Friday, March 11th…

The second time Taylor watched Coil and his men approach the Manufactorum was far less anxiety-inducing for the teenage cyborg than the first. After all, she and Coil were now in a business partnership, and she didn't need her enhanced intelligence to know the chances of him betraying her during this very meeting were slim to none.

But even a domesticated venomous snake was still a venomous snake. And Taylor quite readily believed in the maxim that one cannot be too paranoid. Once again, Taylor stood in the middle of her Manufactorum with her Skitarii of Kill Team Ryza flanking her. And in two nondescript locations outside of the Manufactorm, namely a nearby dumpster and a rusted shell of a car, were two lascannon armed Tarantula sentry turrets.

This time however instead of Enginseer, Taylor had Tempestus with his fully kitted out carapace armor and powerful hotshot las gun, stand as bodyguard. Besides the fact that Enginseer was still setting up the second facility, with what Tempetus was armed with, his ever growing set of combat skills, and his own powers, he was in fact the strongest combatant Taylor had in her organization.

And more importantly, right now she was having Tempestus focus his powers on reading body motions and facial expressions. Taylor had yet to create any kind of lie detector yet, so having him here and discreetly communicating through his comm set was the best they could do right now to determine if Coil was lying.

Same as last time, Coil and his entourage drove several black SUVs straight up to the Manufactorum and dismounted their vehicles. And again same as last time, a white van followed the SUVs as well.

From the SUVs, Taylor watched as Coil exit, followed by a squad of his mercenaries. She noted that while they carried her arc rifles, they were clad in black tactical clothing, and not the carapace armor she sold them. Were the armor sets damaged in their operations? Or perhaps were they attempting to appear less hostile by wearing far less durable conventional armor?

Taylor's musings were cut off as Coil spoke.

"Greetings Tech-Priest," he said with an almost jovial tone. "How have you been?"

Taylor raised an eyebrow a fraction of an inch. She then glanced at Tempestus. To his credit, he didn't outwardly react to her. Instead he spoke to his helmet's commlink, with the external vocalizers turned off so no one else could hear him.

"Best I can tell, he seems genuinely happy to see you," Tempestus reported. "Almost too happy."

"Something that we should be suspicious of?" Taylor responded back into her secure commlink within her own mask.

"Can't tell. This is my first time seeing Coil in person, so I need a bit to establish a baseline."

Taylor wanted to grunt in annoyance, but her emotional dampeners kept her response under check. Instead she said, "Coil. I have been doing rather well, all things considered. I have been putting the funds from your last purchase to good use, and we have begun many new projects here at the Manufactorum."

A smile appeared behind the fully solid black face mask of Coil. "That is good to hear. And we have been putting the technology purchased from you to good use as well, as you're well aware."

Nodding, Taylor said, "Indeed. The newspaper was a good touch. Happy coincidence that they placed the blame on a potential electrokinetic, or do you have people within the Gazette?"

Coil maintained the smile on his face as he waved off Taylor's question. "No, maintaining people within such an outdated mode of media is not worth the time nor money. Not especially when the same goal can be achieved with anonymous tips and calls."

When Tempestus didn't comment, Taylor took that as either Coil was telling the truth, or he needed more time to build a baseline still.

"Of course, efficiency should be a priority of any organization." Taylor continued, trying to sound as amiable as she could. "Speaking of, the arc rifles of your men could use some tuning up. If you would like, I can have my Skitarii perform the necessary maintenance rites on them while we speak."

Coil paused for a moment, likely considering his options, before he nodded and said, "Of course, Tech-Priest. While they work we can get to the meat of our discussion today."

As Coil's mercenaries began to hand their weapons over to the Skitarii, Tempestus' voice came in over the commlink again.

"He is far too confident. That doubt and hesitation looked fake. He's not afraid that we are completely disarming his men."

It wasn't hard for Taylor to draw up the obvious conclusions. "Either he is a fool who trusts us implicitly already," which Taylor knew wouldn't be the case. "Or he has a contingency should we be the ones to betray him first."

"My thoughts exactly boss," Tempestus grunted, watching with feigned casual disinterest as the Skitarii took the arc rifles to nearby workbenches and began maintenance.

