68 Personal Training
The Magic constellation missed a connection while Tybalt ran the rest of the Celestial Forge through Aura training. Compared to my own clumsy attempts at the unlocking ritual he took to the more precise and personalized method like a natural. It was a strong reminder of just how powerful Tybalt's divine authority was within his area of expertise. He could go from barely aware of the existence of a concept to being able to perfectly execute any application it had to the theater of combat. I had a similar experience with my own divine senses and abilities, but it was nowhere near the level that Tybalt seemed to be able to casually exude.
"This training is expertly conducted, though even with the references provided by the central control computer, I am unfamiliar with the objective of the exercise in question." The electronic voice of the Ion Titan had a feminine character, matching the A.I. that had been installed within it. Six meters of combat robot stood at my side watching Aisha, Garment, Fleet, Survey, Tetra, and the Matrix train.
"Tybalt is able to instinctually understand combat applications. It's an ability that extends to all military matters." I explained.
Standing next to the Titan was an interesting experience. I had gotten used to feeling out the biological reactions of people I interacted with through the Dragon's Pulse. In the rare cases where that wasn't possible, like with Fleet, Survey, or the Matrix, I had enough access to their core systems to get a sense of their intentions, but it was something that was intentionally open to me. I had been there through the steps of their development, so even if they hadn't been willing to share the processes of their thoughts, I would still have had a point of connection.
The Titan wasn't my technology, but it was technology. By my standards it was comparatively simple technology. I could feel out the code frameworks, computational methods, and quantum processes that formed the core of her intelligence. Through my own divine sense and technical prowess, I had full access to the mind and thoughts of another being. I could see the patterns of information form and be processed. It was like watching a working brain if you could read the thoughts and understand how they were formed.
On a certain level, the experience was jarring. I knew that the Titans were sapient. Maybe they were cognitively basic when 'out of the box', but they had the capacity to grow. I could see that growth, but I could also understand exactly how it was progressing. When Fleet and Survey had been developing, my skills were so rough that I was mostly focused on making sure things didn't somehow blow up in my face. There was so much frantic debugging that I didn't have much of a chance to look at how their minds were developing.
That wasn't the case with Ion. Even as she acquired information I could see how it was interpreted, what portions were retained and what was filed away, and how her code shifted with each new experience. I could see how she was developing; I could understand how she was developing, and, as much as I didn't want to admit it, I could control how she was developing.
The frantic deployment of Survey and Fleet from cobbled together equipment with near random upgrades and improvements had made their growth seem somehow organic. Not in the sense of a lifeform, but in the sense that it was more directed by environmental factors than my own intentions. I set the initial conditions, but they grew into their own people. With Ion, that could technically happen, but with me and my duplicates hyper aware of every stage of her growth it felt less like a natural process and more like a carefully cultivated bonsai tree.
Not that she had any issue with that idea. The fact that I was intimately aware of her 'thought processes' was more of a relief than anything else. Titans had extensive personality constructs to ease their interactions with pilots and crew. The personalities were well built, but tended to be paper thin, at least to start. If anything, there was a sense of relief that I could see under the mask, rather than any concern over being overly intrusive.
"Tybalt's skills represent a prodigious asset. It is fortunate that we have the use of his services." Ion responded.
"You'll hear no argument from me on that account." I replied, noting the way Ion was processing the conversation, mixed with her assessment of the training in question.
"The simulated combat environment is also very impressive." She continued. "Survey was able to provide a summation of the abilities contributing to its function, though those do not seem to fully account for the effects on display."
I nodded. "The main effect is driven by the holomatter environment, but the modification from quality improvements can be difficult to predict."
Holomatter was Cybertonian technology. Solid light constructs that had actual mass and substance. Hybridize that with Digistruct technology and you had a 'holodeck' that could practically rewrite reality.
Then you add something like Daedalus' Student and things can quickly go off the rails. Not just Daedalus' Student, but Daedalus' Student enhanced by Master Craftsman. Divine properties enhanced by divine craftsmanship. Combined it went beyond simulated matter. It was practically imposing a new reality on the room.
Which was useful since Tybalt was going all out with this training. Aura training wasn't easy or simple. It was about bringing out a true expression of self. Tearing down all filters between you and the world around you. Dropping all pretense and allowing the light of your soul to shine.
It was also arduous, but that was by intention. The training was designed to stress, to press people to their limit, to give no time to consider the 'proper' reaction, or the one they wanted the world to see. All that was left was how you would respond in your purest form, with your soul laid bare. Considering the people who were being stressed, it really said something about the strength of the effects the room was able to manifest.
Okay, Aisha was still within the realm of human response. She was in a one-star training outfit, so the integrated life fibers were boosting her to the level of an Olympic athlete. You know, assuming there was an athlete who could medal in every possible category in the Olympics. She moved through the shifting environment at Tybalt's direction like a gymnast who was also running the decathlon. It was decidedly impressive, but also the most grounded of all of the personalized training that had been assembled.
In Fleet's section of the hall he was moving nearly too fast to see. Without a divine space keeping up with him he would have blazed through any obstacles put in front of him in no time flat. Likewise, Survey was floating lightly through structures that shifted as quickly as she could assess them. The Matrix's form was constantly shifting to adapt to the challenges presented, barely stabilizing long enough to be recognizable as the mobile suit they had chosen for their base design. Tetra flowed between her distributed fiber form and zoanthrope shape while Garment held more resemblance to a tornado moving through a fashion show than her typical iconic elegance.
