I QUICKLY PRODUCED a testing bracelet and beamed it down to the surface for Ratticus with instructions to put it on. I soon got his project beginning as well.
RESEARCH
"Ratticus"
Ratticus is imbued the properties of an Energy Core. In addition he has undergone extensive modification by an Upgrade Core. Research will unlock a lesser version of his Energy core ability and may unlock versions of some upgrades that have been applied to him.
This project will take three weeks to research.
THAT WAS INTRIGUING. With the ability to transform into animals I'd assumed that all department heads were of a single core type. It seemed that was not the case. If Anna were awake I doubted she would approve of me locking her department heads in research cells for the next two weeks. Fortunately, Anna needed to be kept sedated while she healed from her injuries. With her accelerated healing it wouldn't be two weeks, but it would at least provide some time undisturbed.
24
"You shouldn't imprison my department heads without consulting me," Anna said. It had taken three days to get back on her feet.
In that time the Rats had managed to scavenge almost everything they could from the devastated dome and our cargo hold was filled with supplies. We suffered no further attacks, although twice in that time a ship appeared at the far extreme of sensor range before withdrawing. We were being monitored, but they weren't pushing a fight.
"Our department heads, if I am being generous. You were busy convulsing wildly. I find it fascinating how your I’m being electrocuted face is almost identical to your flirting face," I said.
"It isn't and they are. Fortunately I'm in good spirits, staying to scavenge supplies was the right call," Anna said.
"You'd be amazed how smoothly this ships functions when you nearly die."
"We need them, Emma, and we need their people," Anna said.
"I will confess that Doctor Batavius isn't completely incompetent. Baron Wolfson is," I said.
"He bent the knee to me when it was the smart thing to do. That matters," Anna said.
"It matters, if your idea of a good military commander is one who surrenders at the first convenient moment, and that’s what he did confronted by you. While it may have served you well at the time, it doesn't now," I said.
Anna gave a wry smile and grunted. She was walking the ship. I'd respawned both Candice and Diana after their deaths and was using Diana to accompany her today.
"It doesn't change the fact that we need his Wolves," Anna said.
"The little dogs are no more impressive than the big one. I'd recommend we let Hot Stuff replace him, when I let her out of testing," I said.
Anna paused to stare thoughtfully at the wall. "She's our best killer. That doesn't make her a good commander or a good leader."
"Her band was loyal to her. Of all the test subjects we acquired, she perhaps gave us the most trouble."
"I'm not prepared to fully pull that trigger quite yet. We'll give Hot Stuff her own strike team and see what she does with it," Anna said.
It was an acceptable compromise. At least then we'd have someone capable of carrying out offensive operations.
"I'd also like to apply some upgrades on you. I've got a new BioArmor enhancement and we've the points put away to improve a few more of your stats. With heavy point usage you might become average," I said.
"Have you tried out BioArmor on a human subject yet?" Anna asked.
As if I wasn’t going to apply such a useful upgrade to my human drones. I held up Candice's hand and triggered the effect. A glove formed around it made of greyish hide, I released the affect a moment later returning to normal flesh.
"It can be triggered and released at will," I said.
"Good. I was concerned of some sort of permanent disfigurement," Anna said.
"As if anyone would notice. Still, no. It does have a duration both in time and in how much damage it can take. Then it needs to regenerate for an hour before being deployed again," I said.
"Clothes?" Anna asked.
I triggered the full effect for Diana. It clad her head to foot in the tight-fitting, thick skin. I released the Bioarmor.
Anna stared for a moment. "Well, that is unfortunate."
"It does consume clothing. Everything you’re wearing is gone when the affect ends," I admitted.
"Something of a drawback on a battlefield. Still, as emergency backup it’s good to have. Go ahead and add it, but no Fire Matrix upgrade. Hot Stuff's fashion problems are not ones I need," Anna said.
I pulled up her sheet to make the changes.
Anna
Age: 23
Height: 127.7 cm
Weight: 64.6 kg
Physical Stats
Values out of 10
5 is the Human Average
Allure: 8
Endurance:6
Strength: 5
Agility: 6
Health
Subject shows signs of recent electrocution, poisoning, and suffocation.
Upgrades
Accelerated Healing
Temperature Resistant Matrix
Subject is upgradeable
You have 12 upgrade points available
Physical stats can be upgraded at a cost of 1 upgrade point per statistic point up to 10
You also have the following options based on research
Fire Matrix 5 points
Teleportation Matrix 5 points
BioArmor 5 points
WHEN I TOLD Anna that she wasn't quite the human average I was being honest—except to say that she exceeded it a good bit. Partly that was my own upgrades, but she had been like that before meeting me. With our research facilities I was now getting a regular flow of upgrade points, but they were still a limited commodity. Upgrading both my human drones with armor had taken ten and now I was left with twelve.
If Hot Stuff was going to be leading a strike team it might make sense to grant her armor as well, although her fires burned so intently most threats couldn't reach her. Those same points spent on Anna could vastly increase her stats or give her teleportation. Right now I could teleport my agents—including Anna—but this would place that power under her own direct control.
I wound up giving Anna BioArmor and Teleportation, and upgrading her Endurance and Agility by one point each. While individually her abilities were nowhere near as strong as the prime matrix they were derived from—she would never heal as fast as Ophelia or be able to teleport as far or as capably as Sylph—cumulatively Anna was becoming incredibly versatile and deadly.
I couldn't wait to see how she put these combinations of powers into effect. It was almost enough for me to want to give her a testing labyrinth of her own. Instead, I was certain that soon enough the real world would provide ample opportunities.
I manifested her a monitoring bracelet.
"Jewelry? You shouldn't have. You realize you could have just put these on Batavius and Wolfson," Anna said.
"And Ratticus is already wearing one. Wear yours as well. I want to see what you do with your upgrades. I gave you Armor and Teleportation, and a bit of increased physical potential," I said.
Anna slipped on the bracelet. It remained the only piece of her attire that remained when, a moment later, her appearance altered. Her body armor wasn't grey and hide-like. Anna's was sleek and snug-fitting, and looked to be made of latex in hues of brilliant red and gold. Her figure flickered as she teleported from deck to deck and I lost track of her for a moment until external sensors picked her up in the dome on the surface. Then she was back on the airship and in her quarters, pulling some replacement clothes from the wardrobe.