"Yes, let us," Taylor said, now speaking publicly again. She moved to a small table and two chairs she had placed in the Manufactorum floor and sat on the chair at her side. "You seem to be rather satisfied with your previous purchase. I assume you wish to make another?"

Coil moved to sit as well, crossing his legs as he steepled his fingers. "That is a wise assumption, Tech-Priest. I wish to purchase another set of a dozen carapace armors and matching arc rifles to outfit another squad. And I would like this order completed as soon as possible as well."

Taylor's emotional dampeners suppressed a grimace. That was a rather large order to be made when so much of her resources were already going towards constructing the first Chimera and the Manufactorum's expansion, as well as the multiple other projects she and Artisan were working on.

"I can complete this order," Taylor said slowly. "But it will require some time to gather the necessary materials. As for price, the total cost of the equipment and labor will be $900,000. As for a rush order, add on another $100,000, for a grand total of 1 million dollars."

Coil slowly nodded his head. "$500,000," he said, not asked.

Taylor raised a brow at him again, this time making a show of her incredulity. "I assume you brought another gift in order to convince me to give you a discount."

"Gifts," Coil corrected with a low chuckle. Coil then turned to the nearby SUV and called out, "Chariot, if you would be so kind?"

The rear doors furthest SUV opened, and out came an obvious Tinker. He stood straight, chest puffed out, wearing a suit of black power armor that Taylor immediately began analyzing. There wasn't anything particularly advanced about the armor's function as an exoskeleton that Taylor found interesting. It didn't look like it would give the same level of protection or strength enhancement that Armsmaster's or her own armor would be able to provide. If anything, it looked like any strength boost from the armor would be minimal at best. It looked instead to have a focus on mobility.

The armor plating itself especially reinforced that hypothesis. Not because of any specialized alloys, but because it was extraordinarily sleek, no doubt designed with aerodynamics in mind. Combined with the fact there was a rather large jet pack on his back, as well as several wheels built into his boots like roller skates further reinforced that idea that his speciality was a focus on speed and mobility.

"Definitely a kid," Tempestus' voice cut Taylor out of her analysis of Chariot. "He's putting on airs, trying to be confident, but seems pretty uncomfortable right now."

Taylor didn't outwardly respond to Tempestus, but filed that information away as she watched Chariot approach her and Coil.

"This is Chariot, a Tinker under my employ who I believe would flourish far better within your organization," Coil introduced the Tinker with a smooth casualness that belied just how valuable a gift he was giving her.

"A Tinker…" Taylor slowly said. "If you had a Tinker within your employ, why do you require my aid?"

Still smiling, Coil leaned forward towards Taylor. "Come now, Tech-Priest, you are an extraordinarily intelligent young woman. You should understand that while a single Tinker is valuable, there is only so much that one Tinker who isn't you can do." He then turned to Chariot. "Chariot, please, inform Tech-Priest here of your powers."

When Chariot spoke, he cleared his throat and tried to speak in an obviously fake, deeper timbre. "My speciality is both movement and transportation based technology. My jetpack here can take flight and get me moving well over 100 miles per hour in the air, or on the ground."

"And how many of my mercenaries can you arm with such equipment?" Coil immediately followed up.

Chariot flinched as he glanced at Coil, no doubt surprised and hurt at the obvious trap of a question.

"Uh… just myself, and maybe one or two of your mercenaries. If I just solely focused on making and maintaining tech for them, maybe a team of five or six?" Chariot's brave silhouette caved in on itself, revealing the lack of confidence underneath.

Coil turned back to Taylor as he leaned forward, his gaze intently focused on her. "And therein lies the problem, as I am sure you figured out. If you did not exist, I would keep Chariot within my organization for myself. A talented Tinker who could perform many acts upon my behalf. But with you, and your ability to mass produce Tinkertech? Tech-Priest I am not looking just for Capes to command, but for long-term investments and allies. And I believe you and your Cult of the Machine are a very, very worthwhile investment, and I wish to see you grow as much as I can."

Despite herself, Taylor couldn't help but feel herself swayed by Coil's words. In a city where all she found were blocks and fools who would reject, it felt… nice, to have someone outside of her organization so openly support her.