Despite the hectic nature of the training, no one actually seemed to be frustrated with it in the slightest. Part of that was my design skills leaking through. I had built the training room with the intent of facilitating effective development, and that meant avoiding boredom, tedious repetition, and mental fatigue. Taken to divine levels the brutal training was about as frustrating as a theme park ride.
Of course, that was excluding the line and any other little frustrations of getting on the ride itself. Take the ride in its purest form, and that's what you had. Aggressive training, dressed up as fun.
As the Magitech constellation missed a connection, I wondered if that had been somehow intentional, taking the way I had to compartmentalize downtime and flipping it for everyone else. Maybe, but not something that really mattered compared to the level of effectiveness that the room was bringing to the training.
The rest of the effectiveness was purely due to Tybalt. I hadn't even needed to explain the interface. Just informing him of what was available was enough for him to start outlining custom training programs for each member of the team. For me as well, though that would wait until after Aura training. Well, this session of Aura training. Even with my advancements, a process that was supposed to take months couldn't be compressed into less than an hour. Still, based on the assessments of the room's systems everyone should have this complete by tomorrow at the latest, and that was accounting for the rest periods Tybalt had built into the programs.
"The development of this capacity should prove a prominent asset in upcoming operations." Ion stated. There was a leading edge to the Titan's voice, one of the first attempts at subtle inflection I had seen from her. I mean, I knew she was drawing from the guidelines on interpersonal communication that Survey had drawn up based on the development of her own language skills, but the source wasn't as important as the fact that she had selected even a small avenue of development.
"In the eyes of our opponents, the majority of the team's abilities are unknown or unconfirmed at the moment. While estimates of our capacities will be generous, there is no reason to restrain ourselves to what can be predicted." I said, and could feel Ion's agreement with the outlook through the way she processed the statement. "Field operations will be limited until full details of the situation can be assessed, but our objective is to be ready to move with overwhelming force when the moment comes."
As if to emphasize my point, Fleet took that moment to resolve a particularly complicated obstacle by simply barreling directly through a massive block of emulated adamantium. "A sound strategy." Ion stated as she reviewed the active sensor feeds from the training room. Her analysis was extending back through Survey's records and assessments of earlier conflicts and future threats.
The amount of insight I could gain into her code felt slightly voyeuristic. Like a telepath who could not only read someone's mind but also the memories that contributed to those thoughts and anticipate ideas before they fully formed.
"You are considering your role in the operation?" It wasn't really a question, not when I could feel the tactical analysis that was being conducted within the Titan's core. Fortunately, between the military mindset and comparatively basic thought processes Ion didn't appear to find anything intrusive about my observations.
"My current armaments would not meaningfully contribute to potential tactical operations. The Matrix intelligence has provided a thorough and extensive series of proposed upgrades." In the training room gold metal flowed like water as it formed weapons, shield projectors, and thrusters for the Matrix. The nanobots that were their body, reassembling into the myriad of technologies that I had access to. "It was also made clear that the quality and effectiveness of any modifications would be secondary to those performed by you, commander."
I nodded. "A refit will be necessary, though I would prefer to wait for that."
"Due to the advancement rate of the resources of our operation?" Ion asked, her A.I. charting out the progression of technology and equipment over the past week.
I shook my head. "It doesn't have to be a final refit. We aren't waiting for any silver bullet. I want you to become acclimated with the team and organization before we make any decisions as to expanded combat capabilities."
"I assure you, while the proposed technology is more advanced than that which I was designed to interface with, my cognitive core is capable of moderating and overseeing the proposed systems." Ion replied.
"I know it is." I said confidently. "But the selection of those technologies will depend on the role you take." I considered how to convey this without getting into direct editing of A.I. code. "Protocol Two."
"Uphold the mission." Ion replied immediately.
Titan A.I.s weren't 'Three Laws' compliant, but they did have their own set of protocols that were maintained regardless of the level of cognitive development they underwent. 'Link to Pilot', 'Uphold the Mission', and 'Protect the Pilot'. Not the most philosophical of guidelines, but serviceable if you were dropping Titans directly from orbit into an active war zone.
"The mission isn't defined yet. Data is still being collected, and the battlefield is changing. Fleet and Survey can help you find a role within that mission as it evolves, and the nature of the mission will be impacted by what you bring to the table." I explained.
There was a second while the Titan's core chewed through a tremendous amount of analysis, and then Ion mimed a nod. "Understood, commander. I will endeavor to fulfill this task to the full extent of my ability."
"Excellent. The role of Titans within the Celestial Forge is still evolving. I trust you, and those who follow you, will perform exceptionally within that capacity."
"At your command." She replied.
As I watched Tybalt lead the Aura training I considered my own development. The exsphere and key crest on my chest was supposed to be a way around the pressing training needs. Divine craftsmanship and expanded capabilities of Daedalus' Student extended the reach of the crystal, capturing echoes of each of my duplicates upon their 'death', so to speak. It wasn't the aggressive compounding that came from an absorbed lifetime of experience, but it was a steady accumulation. A way for the training and development they underwent to not be totally lost at the end of their duration.
