Chapter 26 Grounded

Bang! Clang! There went another bullet shell coming out of the Mark 20 bolt action plasma marksman rifle series 2. It's quite the long name for just a sniper rifle. Up in the Platform, we just called it Mark2 for short. The shot rang true as it soared farther and father. Whoever got shot with this thing was at least going to lose a limb. The rifle was one of the latest series of weapons developed by the Adamian Weapons Division or AWD for short. It's one of the only few manufacturers out there that sold these kinds of weapons. It has the ability to take down virtually any military unit except for avatars or sentinels. However, those were the things of the past. Mark2s can also kill any person standing within range. With a good shot, even Adamians can get eliminated just like that if they aren't careful. Strange how the perfect weapon to kill Adamians were created by Adamians themselves. The bullet dashed through the air cutting like it was nothing and eventually hitting the marked target straight between the eye or eyes. It had multiple eyes. A vermin had penetrated the area that was supposedly safe. I was lying on the ground along with Olley. This was a good chance to thank her for the good work she's done. While Olley was holding down the Mark2, I was coaching her how to determine if the shot will curve, drop, and anything related to shooting. That was a remarkable shot for someone that hadn't even held an AWD weapon before. She focused her breathing again, right as she inhaled she pulled the trigger once more. Another boom and clang went up in the air then another vermin was dropped dead. As the bullet shell fell, silence rang out in the compound. It's a good thing these things weren't attracted to sound or this wouldn't have been helpful target practice. Olley moved the Mark2 away from her as I turned the safety back on. The Mark2 started to collapse and fold itself into a black iron rod. AWDs are known for their mobility in battle but the problem is that the bullets aren't. Olley Rolled on her stomach looking a bit bored. She already removed her goggles showing those grand colors to me again. Pink and blue shimmered right on the surface. It had only been a couple cycles since I escaped but everyone was still exhausted from it.

Olley: I'm bored! I need something else to do now! I can't stay locked up here forever! There has to be something to do. You should ask Nex if he has an assignment for us.

Arc: No one is telling you to stay.

Olley: But someone is!

Arc: Who?

Olley: You! Dummy! Hahahahaha. Why else would I be here. Everything is a lot cooler when I'm with you. It's the adventure I kind of wanted.

Arc: I didn't ask you to stay...

Olley: Well not in words maybe. Either way, you're too much of a softie to say no to me anyway.

Arc: I didn't. You're making stuff up Olley.

Olley: No I'm not. Besides it feels a lot more fun spending time with y'all. I even got this sweet looking outfit too.

Arc: Adamian does look good on you. Vanta is usually for the elite but I guess they made an exception for you.

Olley: Was that a compliment!?

Arc: Erm… No… I was just stating a fact. I think…

Olley: Now I feel completely stunned right now… Don't say things like that! It makes me feel weird!

Arc: I didn't mean for it to be weird.

Things got a bit weird. What is this feeling?! It's definitely something that I don't know about. Somehow something is telling me to stop talking or it's harder to talk. I'm not quite sure... Olley started to be shy which made things even more awkward. Those eyes were brimming a shy red this time. It was always so easy to read her mood from the colors of her eyes. Though I hope mine aren't as easy to see as hers.

Olley: I guess it's just not something I'd imagine hearing you say. Sorry I didn't mean to make fun of you there. Thank you.

Arc: It's fine. I said it's fine…

Olley: Was that the first time you ever complimented someone?

Arc: I'm not sure.

Olley: Guess I should just feel honored. Thank you.

Arc: Sure…

Olley: I really shouldn't bully people for trying something out of character. Guess I'm a bit shy myself too hahaha.

Arc: It's alright. Don't worry about it…

Olley: So is your eye getting better? It's already been sometime. I'm a bit worried about it.

Arc: Doctor said that it would heal but I think they're just saying that to make it seem like it will. What I'm actually worried about is my powers. I've lost most of my connection to them. Well more like the connection to magic. It's too faint to use.

Olley: That doesn't sound any good for us.

Arc: It isn't. Though I could feel a faint sense of it from time to time. I can barely feel anything unlike the previous cycles. Personally, I'm actually not afraid that I won't get the same connections back. Somehow a part of me wants to find a new way to get stronger.

Olley: Did they mess up your brain that much?! You feel almost like a different person.

Arc: Maybe I just feel better now that I'm down here.

Olley: So what are you going to do now?

Arc: I'm not sure. Our mission still hasn't changed so we still don't have a reason to go back up to the Platform. Though if I return without my powers. I'll probably be terminated.

Olley: Terminated!? What does that mean!?

Arc: Oh, it means I'll probably be dead. Adamians who can't use their powers shouldn't have a place in the Platform. Everyone has to do their duties. No exceptions.

