Chapter 18 Tools of the Trade

Joanna

July 24th, 2017

4:33 PM

New Exodus, Meridian Prime

Northern Shores

I walked forward to Ares standing near the edge of a cliffside while holding his sword from the hilt with the blade pinned to the ground and gazing at the glamorous sunset lighting the entire island from across the Mediterranean Sea to the Meridian Prime shores. After seeing my only niece dressed in Chrysalis gear with her other patriots, I felt Ares deserved to know what I had witnessed during the infighting from yesterday. Kristine may still hate me after what I had put her brother, mother, and father through throughout the years, but I still cared about her nevertheless. Even if she never shared my compassion.

"Lord Ares," I said standing next to him. "There's something I must tell you."

"Speak away," he replied.

I cleared my throat to mellow my words.

"I saw someone of interest yesterday during the fight," I began. "Someone who was neither Max, Alex, or even Chloe who got to island after them. It…it was my niece, Kristine."

"What of her?" Ares wondered.

"She's one of them now. She's a Chrysalis trooper. The one from my family who defected from the herd with her mother Caroline."

"If she defected from the herd, then she must be killed."

"With all due respect, Ares, I'm willing to forgive Kristine and I ask permission to grant her a reprieve on a personal matter."

"There will be no reprieve nor forgiveness to traitors. Not even family."

"I won't bring myself to kill her. Should she be killed-"

"You of all people should have every courtesy to know the penalty of weakness to anyone who pledges to my allegiance. I don't care how Kristine dies or who kills her. But should it come down to you and you alone, do not hesitate to show any mercy. If you do hesitate and defy the code of the herd over family matters, I will have your head as well as you're niece's for that. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my lord. By the way, our men are beginning final preparations to defend the base we've made for ourselves in New Exodus. They await your presence."

"Then I suggest you return to you're post before my arrival."

"What about Max, sir? You know she still has the Time Shard and the Eon Codex with her."

"Don't worry, Lady Joanna. It's quite obvious the traveler is prepping a trivial effort with her Chrysalis allies to defeat me. And that traitor Chronos is now in league with them. When they all come back to this island, nothing can prepare them for a big surprise I have in store for them."

"What about the small Chrysalis forces camping out in the smaller colonies?"

"Leave that to me."

Max

July 24th, 2017

4:40 PM

USCC Oregon

Mediterranean Sea

Alex, Chloe, Rachel, Frank, and I took a walk with Lieutenant Major Cheryl Heard from David's team who had something to show us down in the armory on the ship after Rachel's party had ended. David requested her to give us special weaponry and equipment to prepare us on the frontlines. We may have all survived the battle of Portland but David knew better than to make us vulnerable during the attack to come on Meridian Prime. It was also part of Chronos's plan too. At least the part he could tell us for now.

"So, remind us why we're down here again?" Alex questioned.

"That's an excellent question, Alexis," said Heard.

"It's Alex. Never Alexis."

"One, David and Gavin need y'all prepared. Two, David needs y'all prepared. Three, David needs y'all prepared. Under the admiral's authority and a little bit of Chrony's too. No shut up pay close attention."

"With respect Lieutenant Major," I said. "It's mainly Chronos who needs us prepared."

The LM dug the special weapons out of the weapons locker for us to see. And boy did she give us some new hot toys for sale. She set each weapon down one at a time on a workbench to present to us all. We all had one specific weapon assigned to us individually.

"Let's start the Chrysalis Toy Line with what I've assigned to Birthday Girl," began Heard. Setting down Rachel's weapon. "First a pair of Katanas for Ms. Amber Light. Made with titanium allow and from Japan. We get this supply from our Asian Division who makes them for CQC practices. From what I've told, you've practicing taekwondo over the years since you've left Chrysalis. With some sword training too. Figured this would these would be for your taste."

"I've only fought with wooden swords but thanks," said Rachel.

"Rachel, you were in taekwondo?" Chloe asked.

"I've CQC training during my initiative with Chrysalis after I was resurrected. Decided to kick my combat up a notch with karate fighting when Frank and I moved to Malibu. Practiced with a bow staff too. It's been my daily exercise since. Decided to keep it from you and Max so no one I wouldn't want to know accidentally finds out as well."

"You can either fight with either two swords or just one," said Heard. "Choice is yours."

