All about upgrades

Dr. Stacey shut down the holo-display and put away all the chairs, before explaining further. The armament lab wasn't the best place for testing out new upgrades, so she decided to take them elsewhere.

"I don't think a verbal explanation would suffice. In order to get a better understanding of your new upgrades, you will have to test them out. Please follow me to the testing range." Dr. Stacey tapped her feet three times and spoke into her Zen watch. "Open secure passageway and prepare the testing range for advanced weapons testing."

// Preparing testing range...

Setting up targets...

Please step aside from the doorway. //

Dr. Stacey moved a few paces back and waited. The floor ahead split in two, revealing a sliding metal door underneath. A green strobe light flashed on top and the door slowly slid sideways. On the other side lay a winding staircase leading to the secret testing facility.

"Follow me and watch your step," Dr. Stacey cautioned, heading towards the stairs.

Kevin and Suzy followed right behind her. The stairs automatically lit up with foot lamps as they began their descent. It was a long way down. Kevin counted over 40 steps.

At the bottom was a large, partitioned white metal door with a fingerprint scanner. Dr. Stacey pressed her left palm on the scanner and led them to a gray walled room containing a wide assortment of dummy targets.

There were replicas of automated turrets, XL11 robots, Tracker Drones, and a couple of red brick walls and sandbag barriers.

"Welcome to the testing range," Dr. Stacey announced. "It's nothing fancy, but it'll help you get a better idea about your system's basic utilities and weapons. Now, go ahead and upgrade your exoskeleton."

Kevin used his voice command to bring up the exoskeleton upgrade menu.

// 20 Core Fragments available.

Tier 1 upgrades ready to be unlocked:

1. Additional weapon module slot (10 Core Fragments needed.)

2. Additional defense module slot (10 Core Fragments needed.)

3. New gadget storage slot (10 Core Fragments needed.)

4. Backup power supply (50 Core Fragments needed.)

5. External repair bot (100 Core Fragments needed.)

Please select an upgrade... //

Kevin took a good look at all the available upgrades and studied the details of each. It reminded him of his mecha suit in Robo Warrior. The upgrade system was easy to understand and there was no scientific mumbo jumbo attached to it.

Right now, Kevin had just 20 Core Fragments, which left him with just the top 3 upgrades to choose from. However, if he wanted to, he could save these Core Fragments for the future.

The External repair bot seemed like the most useful one as it would allow him to make minor repairs to his exoskeleton on the go, without having to return to the labs. However, it was an extremely expensive upgrade.

In the end, Kevin decided to go with the second upgrade on the list. "Select upgrade: additional defense module slot."

// Upgrade confirmed.

10 Core Fragments used!

1 additional defense module slot added! //

"That was a good choice. Now you can equip your new defense module," Dr. Stacey said.

Kevin knew what he had to do and didn't need any further explanation. Accessing the new defense module slot, he installed the Local Hacking module.

// New defense module installed.

Local Hacking Tool added to defense systems!

Right index finger: Local Hacking Tool (This specialized hacking device lets you override security protocols and gain control of automated gadgets and equipment. Has limited range. You're a hackerman!) //

"Now, let's move on to the augmentation menu," Dr. Stacey instructed.

With another voice command, Kevin quickly brought up the augmentation menu.

// 1 Bionic Scanner augmentation available.

Compatible peripherals:

Left Eye

Right Eye

Please select a peripheral....//

"Install the augmentation in my left eye," Kevin instructed.

// New augmentation installed in user's left eye

Bionic Scanning Laser added to tracking systems!

Left Eye: Bionic Scanning Laser (A special augmentation which emits a stream of low intensity laser beams which check for presence of organic life. Good for scanning buildings, vehicles, caves and mines. Can be blocked by thick walls. This is not X-ray vision!) //

"That's great. You're really getting the hang of this," Dr. Stacey said. "Now, install the—"

"I think I got this," Kevin replied, cutting her off. He quickly opened up the modification menu and started browsing through the compatible weapons.

// 1 Concentrator mod available.

Compatible weapons:

Rapid Fire Gatling Gun

Auto-targeting Laser Rifle

Sonic Amplifier //

This one seemed like a complicated choice. Installing the concentrator mod on the Rapid Fire Gatling Gun would increase its rate of fire and reduce spray, but also make it overheat faster.

Applying the mod to the Auto-targeting Laser Rifle would enable the weapon to fire a charged shot, causing explosive damage in a large area, but it would disable its auto-targeting mode and increase its recharge time by 300%.

The last choice was the Sonic Amplifier. Adding the Concentrator mod to this weapon would enable it to unleash a devastating sonic blast, but it would only affect a single target instead of a wide area.

After a good deal of thinking, Kevin decided to go with the Auto-targeting Laser Rifle.

// New mod added to Auto-targeting Laser Rifle.

The weapon will now deal explosive area of effect damage! //

"Splendid!" Dr. Stacey exclaimed jubilantly. "Let's test out your new toys!"

"Suzy dear, would you please place one turret behind the brick wall?" Dr. Stacey handed Suzy a paper with a passcode written on it.

Suzy walked up to the automated turrets sitting on the left of the room and entered the passcode to deactivate one turret. It shut down its targeting protocol and transformed into a metal briefcase.

She carried the briefcase behind the red brick wall in the center of the room and re-deployed it again. Its sensor flashed green again and the machine gun attached on top started turning in a 180-degree radius, scanning for approaching threats.

Suzy promptly returned to her mom and said, "Both turrets are now set to cyborg."

Kevin was preparing to equip his weapons when Dr. Stacey stepped in front. "Stop stop stop! Those are real automated turrets and they are kinda expensive. Suzy's dad's gonna kill me if he finds out I destroyed them in a test. So maybe use some other methods to deal with them?"

"Alright." Kevin nodded and stepped forward. "Access defense systems: Activate Local Hacking Tool."

// Local Hacking Tool activated.

Point your right index finger to hack target! //

Kevin pointed his right index finger at the turret out in the open and said, "Hack that."

A strobe light flashed from a circular opening on his finger and within a few seconds, the turret's sensor deactivated. He walked up to the turret and observed it from up close. It didn't attack him even though he was standing right in front of it.

Having dealt with the first turret, Kevin aimed for the other one behind the wall. This time, however, his hacking did not succeed.

"You have a Local Hacking Tool installed. The strobe light cannot penetrate walls and has a maximum range of 10 meters. You need to get closer to the turret."

Kevin walked past the wall and aimed again. To his great surprise, the turret immediately locked onto him and started firing non-lethal rounds.

"You stepped too close. The basic automated turrets have a range of 5 meters," Dr. Stacey shouted.

"But it's behind a damn wall. How am I supposed to hack it from a distance?"

"You go in from its blind spot. The automated turrets cover an area 180 degrees in front. But their backside is wide open. If you want to hack these turrets discretely, you have to approach them from behind."

Kevin backed away and tried once again. This time he went around the wall and managed to get the drop on his target. Pointing his right index finger at the turret, he repeated the process and hacked it with ease.

"Well done! The difference between using a signal scrambler and a hacking tool is that the latter will allow you to control the hacked device for a limited time instead of just disabling it," Dr. Stacey explained as Kevin returned. "Time for some target practice now! Use your modified weapon to destroy the XL11 replicas on our right."

"Activate Auto-targeting Laser...Laser...La..."

// Low power warning!

Current power level: 20%

Please connect to a charging panel! //