Olley: Wait! You're talking like you being dead is fine!

Arc: Well it is part of the Adamian life cycle. In fact, this is usually the time of our life span that some start to die out and get replaced.

Olley: You're not making any sense right now!

Arc: I thought that was the simplest way I could put it.

Olley: No! I mean, they're going to kill you!

Arc: And that's a problem why?

Olley: They are going to kill you!

Arc: I'm happy to serve the Platform and its people. Not being able to use magic will only hinder this team.

Olley: What about Nex?! How does he feel about this!?

Arc: He probably already knows. It's just a part of the whole thing of being part of the Platform. I mean this name isn't even mine. It belongs to the first Arc that was ever born. I'm just the 24th iteration.

Olley: That doesn't sound fair! They can't kill you just like that! And stop talking so casually! It's throwing me off!

Arc: They've done it before. I'm nothing special.

Olley: No… that can't be true…

Arc: That's just about it. Nothing wrong with it.

Olley: It's completely wrong! We just got you back!

Arc: An Adamian is nothing without his magic Olley. It's just how our species work. I just wished that maybe I could have lived a bit longer. Save more people.

Olley: …

Arc: Hey, say something.

Olley: I can't…

Arc: Hey, y'know what? Take the Mark2. I don't think anyone is going to notice it if it went missing. You can even sell it if you want. An AWD does fetch quite the price.

I hold out the AWD out to Olley. Her expression was unlike I've ever seen. She gritted her teeth, I wasn't sure what she was upset about. Olley's eyes changed into a scarlet red, that hue was the brightest I've ever seen. It was an odd mix making it hard to guess what she was feeling. I held out my hand a bit longer though it didn't look like she was going to take the AWD from me. As I pulled back, she grabbed my hand instead. I dropped the AWD and she held on my hand tight. She didn't want to let go but her hands were shaking. My stomach started to feel all sorts of weird things that made me feel anxious. I couldn't speak anything either. Olley didn't want to look me in the face. But I wanted to know what she was feeling. I wanted to see her eyes.

Olley: When that time comes. When you're going back. Tell me… Please…

Arc: I don't see why not. You've been quite the help from what I've heard.

Olley: That's not the point.

Arc: What do you mean?

Olley: I just… don't like it when people leave. I guess I just have some massive father issues huh. Just... tell me when you leave alright? I won't be mad or anything.

Arc: I wouldn't know what a father is in the first place. When they scrambled me up there to look for whatever, I experienced almost every memory I had. Even the ones that I tried to erase. You could say that I basically remember mostly everything. Though there were harder ones to crack open. But I remember all the things we've been through. The bad times and even the good times. And her, Sye.

Olley: Sye?

Arc: The memory is faint, that's the only thing I can remember. Her name. I could almost feel like what happened. Each time I reach for it, it's gone. But I can't exactly remember anything in particular. There's just something about her that I want to know.

Olley: Do you have an idea? Is she maybe someone important to you? If so then I want to know why.

Arc: Not really. I've only seen her in dream fragments or maybe memory fragments. I wish I knew more I'm sorry I didn't mean to drag on like that. It's just something I wanted to say.

Olley: It's alright… Thanks for spending time with me. The tower can be a bit boring alone. Shouldn't you be seeing the Vanta team and Nex? I don't think they want to proceed without you.

Olley let go of my hand then took the AWD. She placed on her goggles then proceeded to help me up too. It was a bit awkward to talk to her about things like this. The way she just moves makes me a bit strange. We went straight to the chain of command room. It was basically the managers room that had been changed up into a map room. The room was quite small to fit the amount of people inside of it but it was enough. Maps and papers were scattered around the small cube office which was now filled with at least 7 people. Even the desk was already cleared up for more stuff like munitions or medical supplies. Nex was looking over the map of Hyer then finally noticed both of us entering. His face lit up as he saw me finally back up walking normally. I had a bad limp just a few hours ago but I should be fine now. Though I think my core is still messed up that I can't lift myself up too easily. Part of the Vanta team was also in the room though only the ones that weren't critically injured. A big robust guy and the masked lady stood by the windows of the office. They looked pretty serious but for some reason I didn't feel that from them. It started to feel weird like they were staring a bit too much at me.

Nex: Arc! You're here! We were waiting for you. Please come in!

Arc: You guys don't need to wait for a future vile. I know when my time is up. Just go ahead and do whatever you need to do. I'll stay out of your way.

Nex: Well you're still on a mission. Until the mission is over that's not up to you to decide. Now don't bring it up or I'll get mad.

Olley: A vile?

One: An Adamian that's going to be recycled. They get terminated using a vial but we call it vile because it's unpleasant to talk about. It's quick and painless or at least from what I've heard. 39th Volv. pleasure and honor to meet someone from the suicide class.