"I'll take two," replied Rachel.

Rachel took the two katana blades off the table played around with them for a bit while Heard presented us with more weapons assigned to us. She pulled out strange-looking gloves and laid them out in front of us.

"These here are called nano-gloves," she said. "These two pairs I've assigned to two specific individuals. One for Ms. Price and the other for Ms. Caulfield."

"Which Ms. Caulfield, ma'am?" Alex wondered.

"This Ms. Caulfield," said Heard pointing to Alex.

"Me?! Fuck off!"

"Fine, don't have them."

"I'm kidding! I'm kidding! Not what I meant."

Heard slipped on one glove through her hand to showcase the weapon.

"These gloves are made of synthetic magnetic nano bites," continued Heard. "Capable of sticking to metal, resisting heat, and deflecting projectiles. Can block just about everything. It can shield fire, catch bullets, and parry blades."

Heard placed her hand wearing the glove next to a lit torch and fired it to demonstrate the heat resistance, fired a gun with the barrel leaned against the glove's palm to demonstrate the bullet resistance, and carved a knife across the glove's palm to demonstrate its parrying ability.

"But that's not all," she continued. "The glove also carries a hidden blade from your wrist and can fire bullets from your knuckles."

A combat knife unsheathed itself with the twist of Heard's wrist and fired a bullet at a target distanced behind her. Holding her arm out in front of herself to aim the glove like a pistol and pressed triggers built over her front palm.

"When did Chrysalis get their Q from 007?" Chloe thought.

"I was thinking they got their ideas from Assassin's Creed," said Alex.

"First of all, I've watched those movies religiously growing up," said Heard. "Dr. Hendricks is more so our Q than me. I'm just here in her absence. Second, never heard of the other thing."

"And David said it was okay for us to use things," said Chloe. "Sign me up!"

Chloe reached for the gloves but Heard swiped them away.

"Ah, ah, ah, ah! Those aren't toys Daddy's Girl," warned Heard. "You'll get these when we authorize them for you."

"Cool, ma'am," said Chloe respectfully.

"So, what do I get, ma'am?" Frank asked.

"The name's Frank, right?" Heard thought.

"Uh-huh."

"You will address me as Lieutenant Major or Heard from now on Jesse Pinkman. What you get is something I think you may have tried on before but better."

Heard walked on over to another contraption of hers covered in a sheet. She swiped the sheet off the reveal an armored suit bigger than Master Chief and bulkier than Doom Slayer.

"Behold, the Exo-Suit Mark 10," said Heard. "Built with bullet/heatproof titanium armored alloy. And can carry heavy weaponry from RPGs to LMGs. And heavy melee as well."

"Whoa! You – you built this just for me?!" Frank asked excitedly.

"Not for you, specifically, no. And no, you cannot put it on. My suit, my rules. But, I do have a demo to show you before you even think about putting it on."

"I'll give you credit Lieutenant Major. This was thoughtful of you and my babe to set this up for me."

"You've already given me the best gift of all today, Frank," said Rachel. "A dance and katanas. You deserve a gift in return."

Heard stepped inside the suit for a test. Once she was wearing it, her body was built like the Hulk. Then made a pose with the suit on like the vintage World War II poster of a muscular lady with a bandana.

"We do it!" Heard joked with a chuckle. "So, what makes this suit more unique than the Mark 8 or 9, which I'm you've worn, is that it comes equipped with its own vibrosword."

Heard unsheathed a big-ass sword behind her back the size and thickness of the one seen in Final Fantasy. It had a laser-like edge around the blade, a hilt, and made a whom sound when the blade was lit. Everyone in the room was stunned.

"Whoa! Fuck me!" Frank exclaimed happily. "Are we in the future now?!"

"The future of Chrysalis, Mr. Bowers. The future of Chrysalis. Oh, while wearing this suit, you can touch the blade with your own hands like a pencil sharpener."

Heard scrapped the blade with the suit's armored-gloved hands. With a loud scratch made by the laser sword.

"And this was all gift by the lioness of my life!" Frank chuckled. "This isn't a birthday gift. It's mother fucking Christmas gift biatch! Ha, ha, ha!"

"So…are you quartermaster now, Lieutenant Major?" Rachel asked. "You go from drill sergeant to this?"

