64
Security: 40(+26 from Wis) = 66
Treat Injury: 50(+26 from Wis) = 76
I was extremely satisfied with my stats. I started browsing through the Shop, looking for anything that would potentially be better than what I currently have. I knew, with my immunity to powers based on my own, I could toss the Multishield Generator for maybe a Jal Shey Mentor Belt, for extra Wis, but before I decided on anything, Mana walked out, her face pale.
"Cyrus, I need you to promise me something." She told me shakily. I raised a brow, but nodded, motioning for her to continue. "I need you to promise me to stay out of my mind until this is over. I can't tell you why, but it's important." She asked me.
I narrowed my eyes. "I'll tell you the same thing I did before, Mana. I trust you, and I think after our mission, and everything you've done, it's well past deserved, but the instant this is over, I'm going to ask, and I'm going to hope you'll answer truthfully." I told her. "Thank you. The others can't know, either, so if you'd speak to them about it, that'd be great." She said, turning around to walk back inside. "Wait." I told her.
She turned around, and I sighed. "You may not have Force powers, but there is one thing I can teach you, and that is how to shield your mind." I sat her down with Pazaak, as I did before for Hazel and Kara, and guided her through it, same as I did before.
"Now, there's another shield, but I want you to know that this shield is a double-edged blade at times." I started, describing to her the shield that harnesses emotions. "Thank you, Cyrus." She says. "Ding!" I glanced at the notification, swiping it away quickly, as always.
Influence Gained: Mana! 80/100
She left, and I went to seek out Kara and Hazel, a flash of brown crossing my peripheral vision. I frowned, but continued on my way inside. I quickly found the two of them together, playing the Star Wars game this all came from. They didn't notice my entrance, and I just sat there for a moment in silence.
They both looked carefree as they took to playing on a shared file of the game. I smiled a little sadly at the sight. Part of me knew they probably won't get peace like this again, as of the end of the month. After another moment, Kara must have heard me shifting around, trying to find a comfortable way to lean against the doorframe. Before she could say anything, I cut in.
"You two having fun?" I asked. Hazel glanced over, and nodded. Kara nodded more carefully, a calculating look in her eyes. "Something's bothering you. What's up?" She asks me. "Mana sent me." I admitted. That seemed to grab their attention. "What did she say that she couldn't say herself?" Hazel asked.
"She learned something important about the mission, I think, though she didn't say that much. She asked for me to stay out of her head until this is all over. Upon my agreement, she requested I ask that the two of you do the same. I trust her, and I hope the two of you will demonstrate the same trust in her." I explained to them. The two of them shared a glance, having a mental conversation.
Kara agreed, but Hazel hesitated, staring at me, before a horrified look crossed her face. "Oh my god." She whispers. "Mana!" She called out. "We need to talk. Now." She shouted, charging out of the room. I shared a look with Kara, and we elected to stay here. I'm not about to break the trust Mana and Hazel have in me by listening in on their likely classified conversation.
We just sat in a comfortable silence, and I locked eyes with her after a while. "Any clue what they're talking about?" I ask. ::Not what, but who, I'd guess. But otherwise? I've got no idea.:: She confessed. After half an hour, Hazel walked back in, an irritated look on her face. She turned to me. "Out." She told me. I raised a brow, but did as she asked, leaving her alone with Kara.
The door slammed shut behind me, likely Hazel's doing. I sigh, but leave to sit back outside so I can train.