Five: You shouldn't really be telling an outsider the secrets of the Platform. 55th Siren, thank you for your service.

Two: If you're talking about who's going to get the vile next then you might as well look at me. I'm in deep shit if I can't run.

Volv: Stop being dramatic Siv. You just broke your leg. The Platform can fix that easily. They remedied far worse looking things than just a broken shin bone.

Siv: It still hurts! She's a scary one that's for sure. 104th Siv by the way. An honor meeting you of course. Even a bigger honor saving you or at least tried to. That was a shit show up there. Glad we got out in one piece aye?

Arc: I've never seen a series go over a 100 before. You must be quite the specialist. Usually the higher the more cultivated they are into a specific role.

Siv: Well there's a first for everything. I don't really want to say why but yeah I guess you got the right idea.

Nex: The rest of the Vanta team are still recuperating. I wouldn't be surprised if they would wake up within the first two cycles.

So this was the Vanta squad that everyone in the Platform talks so highly about! I've never actually seen them in person because they're always being sent on kill missions. To be on the Vanta team, an Adamian has to pass the 90% combat scores to even have a chance. The trials are much more dangerous from what I've heard but the rest are hidden in secret to make sure everyone doesn't just study to be Vanta. One was a bulked up person that had red spiked up hair, he was clearly the vanguard of the team. Two was their recon, being the speedster meant going into dangerous areas of the terrain no matter what and get back to relay the information. He was much thinner compared to Volv. Siv also had a bunch of scars on his left hand. Siv had long rugged dark hair that he didn't seem to wash. It almost looked greasy even. No doubt from the amount of running he's been doing all his cycles. Siren had a purple hair bob cut was the one thing that stood out to me. I haven't seen anyone with natural purple hair in the academy so it was my first time seeing it up close. She also wore her mask indoors. It only covered her mouth probably for safety reasons while her eyes remained seen by everyone. Those cold stares looked unforgiving.

Nex: Are you sure Siv should be here? He's still obviously injured. He needs to rest more.

Siv: I don't want to miss a single thing okay. I at least want to know what my team is all about. Being completely clueless just isn't my style.

Siren: Anyway, what's the situation now? We just got our ass handed down to us like we were children.

Volv: That had to be at least an S class Adamian. They don't call her the goddess of war for a reason.

Nex: An X class?

Volv: There are usually four classes that the Vanta team are usually advised on. "A", being a normal class Adamian. Usually these are the runts that go AWOL during class. Sometimes they can't handle it so they run or defect from stupid reasons. Nothing too serious.

Siren: Then comes "X" class. These are the big ones in the field. These Adamians are usually black ops specialists. Stronger variants. Usually these ones take a couple of attempts. Turning points tend to be extreme orders from the platform like unauthorized genocide and treason against the Platform. They can't stomach it that they go rogue.

Siv: Then there "S" class Adamians. These ones are the utmost important to take down. They say that these ones have some important information on Platform. Very very dangerous for every Adamian to do that. Nothing leaves the Platform without permission.

Volv: Last are the "XK" classes. These are a mystery even to us. From what I know, there's only been one XK class. Though it was a long time ago. Records have already been redacted at that point.

Siv: I wouldn't mind fighting an XK any time of day. Give me a shot and I'll beat em up!

Volv: That's what you said to this and she was classified as X.

Siv: Shut it! I thought for sure it was just an over classification. Now that I know what we're fighting, I can bring my A game.

Volv: You should remember that our job requires us to be careful. We can't just go on a full assaults with confidence.

Siv: Tch, whatever. Maybe you do.

Siren: You did break your leg after all. Just stick to a plan.

Siv: I said shut it! I get it.

Olley: If you were to rebrand her. What should she be? That girl I mean.

Volv: She's the closest thing to fighting an XK class that's for sure. She's way beyond what an S class would be. Her instinct, raw power, and imagination was just too much.

Siv: She's beyond an S but we never fought an XK so we wouldn't know.

Volv: If it weren't for the fact that we blew up the hatchery and rescued Arc, that whole skirmish would've been a complete failure.

Arc: She is part of the first series. Those are naturally strong.

Siv: Even then we took more negatives than positives. I mean why did we even rescue this blonker anyway? He's just going to be another vile when we come back to the Platform.

Volv and Siren both smack the head of Siv. Though I understand his point of reasoning. I just don't think that the people around him agree with it. Honestly, I wouldn't have wanted to rescue me because of how dangerous it is to go on a rescue operation for one person. Nex looked extremely annoyed and frustrated too. Olley was holding her AWD but I put my hand across from her to stop her from making anymore moves. Siv was just one of those people that like to speak his mind.