Once again, Tempestus' voice cut into her mind. "I don't see any deception in him, but it's hard to tell with his suit. But what I can see is that this guy is confident, arrogant even. It's like he's completely and totally sure that you'll accept what he's giving you."

Taylor frowned behind her mask, because Tempestus was right. She was completely and totally going to accept what Coil was giving to her. The chance to add another Tinker to her retinue was something she craved for. And his specialization was something that she completely lacked, and that the likes of Artisan only scratched up on with his technology. She wondered how well his designs would work with Enginseer's as well. Could they collaborate and design aircraft or even spacecraft that she could use?

Mentally sighing, Taylor wondered if she was just this easy to read and predict, or if Coil had some way to gain insight into her needs and desires. She still had no idea what his power was, or how many Parahumans he had under his command, a rather extreme disadvantage in her view.

Regardless, an opportunity was in front of her right here, right now, and she would be remiss to not take it. "This is a great gift Coil. I will admit, it is refreshing to speak with one who will go so far to establish friendship and good relations between our two organizations. Thank you." Taylor bowed her head.

"No, thank you for the equipment you will provide. And I look forward to what you and Chariot will create in the future."

"And no doubt look forward to being the first customer of said future technology," Taylor dryly said.

Coil chuckled. "And there's that intelligence I knew you had."

Taylor frowned, annoyed at Coil's condescending attitude. "And what is this second gift you mentioned?"

With a smile that never left his face, Coil turned to one of his mercenaries. "Minor, if you would."

With a nod, the mercenary captain directed two of his fellows and they moved for the white van. Taylor couldn't see into the rear of the van, as it was facing away from her, but heard the sounds of metal clanging on metal as the mercenaries brought something out. After a few moments, Taylor saw what the mercenaries were moving. It was a gurney, a wheeled one not unlike what was used in ambulances or hospitals.

And atop the stretcher, unmoving, was Sophia fucking Hess.

Taylor watched in silent disbelief as the mercenaries wheeled her former tormentor towards her. Sophia was unconscious, sedated most likely, as one of the mercenaries wheeled an IV drip and a vital signs monitor connected to her. The mercenaries deposited Sophia's gurney between Taylor and Coil, for all of the Manufactorum to see.

For several, agonizingly long moments, Taylor stared at Sophia. When almost a full minute passed, she finally asked, "Why?"

"Because, Miss Hebert," Coil said with a voice far too friendly for the words he was saying. "You are no child with whom I will play games of carrots and sticks with. You have proven yourself to be a resourceful, highly intelligent contemporary with whom I wish to deal with openly and on an even playing field. Miss Hess here was someone who wronged you, and as a gift and gesture of goodwill, I wish to give her to you, so you may enact whatever vengeance your heart desires."

Taylor only half processed Coil's response as she asked her next question, "How?"

"Well the answer to that Miss Hebert is rather obvious. You haven't exactly been subtle with your identity. You may not be aware, but your case garnered a significant amount of attention, both locally and across the nation. After all, it's not everyday a child is mutilated in her own school when the Slaughterhouse isn't in town. And within days of that child who lost three limbs and an eye winning her case, a new Cape with multiple cybernetic augmentics comes onto the scene. Said Cape then goes to make waves everywhere not only with her technology, but with the elimination of a local gang and her brazen purchases. Come on Taylor, you didn't even use a shell company or a front to purchase the land for your workshops. Yours and your Father's names are on the leases. A rather amateur mistake."

Still caught off balance by Sophia's appearance, Taylor didn't really have any words to counter Coil's critiques.

"Wow you really don't give a shit about the Unwritten Rules, do you?" Tempestus said, speaking publicly for the first time tonight.

Coil turned his head to the stormtrooper, incredulous. "And your mistress does? The very existence of your Skitarii allies are not only a flagrant violation of the Unwritten Rules, but a horrifying crime against humanity more than worthy of a Kill Order. Honestly, I may be a vicious bastard, but even I don't think anything I've done comes close to what she has. Luckily for all of you, I am someone who is not limited by such petty things like morality when we both have so much to gain from cooperation."

Returning his gaze back to Taylor, Coil's composure returned back to its more controlled, if not smug demeanor. "Regardless, back to the matter of hand, I have a second reason for giving Miss Hess to you. And that would be so we could have another Cape on our side."