It had seemed like the only way that I would be able to stay ahead of the backlog of things I needed to familiarize myself with. For every skill that was immediately granted by the Forge, another one was left to my own development. I was responsible for my own training on things like alchemical transmutations, Aura and Dust control, pyrokinesis, advanced ninjutsu, archery, the Dark Slayer style, chi control, Valkyrur abilities, biotics, Spiral Energy, psionics, Mantra training, and the entirety of what could be done with the Cuh-Ray-Zee! power.
Even purely crafting-based abilities could need additional practice and development. The higher secrets of Deranged Alchemist required extensive research, and the limits of Infusionist and The Arcane Craft were based only on my own skill and understanding. Elemental Runes could emulate magic and parahuman weapons, though I had only managed Miss Militia's recall effect as of yet. I was at least capable of the higher levels of Elven Enchantment, but it was still a difficult and trying task. Also, while my Miniaturization and Efficiency parahuman power couldn't be considered weak by any metric, like any parahuman ability, it could grow with time and use.
Then there were the various styles of magic I had access to. Tiered magic, assorted magicka, wand magic, familiar magic, talisman magic, and even the full range of magecraft. Even with the assistance of my Duplicates experimenting and researching every chance they got, even with the compounding effect of the shadows of their souls resonating within my exsphere, I wouldn't have been able to scratch the surface of what I had available to me.
Wouldn't, until my last ability. Technician took the 'learning' component of any form of training and trivialized it to a ridiculous degree. Information, concepts, and principles could be absorbed instantly, with the power actively guiding that knowledge into practical experience. Incredibly, I was in a position where I didn't have to cut out ninety percent of my potential avenues of training just to have a chance of mastering one of them.
The training room and Tybalt would help with that. I felt a little bad about leaning on him for this, but he was more than happy to step up. He had the same enthusiasm for things within his divine abilities as I did for mine. His beyond perfect training may have been limited to combat applications, but those were the ones I was most concerned about. Utility abilities and improved craftsmanship were important, but a good deal of my abilities were predominantly combat oriented. Having a guide for that was invaluable.
I left Ion interfacing with Fleet, Survey, and the workshop systems as training was winding down. The artificial environments and structures of the area were peeling back and melting into the surrounding décor. Within seconds the chaotic mass of digistruct and holomatter had vanished, leaving the training hall unblemished. That unblemished status extended to the inhabitants, with the notable exception of Aisha.
The girl was panting by the snack table, alternating between bites of a protein bar and gulps of water. She seemed to resent the necessity of the water, eyeing the half-finished snack bar between gulps, then trying to eat the remainder in a single bite. If it was anything less than divine food she might have choked herself in the attempt.
"Good training?" I asked. She raised a stalling hand as she wolfed down another protein bar. Panting, she took another drink of water before responding.
"God damn superfood." She panted again, then seemed to notice that she was doing it more out of habit than necessity. "Wait, seriously?" She took a quick assessment of herself. "Fuck, that was like running a marathon, and now…" She trailed off, looking at the snack table again. "Um, is this like, healing potion food or whatever? Anything I should be worried about?"
"No magic." Well, elven enchantment, but at the first level that was just a quality boost. "But with some of my quality and enhancement powers it's better than what I could manage with my early potions." Daedalus' Student applied to something that was supposed to nourish and restore the body after exercise, then further enhanced by Master Craftsman's fey craft could get a little extreme. Even life fiber enhanced appetites were no match.
"Right." She let out a breath and stretched slightly. "That was intense. I mean, it was fun and all, but I didn't see that coming."
"Was it able to help? With your Aura?" The 'traditional' training method was new ground for me as well. Honestly, without Tybalt I probably would have just stuck with the ritual then worked through any issues with Aura use after the fact.
Aisha scrunched up her face. "Sort of?" She sighed. "I don't know. It's like trying to feel the Dragon's Pulse or chi or whatever. If you're dealing with something you've never felt before, how do you know if you've found it?"
"You'll know." I said with certainty. "Aura's not the kind of thing you can mistake for anything else." Even if I did happen to have a fairly robust selection of 'anything elses' to choose from.
Amongst the rest of the group Fleet, Survey, and the Matrix were networking to compare their experiences, which mostly served to prove that Aura unlocking was too personal an experience for networking to provide much benefit. Garment had pulled herself back from the tornado of clothing into her usual elegant self and was conversing with Tetra in her own unique manner. There was something about the personal expression aspect of Aura that resonated with Garment and she was eager to bring that out, both for herself and others. It was almost guaranteed to make its way into any plans for the upcoming Kamui work.
I glanced back to Aisha who now looked ready for another fifty training sessions. Spotting the half dozen wrappers on the snack table it occurred to me that I probably should have tested out the divine protein snacks before deploying them in the field. I mean, I knew they wouldn't be harmful, but they were still power beyond the reach of the physical universe.
Power which was bound into a chocolate-peanut-butter flavored snack bar. Probably not the most iconic form that the food of the gods could take.
The Resources and Durability constellation missed a connection as I turned towards Aisha. "Tybalt has some other training to help with chi and that kind of stuff." I explained. "Most if it is building focus, which helps in a lot of areas, but he can put together programs specific to certain forms of combat powers."
She looked over at him and smiled. "Benefits of being a kitty god of war." He met her eyes and meowed back. "Fine, kitty demigod of war." She corrected, earning a pleased meow before turning back to me. "It did feel like I was getting somewhere. Are you sure we can't just marathon this training?"
"Me? Definitely not sure, but I can barely handle unlocking Aura with the ritual. But I trust that Tybalt knows what he's doing, which means periods of downtime between training."