Volv: Every human is worth saving. In the end, it's our job to do operations like these. We aren't just a kill squad.

Siv: Tell that to the scars on my arms. Every single of these were irredeemable. Those fuckers didn't serve anything.

Olley: Gross…

Siv: Stare at it well. These are the Adamians that I've killed. It doesn't get any easier killing my own kind but those are my duties to the Platform. Whatever it takes, isn't that right Nora?

As he said that name, he touched a necklace that was hanging off of his neck. It must've been someone pretty important. The necklace had a rough Umberium crystal as it's center piece. It's strange dark cosmic purple stood out the more he fiddled with it. Volv looked away when he spotted the crystal.

Siv: If the Platform had any other way to change that we wouldn't need to kill, then I'm sure that Nora would've been happy.

Volv: That's enough Siv.

Siren: …

Volv: Vanta team is honored to help in any operations that the yellow squad would request. It's not everyday that a class sees each other.

Nex: It'll be a lot of help that's for sure.

Olley: I got a question Arc. Is there some kind of strange ranking in the Platform? They seem quite respectful to you guys.

Siren: There are rankings.

Siv: It's just these guys are the crazies that prefer the hardest of the hard so the fresh ones don't just die.

Olley: Fresh ones?

Nex: There are no restrictions to which class you're put in. So if your team doesn't pick a class, it gets chosen for you. Some teams fresh out of the academy have had to handle S or XK type of classes. And well, it doesn't end well for them. Some don't even send out a transponder to say that the mission has ended with the bare minimum. Meaning... they died.

Siren: It's because of this team that they never have to suffer through S or XK classes.

Arc: That's why we're often called the suicide squad.

Siv: You lot are crazy. No matter what, this team manages to get by somehow. The longest living suicide squad if I say so myself.

Volv: Then show a little respect Siv.

Siv: But hey! We do hard classes too. Just saying.

Siren: Then why haven't you recruited yourself to be a yellow squad member?

Siv: It's because I love easy missions. We kill, we turn on the transponder, and we go home. Simple.

Olley: Oh! I'm sorry for asking so much. I was just a bit curious

Arc: It's alright. This is probably the most information that a non Adamian has ever heard.

Nex: Well we do owe her after all. She was the first one to help us out.

Siv: Be grateful kid, not everyone can just hop into a AWD combat armor for free like that.

Olley: Yes! Of course! Thank you very much.

Arc: Stop it already, we got other matters to attend to. So what's the situation now?

Nex: So we got good news and bad news… The good news is that I think we might be finished with our original goal of acquiring what makes Able the way he is. Eliza said she could volunteer to help out our scientists in the Platform how to recreate Able. While that whole situation happened, I managed to get the remaining code with the help of Olley.

Arc: So what's the bad news?

Nex: Well… we're stuck here.

Arc: What do you mean we're stuck here?!

Nex: The Platform sent us a message along with the Vanta team. They said that we needed to take down Terra together. We're under a joint class assignment with the Vanta team now.

Volv: An honor of course.

Siren: Ditto.

Siv: Eh…

Nex: Then we also got a secondary mission specifically for us. They want us to further investigate this serum. These abominations aren't just monsters. They were people. Unless we find the documentation of the serum, we don't have a real clue on what is going on with these things.

Arc: Did Eliza have an idea?

Nex: No, this was solely the work of Peter. We can't allow pseudo magic to run around the galaxy. If they manage to perfect it then it might be used for destructive purposes.

Volv: It's already bad enough that the Mox accords are still heavily against our race to be independent. This would probably tip the scales to have an all out attack against us humans. They might even want the Platform to be some kind of military division for the United Republic.

Siv: I could see the headlines now! The Platform used as a weapon for peace? Or mass destruction? That'll definitely scare the kids.

Volv: Anything political would definitely be something that the Platform would like to avoid.

Nex: Well, we have something in our sleeve just in case something requires us to go all out..

Arc: It better be an army or something because Terra isn't just going to give us the laboratory.

Olley: The Touma's said they saw the shit landing on the far east section of Hyer. They're probably making repairs on the ship.

Volv: Planning to go airborne again huh. Well they definitely have the advantage if they're back up. Most of our troops would have to fly up and they can just shoot us down.

Siv: I'm also practically useless unless I'm on the shit itself.

Siren: Yes.

Arc: So what was that help. It sounds like we might need it after all.

Nex: Well do you remember that Eliza had Able do things in Talos?

Arc: Yeah what about it?

Nex: Well, we got full control of Talos now. We managed to get the whole Talos mechanical army on our side. Eliza managed to find control of the place when they were busy on the ship with you. Now we have our own giants.

Arc: A bit much huh.