With his words, Taylor's head snapped up from Sophia and focused on Coil with laser precision."... What?" She hissed out.

Coil sat back, folding his hands across his lap as he casually said, "Yes, it doesn't surprise me that you do not know. Miss Hess here was once a hero. A Ward. You may recognize her alias, Shadow Stalker."

"WHAT!?" Taylor couldn't help but shout, anger transcending her emotional dampeners limiters.

Meanwhile Tempestus simultaneously cried out, "FUCK! A Ward! Coil are you insane!? It's one thing to kidnap gangsters and druggies, but a fucking Ward? Do you want to bring down the Triumvirate on us?"

Despite all of the shouting, Coil maintained a calm demeanor as he slowly raised up his hands. "Calm yourselves. Miss Hess is formerly a Ward. She lost her status following the dreadful case against Tech-Priest here, and was on the way to prison when I acquired her so I have my doubts that the Protectorate or PRT will be looking to mount a rescue mission any time soon."

Again, Taylor was only half listening to Coil as she processed everything that was told to her. "That's why…" Taylor whispered out, drawing all eyes to her. She almost curled in on herself, shutting out the world around her. "That's why they ignored me. Blackwell, the teachers, everyone in that fucking cesspit of a school. If leaving one girl to be tortured and harassed everyday was the cost of keeping a Ward in their school, then of course they would gladly take it."

Still leaning back, Coil casually said, "Indeed. The PRT and Protectorate are organizations dedicated to maintaining balance, maintaining the status quo. Unfortunately for everyone, the status quo is not one that cares for the suffering of individuals."

Anxious thoughts ripped their way though Taylor's mind. Did Armsmaster know about this? What about Dragon? Or Amy and Victoria? How many so-called heroes were willing to overlook her suffering in order to protect Sophia? How corrupt and malfeasant was the PRT that they could look her in the eye, shake her hand, and smile at her when they were the ones who allowed her to suffer so much she Triggered?

Coil seemed content to let Taylor spiral, sitting back and watching the show. Tempestus meanwhile rushed over to Taylor's side.

"Boss! Pull it together!" Tempestus whispered frantically into her ear. "Coil has you off balance right now, and that's exactly what he wants! Don't let him manipulate you!"

When Tempestus' words hit her ears, Taylor immediately set her cranial circuitry to overdrive and shut down any and all emotions within her. Letting cold, immutable logic take over once more, she recentered herself, straightening her posture as she looked back at Coil.

"You make many good points, Coil. You offer me great gifts, and even unveiled to me a great conspiracy. For that, you have my thanks." Taylor gave a slight bow of her head to the villain. "I must say, I am truly shocked that you are coming to me so openly and honestly with your desires for friendship."

Coil chuckled. "Yes, I actually do it quite often, but people are always surprised."

"Indeed. Regardless, I accept what you give me, and even offer you a gift of my own."

Taylor summoned one of her Skitarii from her workshop below. In his hands was a necklace, the chain of which was made of Tinkertech alloys. At the end of the necklace was a thick cross, emblazoned with a skull in its center. The Skitarii offered the necklace to Coil, who gingerly took it in his hands.

"And what is this? You don't seem to be a practicing Catholic to me," Coil asked, testing the hefty weight of the necklace in his hands.

"That, dear Coil, is a rosarius. As for what it does…" Taylor's hand whipped to the laspistol at her side and drew it, immediately leveling the pistol at Coil.

Before anyone could react, Taylor fired two ruby-red lasers right for Coil's center mass. When they hit, there was an explosion of bright light that blinded everyone not wearing ocular goggles or implants. Coil's mercenaries moved to draw their own sidearms, as all of their primary weapons were still being serviced, but they too were too slow as the Skitarii around them all held them at gunpoint as well.

However, rather than seeing a smoking corpse where their boss was, they saw Coil recoiling back in his chair, surrounded by a sphere of glowing light. Coil blinked, looking around himself in disbelief. Tentatively, he extended a finger out and touched the shield around him, which then dissipated back into nothing.

"It creates a hardlight barrier in response to extreme force, converting it into photonic energy, hence the bright light," Taylor explained as she holstered her pistol, emotionless despite how unsettled Coil seemed. "It was based on the creation of one of my employees, so you can see what your investment of Chariot will result in. That is my first prototype, but I have more currently being made, so you may keep it."