"Fine." Aisha said, kicking the ground. "But this place was really, really fun. Like a super holodeck." She blinked. "You can make one of those, right? I mean, a normal one, not with all this training stuff?"
I shook my head. "I can work out the principles of the technology, but I don't have the exact designs for how the systems are supposed to work. That's either in another power or was left out of the set for some reason."
"Right, Star Trek was split over like a dozen random powers or whatever?" She asked.
"Six so far. Physics, physical sciences, combat, stealth, medicine, and navigation. It didn't make sense at first, but I think it might be assigning different ship posts or something." I explained. "No idea what's left, but something from engineering isn't unreasonable. Until then I'm working from first principles with the tech. I have other powers that can kind of fill in the gaps, but it would give something like this. Different from a holodeck, but not necessarily worse."
Aisha nodded. "So, no transporters or phasers either?" She smiled. "Though you're not exactly short on teleporters or energy weapons."
"Yeah. It would still really help to get a sense for the technology instead of just the physics, but I have more than enough to work with right now." I said.
"Right, so we going back to class?" She asked with a glimmer in her eyes. "More tinker studies?"
I would bet there was a legion of teachers out there who would take Aisha Laborn seriously asking for more science lessons as a sign of the end times. Aisha had managed to stay focused on the technology and principles at work while carefully denying any implications that she might have geeky or nerdy interests. Given the level of computer science we had already covered, that was something of a lost cause.
"Later. Tybalt recommended changing subjects, and Fleet has been bugging me about something the entire training session." Even in the middle of the most aggressive instruction by Tybalt, Fleet hadn't let up in the slightest. I honestly don't know if it was a credit to multitasking or single-mindedness. "How would you like to get your driver's license?"
Really, Fleet wanted everyone to get licensed on everything possible. The licenses were backed by my power to be accepted as long as the person completed the required examinations, regardless of any other characteristics. Aisha might have jumped at the chance to legally drive more than two years earlier than she would have been able to, but the other certifications would be a more difficult sell. She was more than happy with a class D and motorcycle license, but pushing for the additional testing necessary for tanker trucks, aircraft, and marine vessels was a bit of a reach.
Fortunately, the simulator could accommodate twelve people at the same time. Well, twelve different vehicles at the same time, supporting twenty positions for each vehicle in the case of large crews. That meant it turned into another group project, much to Fleet's delight, and opened with a quick jaunt into the computer core to cover every detail necessary for the written and road tests the simulator would be providing. Aisha was so excited that she barely swore from the dissonance experienced from disconnecting from the system.
The simulator itself was attached near the Garage, hangars, and vehicle workshops. The space was impressively large, with precise controls and individual simulators able to reformat themselves to emulate various vehicles and operating conditions. It was actually a lot like the training hall I had built with my duplicates, though without the supernatural focus on ease of learning and with everything facilitated by the fiat backing that suffused my workshop, rather than the technologies and powers that supported the training room.
Still, we weren't there to learn. Well, not at the moment. We were there to get driver's licenses that were somehow supernaturally accepted in the outside world. Someone might wonder how a mass of nanobots, a life fiber organism, an animated pair of gloves, or a thirteen-year-old had managed to obtain licenses from the state of New Hampshire, but that was all that would come of it. Wondering, without any action against them.
It wasn't a master effect. People might not question their right to drive a car, but the other aspects of their appearance would still be noted. Really, the whole endeavor was more of a fun diversion and concession to Fleet than something that would generate tangible benefits. I mean, I would finally graduate from my motorcycle learners permit, and only with my motorcycle now rebuilt into a battle carrier inside the realm of passengers.
My written and practical tests didn't require anything close to my full attention, so I let my awareness spread through the Workshop systems, over to the quantum entanglement communicator linking us to the carrier. The project had shifted from expansion to refinement thanks to the technology from Miniaturization and Efficiency and Nano-technician. The Matrix was limited in their ability to project their divine craftsmanship through the link to the Tier 5 nanobots constructed from the motoroid's omni-tool, but had been able to leverage the tinker database and expanded nanotech understanding to its full extent.
The series of upgrades had stalled a full deployment through passenger space, but had presented an opportunity for Survey. Before she had run headlong into the issue of her program architecture being too complex to operate on anything less than multidimensional processors. The refinements that Fleet had provided to resolve the conflicts between Survey and… well, the other Survey, but in the computer core rather than her humanoid body, had opened the possibility for a stable compression of her program to a level that could actually be run on the older hardware. With the compression possible through Miniaturization and Efficiency the remote version of Survey was actually able to be conveyed through the limited bandwidth of the QEC link.
Eventually. Really, it was more of a testament to how far my computer resources had advanced and Survey's willingness to take advantage of system upgrades. As it stood, the transfer of the 'compressed' version of Survey's code had begun the previous evening, shortly after Aisha had left for the night. It was currently almost sixty percent complete, something Survey was somewhat sensitive about. Something of an unspoken agreement had sprung up between the workshop residents not to mention it or anything involving the carrier until the transfer had concluded.
Shifting to other matters, and ones that Survey was considerably more excited about, I directed my attention to the wealth of analysis that she had been able to provide. There was still a bit of frustration given the limited sources of information she'd been able to pursue. There were plans to expand her data acquisition sources, including psionic monitoring, scrying magic, and even the deployment of stealth drones. Unfortunately, none of those were exactly compatible with the home privacy curtain that protected the workshop, so they were delayed until a greater presence outside the workshop was possible. Considering the concealment technology and magic I was capable of deploying, that was much less of a frightening idea that it would have been a week ago.