"A quartermaster will be my retirement plan should I live this war through," replied Heard. "I'll have a lot of war stories to tell to all my happy customers with a 'no refund' policy included with my stock."

"So, what kind of Syfy gadget do I get in all this?" I asked. "After all, my life is the most imperative of this war."

As soon as Heard was done showing off the suit, she unequipped the vibrosword, disengaged the exo-armor, and walked back to the desk to demonstrate my hardware she'd be giving away to me. Under her authority. Or the admiral's per se.

"I was just saving the more imperative for last, Ms. Caulfield," answered Heard. "I'll show you what I've got for you in less than one second."

Heard returned to the desk and fetched a special contraption she had in store for the one and only traveler herself. She then laid down a glove of some kind made with the same material the other gadgets had and with Chrysalis tech to state the obvious.

"So, I hear this Ares nutcase of yours wears a giant glove called the Eternity Gauntlet to hold what you said in debriefing Eternity Shards," stated Heard. "Why not have a giant glove of your own to hold that shard you're wearing right now? I'm calling this one, the Exo-Gauntlet. Try it on for just a second. You can place that shard on one of those holes over your knuckles too."

I try it on with my right arm and it fits my hand perfectly. An Exo-Gauntlet, huh? Chrysalis has its own Q-Branch now.

"How did you make this?" I asked.

"Kara and I salvaged what we could last night after debrief," answered Heard. "Easy build that only took three hours of work. Hope my tools of the trade helps."

I remove the Time Shard off my necklace place it in one of the slots over my knuckles. As soon as the shard is inserted, it starts glowing again and lights up a green circular effect around my hand. I clench my gloved fingers watching how well the result works.

"A promising result as always," implied Heard. "I think you're fully prepared."

"Not fully prepared," said a voice entering the armory.

It was Chronos who walked in here with an escort from two bodyguards in flight suits and caps holding rifles.

"Chronos, they released you?" I asked.

"With Admiral Penske's authority," he replied. "I have something else you'll need in your fight against Ares. My grandson is a powerful opponent and you'll need more than Chrysalis tech to defeat him."

"I've seen that first hand."

Chronos unsheathed a long blade of his that was thinner than Frank's laser cutter and more ancient as well. Chronos held the blade like a platter. Left hand under the tip. Right hand under the hilt.

"Traveler Caulfield, I give you the Excalibur Sword," said Chronos. "It was King Arthur's weapon he had carried to battle during his Eternity War. Long before Ezra Prescott's. It is now yours wield under your mantle."

I take one long glance at the sword. I'm hesitant to even touch it. I've never wielded a sword before and why should I now? Even with a fight against Ares.

"I…I don't what to say," I admitted. "I can't take this. I don't know how to use a sword."

"The traveler does not train with Excalibur," said Chronos. "Excalibur trains with the traveler."

"What does that mean?"

"It means every traveler before you have been gifted with the worthiness of Excalibur despite the inability of proper combat. In time, you will know the true answer in the battle to come."

I hesitate a little longer. Just before I know for sure if I should take Excalibur or not.

"You should do what he says, Max," said Alex. "If you can take the Time Shard from him with his permission, why not this magical sword as well?"

Alex had a point. I've taken one MacGuffin from Chronos not yet lost to Ares on this trip already. I can do it again right now. I slip my fingers gently under the sword so I don't cut myself and make the decision to take it with imperative care. Just as I've done with the Time Shard.

"I still don't know," I said. "But if I need it to stop Ares, you have my word."

Chronos smiled after admitting my smartest choice I've made yet on the journey thus far. Whatever it takes to stop Ares and ConDef alike, this is the way.

Note: I know. I know. It's been months since I last posted anything at all. Truth is, I've been feeling a little less motivated in completing this story and have been trying to do other things with my life. I won't even list the things I've been doing otherwise and don't feel the need to say so. I will still try and commit to the completion of this story however I can. I swore to myself I would get this story complete one way or another and it's not too late to make good on that oath.

We're now in the year 2021 and aside from a capital riot in my country, we have slowly but surely begun to recover from a deadly pandemic with vaccines now out and about in just about every country and continent known to man. Which can still end the plague that ruined the wasted year 2020 was. Whatever it takes, make preparations for the worst and pray for the best. Which is the best advice I have to offer to make this year a better one for all.

Until next time, stay tuned, stay safe, and stay gold!