Coil swallowed, visibly shaken, but within a few moments, he was able to recompose himself. Sitting up straight once more, he put the rosarius around his neck and nodded, "A rather over dramatic demonstration, if I do so say so myself." With a nod of his head, his mercenaries stood down.

"But an effective one," Taylor countered as she commanded her own Skitarii to relax as well. "And so you know, my Laspistol was charged to full power, and you know how effective my weapons are. You may rest easy that against most conventional or even Tinkertech weapons, you will be safe."

Nodding, Coil fingered the cross hanging from his neck one more time. "And how many of these would you be able to produce? I would be interested in purchasing more to equip my men."

"Unfortunately, the creation of the rosarius is a difficult process, even for me. I had planned on giving them only to my retinue as well as myself, but you shall have one as a sign of our friendship."

Coil gave her a forced, albeit self-assured smile. "Well, thank you for your kindness."

Taylor chose not to respond in kind. "Then if that is all, the maintenance on all of your weapons is complete. I have logged your orders and we will begin production as soon as we get the materials. If that is all?"

Standing, Coil smoothed out his costume. "Yes, I believe we had a very productive meeting today Tech-Priest. Payment will be handled through the same offshore account as before." He gave a short bow. "Until next time."

Turning about face, Coil made his way to his SUV. Like good little soldiers, his mercenaries all silently followed suit, retrieving their weapons from the Skitarii before entering their own vehicles. The only one who remained was Chariot, who looked around, lost and confused as the members of Coil's organization left without him.

Taylor waited until they drove away before she turned to address their newest member. "So Chariot, and we'll have to do something about that name, first of all allow me to welcome you to my organization. While there are others, we are primarily a collaborative group of Tinkers dedicated to creating great works of technology for the glory of the Omnissiah. A quest that you are now a part of."

For a moment, Chariot seemed dumbstruck by Taylor, before he just nodded his head. "Uh yeah… Glad to be aboard I guess."

"Hmm. And if you wish to reveal yourself to me and your contemporaries, or keep your identity secret. I shall not force you."

Chariot stared blankly at Taylor, his eyes flicking towards Tempestus for a brief moment, followed by the Skitarii. "Uhh, yeah if you don't mind, I think I'll keep my helmet on for now. Until I get more comfortable with all of you and all that."

"Fair enough." Taylor nodded at him. "Well then, you must have had a long day, and I do not need you here for now. You may return home, but I expect you to be here at 8 am sharp tomorrow morning."

Chariot couldn't help but groan. "Really? That early?"

Taylor looked at him flatly. "Yes, really. I wish to spend much of the day going over what you have, testing your knowledge, and figuring out where you shall stand amongst us. And once that is all done we shall get to Tinkering. I'm sure you must be interested in seeing what you can develop with all of the resources we have here."

His eyes flicked over the various power tools and piles of raw materials and scrap electronics, and swallowed hard. "Yeah, okay, 8 am it is. I'll see you tomorrow, I guess."

Turning around, Chariot made his way for the Manufactorum's exit. Once he was outside, he began skating, picking up speed as his jetpack turned on and pushed him along.

Once he was definitely out of earshot, Taylor looked at the Alpha of Skitarii Kill Team Ryza. "Follow him. Take a truck if you must. Find out where he lives and his identity."

The Alpha made the sign of the cog with his interlocked fingers. "As is your will, Prophet." The Skitarii Alpha gathered up his squad, arming themselves with their weapons, and moved to track down Chariot through the shadows.

When they were gone, Taylor turned to Tempestus. "So, what do you make of our newest member?"

Snorting, Tempestus moved to sit in the same chair Coil used, unlocked the seals on his helmet, and removed it. Placing the helmet on the table, Tempestus revealed the short crop of brown hair now in a buzz cut that Sgt. Major Merrick forced upon the cape. And while Tempestus was in good shape before, any residual fat in his cheeks had melted off from his new training regime.

"I trust that kid a lot less than I can throw him, " Tempestus, formerly called Uber, and currently called Timothy without his helmet said with a shrug.

"Of course not. But you keep saying kid. You are sure that he is someone so young?"