While limited by the privacy screen, Survey was confined to 'conventional' sources of information. Of course, being Survey, she was pursuing all the conventional sources she could access. Basically, anything that was posted, published, or broadcast was pulled for aggressive analysis. Hacking, cyberwarfare, or use of her divine ability to access other systems could compromise the n-dimensional privacy curtain, but something like maintaining approximately eleven hundred separate online identities to gain access to otherwise restricted email lists, social media groups, and discussion forums was perfectly fine. After all, it was just normal web surfing.
Well, normal by the standards of a strong artificial intelligence, anyway.
There were bits and pieces of new analysis to sift through as I followed the testing instructions on my motorcycle simulator. The Empire's withdrawal from the border territory had been noted, but wasn't the kind of thing to pick up much traction in the media. Speculation was a lot stronger on PHO and similar sites, mostly from people who knew what the removal of gang graffiti meant. For more general reporters it was a minor point of interest used to dress up other stories.
There were a lot of other stories. Survey wasn't holding back on her analysis and I could basically dive down into any level of detail I cared to. Things in the city were comparatively quiet, but after the surprise arrival of the Teeth, Survey wasn't taking any chances. There were full historic breakdowns of power structures and threat potential from every possible source in the country. Sightings and behaviors of minor gangs in distant cities were contrasted against historical models and weighed against contributing factors of hero activity and trends in crime rates. The online posts of every known parahuman were assessed and contrasted to their list of appearances and psychological profiles.
Survey was essentially cyberstalking the entire parahuman community. I was fairly certain she had pieced together the civilian identities of most of the people she was monitoring and only kept the information concealed due to my policies regarding the unwritten rules. It was a level of assessment that would have been concerning from an external perspective, but I understood the nature of her code and the capabilities of her systems. If anything, this was a holding action on her part until expanded sensors and detection powers could give her some real information to work with.
That wasn't to say the information she was currently processing wasn't helpful. The nuance of the assessments could get extremely granular, but viewed at a high level it formed a kind of geographic trend, like a heat map. Spikes in New York, California, Florida, and notable uptick building in Ohio that edged into western Pennsylvania. I could drill down into the specific incidents that triggered the concern, but it was better to leave this to Survey until the data consolidated into something actionable.
It was the wider net of online personas that allowed Survey to pick up on the upcoming announcement in a technically legitimate way. Really, she could have shredded any conventional computer security or just bypassed it entirely with her divine awareness. Those remained options, and she would probably confirm things once she was outside the security curtain, but from the behavior of the staff of news agencies, the online presence of known PRT employees, and certain private firms that had been contacted she knew a major announcement was coming. From her membership in several journalist mailing lists, she knew exactly what it was.
The PRT was preparing a press release on the Celestial Forge. The actual release hadn't happened yet, but there had been enough of a tip off to allow major networks to prepare for the story, rather than either engaging in a mad dash to get something out there, or sitting paralyzed on top of a mountain of information.
You know, the way they had done when my duplicates had leaked the full details of the ABB's criminal enterprises. Back when we had foolishly underestimated the amount of coaching the press requires and the closeness of the relationship between major media companies and government agencies.
The Forge missed a connection to the Knowledge constellation as I reviewed what Survey had been able to glean from leaks, tips, and outright insider information. It wasn't clear exactly how the PRT would be framing things, but they were going to confirm the presence of Apeiron's team. From the sound of things, at least a smattering of details were going to be included, names and the broad strokes of suspected abilities. Apparently someone reasonably credible had spoken to either the press or the Protectorate. 'Reasonably Credible' pretty much narrowed things down to Uppercrust. Given his obvious interest in healing technology I didn't anticipate any negative spin from his end, but there was no telling how either the Protectorate or PRT would try to frame things.
My guess, reinforced by Survey's assessment, was that they wouldn't try to push their luck. This wasn't being handled at the local level, meaning any politics from my bad relationship with Director Piggot would probably be left out of things. The rumors of the release suggested a significant update on the situation in Brockton, which I was guessing meant admitting how many gangs the city was currently hosting. It was doubtful the national Protectorate would try to spin the situation specifically against me when they had that much volatility brewing.
There was also the fact that such spin would only hold as long as I sat back and let them control the narrative. I was inclined to avoid attracting more attention than necessary until it was safe to move against Coil, and that matched the popular models of my behavior, but they couldn't be certain that would apply to the rest of my team. It wouldn't take much to turn a bad assessment around and make the local PRT look incompetent.
Or maybe that should be incompetenter?
I was able to skim through the data while half focusing on my motorcycle exam. The examination wasn't particularly challenging, though it was interesting how the integrity of the tests had to be maintained for the license to actually be issued. If I even used my implant to access external records during the written portion the event was flagged and the test was disqualified. It seemed the room might be able to give magic licenses, but you actually had to earn the license in question.
That was going to be something of a problem for Garment, and one I was able to see for myself after completing my own test. It wasn't the concepts she was having difficulty with, or the operation of a vehicle. It was the written portion.
Fortunately, the test was computer based, meaning it wasn't reliant on her penmanship skills, or lack thereof. Garment might be able to draw out a sketch of a beautiful outfit in the blink of an eye, but ask her to write a short note and you'd get something that could only be interpreted by pharmacists or spies.