"I mean yeah. Besides the fact that most Capes are young, Chariot was pretty unsure of himself the whole time. Even if he's not a kid, he's definitely not a hardened veteran of any kind. He kept glancing at Coil, looking for instructions. If anything he seemed pretty scared that Coil just left him here." As Tempestus sat back in his chair, he seemed to think for a moment, before speaking again. "Hey, you mind having one of your cyborgs get me a beer? Merrick keeps a few in the kitchen."

Taylor raised an eyebrow at Tempestus' impetuous attitude, but then mentally commanded one of her other Skitarii to complete the task. After all, it wasn't that much effort on her part to do so.

"So long as the child does nothing to incur my wrath, he has nothing to fear," she said bluntly. "And what of Coil? What did you make of him?"

Bringing his hand up to his face, Tempestus rubbed his chin in contemplation. "He's… a lot harder to read. Although I was able to glean something. Like I mentioned during the meeting, he was confident in what he was saying, supremely so. So much that there was zero hesitation in anything he said to you. At least, until you shot him."

"Meaning?" Taylor growled out, annoyed she had to have Tempestus explain this to her. "Coil's arrogance is not exactly a secret."

Tempestus nodded at the Skitarii who brought him a beer, opened it, and took a sip. "Man I cannot believe I am used to this already. Anyway, it means Coil is either an insanely good improviser, or he practiced his lines a lot."

Taylor looked at Tempestus flatly. "That's it? All you can tell me is that he practiced his negotiations?"

"More than just practice, boss," Tempestus said, a little frustrated now. "Nobody talks like that normally. My best guesses are either he knew what you were going to say, or he's a professionally trained actor."

Before Taylor could berate Tempestus further for his inane comments, she paused and bit her tongue. "I believe we can discount him being a precog. He did not seem to see me shooting him coming at all. His skill as an actor is good to know however." Taylor nodded her head. "Regardless, this was a productive meeting."

"Yeah I suppose so." Tempestus pursed his lips. "But what about the PRT? How do you want to handle them?"

Taylor frowned. "A not so quiet, vindictive part of my mind says we should cut off all relations with them. But luckily for us, I have quashed that part of my id. There would be no advantage in us alienating the PRT. It would merely draw suspicion to us and cut us off from allies and potential buyers."

Tempestus drank another sip of beer. "Fair enough. Honestly, that's probably what Coil was trying to do. Turn you against the PRT so he'd be your only customer. A monopoly on Tinkertech would easily let him take over the city. Not even the PRT would be able to stop him."

"And if I were not in complete control of my own emotions right now, he may have succeeded," Taylor half snarled under her mask. "But despite all his pretty words, I will not allow Coil to use the mistakes of the PRT to lead and manipulate me like some child."

"Sounds good. But uh, speaking of mistakes of the PRT… what's your plan for her?" He then nodded his head toward the still asleep Sophia next to them.

Taylor looked at him flatly. "Why don't you go take a walk, Timothy." It was not a question.

Pausing for a moment, Tempestus decided to chug the rest of his beer in a single motion. When the bottle was empty, he stood up and said, "Yeah. I'll go do that. See you tomorrow, Boss." He then walked out the Manufactorum without looking back.

Once Tempestus was gone, Taylor turned towards the unconscious Sophia and commanded her Skitarii. "Bring her downstairs."

Taylor walked paced around the operating table, her eyes never leaving Sophia's body as she did. Her patient stripped of all clothing save for an anesthesia mask, Taylor's mind automatically logged everything of note. Sophia's body was rather well built, athletic with a good balance of both fast twitch and slow twitch muscle fiber, creating a utilitarian blend of explosiveness and endurance that a young hero would need.

Beyond that, Taylor could see further evidence of Sophia's life as a hero etched into her body. Patches of skin that were discolored scar tissue, some of which looked like possibly knife attacks that were poorly stitched together. As well as areas of bone that did not seem to have healed correctly from small fractures caused by blunt trauma. Grabbing Sophia's hand and lifting it up, Taylor saw many callouses on the knuckles from repeated use.

"I will be honest Sophia, I do not know what to do with you." With a small sigh, Taylor put her former bully's hand back on the table. "I feel as though I should hate you. To feel righteous rage and vindication now that I finally have you helpless before me. But I know how pointless such emotions are. How they can distract you and deceive you. Pull you away from the harsh truth of logic."

Taylor turned around and began collecting her tools. "And what logic tells me, is that you are not just a criminal. That beyond your wanton sadism, and rather primitive view of the world, you wish to serve humanity. You wish to be a hero." Grabbing her bonesaw, Taylor used her servo arm to attach tourniquets to Sophia's limbs. "Despite everything that has occurred between us. I shall allow you to continue towards that goal."

With that, Taylor began the first cut on Sophia's left arm. "I have compiled what data I know about Shadow Stalker. As per your name, you hunt in the night, seeking out ne'er do wells and villains, and removing them with rather admirable efficiency." When Taylor finished removing the limb, she placed it to the side and began attaching the baseplate for the augmetics. "In your short tenure as a vigilante, you inspired fear in the gangs, and showed a distinct lack of morals which I admire."

While Taylor used her hands to work on the limb, her servo arm behind her gathered up the pieces of Sophia's limb. Unlike both the Skitarii Rangers or Taylor's own augmetic, which were heavily armored with a focus on combat, this prosthetic was slender and longer, with a focus more on speed and dexterity.

"And so I shall allow you to return to this state. To become the hunter you so desperately desire to be. But you shall be my hunter. My knife in the dark. My… Sicarian."

With that, Taylor finished attaching the connection point for the prosthetic and moved to attach the limb itself. While the augmetic was thinner than Taylor's own, the special blend of Tinkertech alloys made it so it was still unnaturally strong. And at the very end of the limb, was a taloned claw, with needle sharp blades that, even inert, hummed with power.

"I truly cannot understate the sheer talent that Artisan has with his constructions," Taylor muttered to herself. "Converting his Combo Cutter from one that stored potential energy, to a transonic weapon that constantly vibrates at resonant frequencies was rather annoying, but the results will allow you to shred through armor and flesh like it doesn't exist, my Sicarian."

When the claw was attached, and Taylor saw no outward signs of rejection, she split her focus, taking control of several servitors and began constructing the rest of the limbs, while Taylor's main body moved to Sophia's head.

"And of course, I cannot just let you keep your mind. You are too temperamental, volatile even, to simply let run loose with all of the gifts I am about to bestow upon you." Taylor bowed down, pressing her forehead to Sophia's. "Do not worry. Aracana is so much happier now as Enginseer than she was as Squealer. So too shall you be happy, Sophia."

Taylor grabbed a clean surgical power saw and slowly began making an incision around Sophia's skull, exposing her brain to the air. At the bare minimum, Taylor was going to have to use the same enhancements she used on Squealer on Sophia.

First, after installing the necessary cortex implants, Taylor mind wiped Sophia's memories via dataspike. She would then implant memories through psycho-indoctrination to ensure Sophia's loyalty to Taylor and the Machine God.

Next, just in case the psycho-indoctrination wasn't enough, Taylor would install a Data Tether and Mind Impulse Unit to give her full access to Sophia's mind and senses, and if necessary take control. It was the same system she used on Enginseer and all of her other Skitarii, and would be necessary on someone as aggressive as Sophia. But beyond this immediate effect, the tether had the benefit of connecting Sophia to all of the other Skitarii, allowing for instant communication and coordination between all of them as well.

When her mental shackles on the girl were finished, Taylor was ready to begin her next phase of upgrades. Similar to her own intelligence upgrades, Taylor focused on creating a set of cranial circuitry that would enhance Sophia's combat capabilities. Her adrenal glands were hypercharged, giving her an enhanced state of aggression for combat. Reflexes and processing power were enhanced so that Sophia would be placed squarely at a low level combat Thinker rating, allowing her to practically see in slow motion and capitalize on the low level superhuman speed that her augmetics would provide.

With the cranial circuitry done, Taylor began to stitch up Sophia's skull before moving to finish the rest of her enhancements. All in all, between her own powers, the cybernetic enhancements, and Tinkertech weapons Taylor provided her, Sophia was going to be the perfect assassin. She was going to be her perfect assassin. Her Sicarian. And together they would purge all the enemies of humanity in the Machine God. And in doing so, save it from itself.