She processed things with the typing speed that was characteristic of her, meaning arduously slow searches for each letter. Fortunately, most of the test was multiple choice, but even then it was moving at a snail's pace, taking forever to reach the driving portion of the test.
That was actually fun to watch. Garment, for the first time, had to add a pair of sunglasses, giving a sense of her head location and the direction of her vision. That was the real reason, since the test required checking mirrors and looking in specific directions. I wasn't sure Garment needed to actually 'look' at anything, but for the purposes of a New Hampshire automotive test being conducted by an automated extradimensional vehicle simulator on a spiritually animated pair of gloves it seemed 'sunglasses pointed in the correct direction' was close enough.
It was actually rather convenient, at least for anyone who didn't have a power granted fashion sense translating everything. I'm sure plenty of people would have appreciated it. Unfortunately, I was also sure that Garment would rather resort to communicating through woven tapestries than pair glasses with an inappropriate outfit. She was very much of the stance that efficient communication skills were a distant second to fashionability.
By the time Garment made it through her written and practical tests everyone else was done with their individual exams. Aisha was holding a very professional driver's license with a photo and serial number that Survey had confirmed was present in the state's database. The fact that she was too young to carry a license wasn't being flagged on any level, providing some insight to exactly what the effect was capable of.
She was positively bubbling with excitement. It was at a level where I was a little concerned she was going to run out and immediately take to the road. I moved over to her as Garment proudly examined her own license, including its mostly empty 'headshot'.
"So, driver's license? I guess that's a big thing, huh?" I asked.
"What?" She said, then glanced down at her license. "Oh, yeah, sure, it's great. But didn't Fleet tell you?"
"I elected to delay the announcement until the conclusion of Garment's driving tests." Fleet stated. "While it is a significant discovery, it should not detract from Garment's ability to legally operate a vehicle within the outside world."
Aisha huffed. "It's not just significant, it's huge. How can this not detract?"
I gave the two of them a flat look. "Are you going to explain this or am I going to need to go hunting through the workshop records?" The fact that I wasn't already aware of whatever they were pulling meant this was some kind of an intentional reveal, one they would have needed to rope Survey and the duplicates into.
Okay, it wouldn't have taken much to rope the duplicates into something like this.
Tetra scampered out of the group and bounded onto my back. Peering over my shoulder, she showed off her own license, one showing her zoanthrope form baring its red fangs in a burning smile. "It's a good surprise." She assured me. "Fleet found out while you were watching Garment's test."
"Fine." I said. "What is it?"
A wide grin spread across Aisha's face. "Vimana." She said proudly.
I blinked. "Uh, I'm going to need a bit more than that."
And Survey was more than prepared to supply all the more I could need. Information on the Throne of the Heaven-soaring King flooded into my mind, including technical specifications, control methods, combat performance reports, and video records.
Animated video records.
I blinked as I tried to parse what was happening. "What the hell?"
Fleet gestured at the space around us, the open common area leading to the Pilot Simulator's twelve simulation chambers. "The facility known as the Pilot Simulator is capable of replicating the experience of operating any vehicle in existence. On examination of the limits of this capacity, it became clear that it is not restricted to only vehicles that exist within this reality."
I gave Fleet a shocked look. "You mean, what, the other worlds my powers come from?"
He gave me a direct answer. "Initial trials were conducted with vehicles granted by previous abilities. Despite presumably not being native to this reality, there was no difficulty in emulating their function. Through experimentation it was possible to cause the simulator to replicate the operational parameters of vehicles whose existence was confirmed from the context of the abilities in question, but which we lacked a direct example. Through progressive examination it was found to be possible to emulate vehicles from the source media representative of the universes of said abilities. For powers without contextual media, it was possible to classify details of a vehicle type, with the simulator emulating the nearest approximation."
"But if there's something specific, you can just ask for it." Aisha said. "You know, like the Hanging Gardens, or Vimana."
"The simulator can emulate Vimana?" I asked. "That magic golden spaceship from Web of Magic?"
"A simulation of Vimana is currently in operation on simulator seven." Fleet said, gesturing towards the respective door. Under the watchful gaze of the rest of my team, all of which save Garment had carefully set this up, I opened up the door to the simulator and stepped out onto the golden hull of a magical Indian spacecraft.
Emerald wings fanned out around an angular frame. In the center of the craft stood an imposing golden throne draped in red cloth. The craft stood suspended in the middle of the simulator with a night sky and city scape projected around and beneath it. I walked up and put a hand on the throne, feeling the complex command magic that directed the craft.
The cloth draping began to rise as Garment filed in behind me and immediately moved to examine the luxurious fabric. The rest of the group followed, watching me carefully. I could only shake my head.
"This is nuts." It was all I could say. Previously there had been the tenuous suggestion that my powers were linked to something like what was seen in cartoons, books, or movies. This was hard proof. A direct record from another world I couldn't remember. At least, not beyond the context of the skills it granted me.
"Can you make something like this?" Aisha asked. "I mean, you can figure out technology, right? So, with all this," she gestured around her, "It's got to help with that, right."
"No." I said as I extended my senses into the simulation. "It's not real. Not completely real. There's just enough here to learn how to operate it, and what it's capable of." It was like looking at an empty shell. Any deeper components were only there when I reached for them, when they were necessary to direct the ship. The instant after that, they faded from existence. "I'm not going to be able to pull plans or technology from this."
"That may not be possible, but the simulation will provide performance information, operational parameters, and control methodologies. Fleet has already extensively tested the limits of various simulations. The data this could provide would be able to serve as a zero condition for further design work." Survey commented. I nodded in agreement.
"It's not the whole picture, but it can show what's possible. With the technological backing, and the context of the simulation, it might be possible to recreate some of the vehicles in question." I said.
Fleet looked the happiest I'd ever seen him since being granted his own body. His exuberance was only matched by Aisha's own barely restrained cheer.
"So, you can do it?" She asked. "You can make your own Vimana?"
"No." I said. "I can figure out what Vimana can do, how it operates, and then I can build something along the same lines. It will be better in some areas and worse in others." I explained. Seeing Aisha's face, I bit back a sigh and continued. "But yes, I can make Web of Magic spaceships."
Her smile instantly returned as Fleet started pulling up records of successfully emulated vehicles and those that had yet to be tried. "There is considerable potential for additional spacecraft, as well as bipedal robotics, watercraft, land vehicles, and a variety of multiform craft."
I grinned at him. "I trust you and Survey can manage this for me?"
"A comprehensive list of proposed simulations is being constructed. Upon verification, the duplicates have volunteered to test the limits of the craft in question." Wow, they were willing to joyride spaceships to their breaking point in a completely realistic simulation environment? I mean, the things they were willing to put up with for my sake. "Though that will need to be partially delayed until we return from Garment's meeting with Parian."
Fleet and Survey had aligned themselves with Garment who was looking very excited about the upcoming meeting. "What, all three of you?" I asked.
"In my civilian identity of Delphine Mertens, I have hired the services of Fleet's civilian identity of Jake Clark to serve as Garment's chauffeur, in accordance with his professional qualifications. The car was fabricated by the Matrix, with the electronic registry handled by the previous set of duplicates."
"It is a white 1978 Lincoln Continental Town Car. The interior components have been constructed to have the appearance of well cared for age, in accordance with Fleet's specifications. While a number of conventional electronic upgrades are present, the majority of the components were constructed factory standard on a level where a complete molecular analysis of the vehicle would find no evidence of erroneous technology. That said, the balance of carbon fourteen within the wood, leather, and other organic components of the car is not entirely consistent with the period of its implied manufactur. That said, it is unlikely for precision radiocarbon dating to be conducted on the vehicle during the course of normal operation or maintenance inspections." The Matrix explained, while also transferring a full breakdown of Fleet's new car and the constructions they used to assemble it, nearly molecule by molecule.
"That's great." I said sincerely. "I'm glad that you were able to put all this together on your own." I looked across the three of them. "I know this is your first time out in the city in your civilian identities, but I know you'll be fine." I said encouragingly.
Garment indicated her appreciation for my confidence in them and her excitement for the upcoming meeting. Unfortunately, I wasn't paying attention because the Forge decided to connect to a large mote from the Capstone constellation.
The motes within the capstone constellation were slightly smaller than the largest that could be found in the rest of the Forge. Generally, they capped out at around the size of Elven Enchantment or the Crucible of Eight Trigrams rather than Master Craftsman or Infusionist. That didn't mean they were weak, not by any means, as could be seen from the connection now playing out before me.
It was called Touched by the Protoculture. As seemed to be the case with motes from the Capstone constellation, it was connected to powers I had received before. In this case it was linked to Bling of War, Fingers of Silver, Savvy Sultan, Ambrosial Artificer, Tool Kit, Serene Sinatra, Basic Training, Space Suit, and of course Basic Variable Fighter. All powers that had appeared to be tied to an old Japanese cartoon called Macross. Had appeared, because the latest power left no doubt.
I had reviewed the basics of the show in question, largely thanks to Survey summarizing everything she could find about my powers. In that context, the 'Protoculture' was the source of the Overtechnology that provided the insane half of the Variable Fighter's systems. From that context it was just a plot device or McGuffin. A way to have advanced technology fall into human hands so that the story could happen. In reading the summary I had never seen them as anything more than a narrative element.
As was something of a theme with my power, seeing things from the inside was a very different experience than reading about them in a report. I was touched by the Protoculture. An ancient race who mastered the fabric of space itself, who warred with beings from beyond the material universe. Able to seed life and control the development of entire worlds. Ancient aliens who caused civilizations to rise at their whims. A powerful race, lost to time, save the legacy of their lingering actions.
A legacy like me. The Protoculture had seeded Earth, or a version of Earth. In some universe they directed the development of the human race from prehistoric times in a chain of manipulation that led straight to me. Once again, I had to wonder if a power decided to shove some extra information into my genome, or if it just woke up something that was supposedly always there. Or if it had always been there, but hadn't always been there five minutes ago.
Regardless, the strength of that connection was undeniable. It was a different way of seeing the world, of understanding the paths of civilizations. Culture was a weapon, as instrumental in the success of a conflict as any weapon or technology. Cultures, the environments they cultivated, the consequences when they clashed, were instrumental in the ability of a species to function, to thrive. I could see that now. I could understand a species' culture and the paths they could take for evolution. The potential laying in everything and how growth might be encouraged or directed.
And I could understand space. Truly understand it, in a way I had never imagined. The mysteries of the structure of Fold Carbon were laid bare to me as the most basic concepts imaginable. Extradimensional pair annihilation and energy conversion armor were literal child's play. I could intuitively grasp the principles of Space fold technology. Super-dimensional energy and heavy quantum. The science needed for communication through Fold Waves or the creation of micro-wormholes. True wormholes, not the inaccurate and unreliable space-fold drives with their scattershot approach, crippling energy demands, and punishing time dilation.
With just this sense of the principles in play I would have been able to construct faster than light communicators, blindingly fast star drives, defensive shields that shunted attacking energy into super dimensional space, and energy weapons of devastating scale and range. With the support of my other powers, I could construct the technology faster and cheaper, with a smaller profile and both magical and divine enhancements. It would have opened up a new area of technology to exploit and integrate into my works. But none of that mattered anymore, because last night I had gotten Unnatural Skill with music.
Fold waves moved through super-dimensional space with a resonance that was both unique and beautiful. Without a connection to the Protoculture you couldn't detect it, but without a talent for music you couldn't utilize it. I had found it a bit strange that a power centered on transforming spacecraft had come bundled with something like Serene Sinatra. What did singing skills have to do with space combat?
As it turns out, they had everything to do with it, at least if you had the awareness to feel the fabric of the universe and understand how it resonated with the nature of creation. My Unnatural Skill with music had been useful in detecting resonance and vibration-based effects in technology, understanding repeating patterns, and in forms of magic and enchantment reliant on song. This was something else. It was using music to control reality, to manipulate the fabric of higher dimensions, to reach the very lifeforce permeating reality.
Understanding the music behind the power opened new windows of possibility. Direct manipulation of super-dimensional space. Formation of more advanced allotropes of Fold Carbon, or even Fold Quartz. Crystalized manifestations of super-dimensional structures that could be used as a conduit for Fold Waves. Songs transferred into energy, and with the right equipment, that energy would be at my command.
Who would have thought that music would be the key to universal power? Well, apparently anyone familiar with Macross, as Survey was happy to point out, along with a suggestion that I take advantage of the computer core's acceleration to review media sources and notations available for the proposed sources of my abilities. I had the sense I wouldn't be able to brush that off for much longer.
"You got a magic space warp music power?" Aisha asked, reviewing Survey's notes on the event.
I smiled. "A little more complicated than that." I linked up with the duplicates, who were already tearing into our reserves of Fold Carbon and working out transmutation formulas for the projection or production of Fold Quartz. "The duplicates have the groundwork managed, so we can get back to training." I turned to Fleet, Survey, and Garment. "The workshop will be open in case you run into any trouble. If anything happens we can be there right away."
That could be a frighteningly accurate statement, depending on how the wormhole tech developed.
"Thank you, but I believe we are adequately prepared for the upcoming meeting. I will provide updates as details are confirmed, and we will be available for additional Aura training upon our return." If I didn't know better I'd say Survey was looking forward to it.
Garment was less reserved in her reactions as she expressed how much she appreciated Tybalt's efforts. The fact that that expression involved rubbing his furry cheeks didn't seem to bother him in the slightest.
There was a bit of shuffling of the Workshop entryway to get Fleet's car out through the Garage exit. I found a suitably isolated area, thoroughly scanned to ensure no one was watching. Opening the garage door allowed the gleaming white car to slide smoothly out into the alley. Fleet was behind the wheel, dressed in a sharp outfit, though still civilian wear rather than any dedicated uniform. Hired car, rather than personal servant. Survey and Garment were in the back, with Survey in Garment's best attempt at office wear. Meaning it was stunning even without the superhuman beauty that characterized her cape form. For Garment, she had decided to go with a more elaborate gown than her usual offerings, though of a more streamlined style than what Parian favored. Probably some calculated measure to not infringe on another designer's territory.
After a final run of checks I bid them farewell. Two A.I.s in humanoid bodies and a spirit of fashion going to meet with a parahuman rogue. Meanwhile I had new technology to explore, abilities to train, a Kamui conversion to plan, and tinker tech to teach.
And a sister to call, but that would have to wait until the evening. Alena was still working her normal schedule, the disasters of Brockton Bay not having a meaningful impact on Chicago office hours. Since there was no way I wanted to call her at her job that meant putting off the dreaded call until the evening. Fortunately, Survey would be able to let me know the second Alena got off work in a level of obsessive observation that was only slightly creepy.
Hopefully by then I'd have some word from the Undersiders and at least a rough idea of what their plan was going forward. Assuming they called. Assuming Tattletale had a plan after the disruptions I'd thrown her way at the summit. Assuming the city could keep itself together long enough for any such plan to have a hope of success.
Yeah, banking on the teenage thinker wasn't the smartest bet. I was willing to play along, but I wasn't going to stop building up. One way or another, the moment it was 'go time' the Celestial Forge would be ready to bring the hammer down.
And that hammer was now backed by super-dimensional energy.
Jumpchain abilities this chapter:
Touched by the Protoculture (Macross) 500:
The Protoculture were a powerful group, having been the creators of the Zentraedi, and having fought off the Protodeviln in their time. They could terraform entire worlds, traverse the galaxy in seconds, and were the first advanced humanoid civilization to exist... and now in some way, you carry their legacy. Along with the ability to understand a species' culture and the paths they could take for evolution, you now have an understanding of 'Space Fold' technology, which allows faster-than-light communication and the generation of micro-wormholes to traverse space in a much faster method.