Chapter 149: The Wardens

[Please place your palm on the- Authorized. Welcome, Ma*ria&# K*(“:]Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m

The pneumatic double doors hissed as they slid apart, revealing a glistening white corridor starkly contrasting the surrounding blackened rocks in the underground cavern. A colder gust blew forth from within, the positive pressure blasting the dirty air particles outside, buffeting against the dark green stripes of a female exosuit.

Her boots clicked in rhythm as she strutted through the corridor, the blinding bright white LEDs strips guiding her down while the doors slammed shut behind her, sealing instantly. She glanced at the two automated turrets that hung from above, retreating slowly into their previously inconspicuous slots.

In every corner, a tracking camera marked her every motion, the red glare of its lens prominent while she ignored it, continuing to walk briskly past various rooms. Their glass windows revealed clean rooms, filled with humans carefully manufacturing small little electronic chips bristling with arcia energy as automated test chambers ran multiple sequences on them, pushing them to their breaking point.

Another room featured various Galactic Era weapons, with a test firing range even for corvette cannons and point defence cannons, dummy targets made of reinforced aluminium or titanium slammed repeatedly by the automated firing system, with researchers watching scrolling screens of monitors, examining the results on recoil, accelerations and angular momentums imparted onto a simulation of a spaceship.

She was not the only one walking through the corridor, with various other workers moving past her as they ferried cybernetic parts, nerval spines, armour plates and weapons to and fro between the various rooms, all encased in a controlled acrylic container.

“Matriarch, how good of you to finally join us. I was getting bored of being alone with these old farts down here.” A young man smiled as he stood in her path, his exosuit far dwarfing that of the Matriarch, with his battle-worn plates having clear streaks of combat and carved marks signifying energy beam hits that seared through the top layer. His shoulders were far higher than him, protecting his head in the centre of the exosuit while his nerval jack controlled the rest of the hydraulics and actuation. “I assume you are here to discuss your recent... disappointment.”

“Far from it. Soren will find his place in our society.” The Matriarch spoke dismissively, though her voice betrayed a tinge of irritation. “However, regardless of how he has fared, your judgement on my clan members is unwarranted. It’s best to stick to your own business.”

“Fiery, just like your mother before you. I apologise.”

“Accepted.”

The Matriarch would have much preferred to keep walking in silence, but the chatty young man was not letting her go that easily. “I heard you’ve also lost the Keru Forest Dungeon in Versia to a rogue user at that. What a shame, that dungeon was quite right for our next generation.”

“Don’t talk like it never happened to you. Need I remind you what your father decided to do?”

“I take no responsibility over my father’s insane acts. His actions are not mine.”

“And likewise: Soren’s actions are not mine.” The Matriarch snapped back. “You can hardly expect a novice user to defend an entire dungeon. Either way, it is not over yet. I plan to ask the Archivist for permission to launch an attack squad.”

The young man lost his previously jovial mood. “The Archivist will never agree to such a proposal. It is far too dangerous.”

“There is only one user to deal with – the exposure will be limited.”

“I assume you have already tried to use the Warden Drones?”

“I stayed within the predefined limits.”

“If three Warden Drones were insufficient, then an attack squad would be overkill and expose us directly. The user must be well prepared in that case. Did he come from beyond the Great Waves?”

“I am unsure of his origin. The scouts have reported no signs of infiltration on New Nedrasa.”

“The scouts may be wrong – if he is from beyond, then we will have to go back into hiding once more until the Archivist is ready.”

Their conversation came to a halt as they reached their destination, a large conference room where there were a dozen seats, all centred around a holographic representation of the continent that loomed over the people seated. Various red marks were highlighted on the area, with each seat having its own personalised view of the continent.

The other clan leaders were all there as well, with only the Matriarch and the old man being the last ones. The two separated, heading to their own seats. The Matriarch saw the visualisation of the underground in front of her, with the multiple attack squads and marked enemy locations constantly changing and evolving.

“The quarterly meeting will proceed as per usual.” Another clan leader spoke clearly as she led the meeting, swiping her hands in front of her as a holographic agenda appeared in front of all the members. “First off, an update from the observation department.”

“Yes, but we cannot assume the scouts are always right. If the rebels have found a way to sneak in, then it is only right that we figure out how.”

[How many Warden Drones?]

“Three, with one destroyed.”

[Self-destructed?]

“Yes.”

[Then it is impossible for the user to be from the rebels. They know all about the drones’ self-destruct capability and would have put in measures to capture one alive. It has happened before.]

“With all due respect, Archivist, the last confrontation was over three hundred years ago.”

[... What are you proposing?]

“An attack squad. Three of my clan members will capture him for interrogation.”

An audible gasp went through the other clan leaders, whispering among each other as the Archivist’s eyes flickered, contemplating the plan.

[What is the rogue user doing now?]

“He is currently amassing political and military forces in Versia. It would be fair to say that half of the country is under his indirect rule.”

[Has he prominently stated that he is a user?]

“Not yet, no. Preliminary observations indicate that only a rare few know of his system.”

[Then the proposal is rejected.] The Archivist declared. [I will not tolerate any distractions or wildcards during the final stages of my project. You are to not retaliate in any form that will expose us to the surface. Maintain observation on him for now. All updates are to be directly sent to me.]

“Yes, Archivist.” Matriarch Yue did not try to fight back against the Archivist’s decision, though internally, she fumed slightly, being unable to rid herself of the mark of incompetence. Every other clan leader was already looking down on her for being unable to even control a novice dungeon, irritating her even more. However, she did not show it on her face, remaining passive.

The Archivist did not bother himself with the rest of the meeting, retreating to his own personal lab in a separate part of the large underground complex. He marched past large hangar bays, where a modified corvette was being prepared for launch. The various workers immediately bowed when they saw the Archivist, their bodies trembling slightly as they watched the towering cyborg walk past them, a relic of the Heavenly War.

In his personal lab, the Archivist let out a huge sigh as the lab doors closed behind him. His vision was filled with warnings of destabilising components, dropping synchronisation rates and invalid parts configuration. His very own cybernetic body was ailing; the resources, exotics and procedures were no longer available to maintain his specifications.

The power he had demonstrated in the clan leader meeting was to showcase his strength, lest they think him weak and attempt to wrestle control of the company. He needed to keep them compliant until his project was finished.

Any interruptions were unacceptable – the Archivist would not be able to handle a direct confrontation with anyone: the core, the rebels. Not even a rogue user would sway him when he was this close to completing his decades-long project. It would be foolish to start a conflict at this stage, which is why he rejected Matriarch Yue’s plan. If anything, that rogue user would only make it easier for me to take over.

At the very centre of the lab were five separate vats, each growing what seemed to be a fetus. However, their veins were brimming with arcia energy unlike anything seen before, yet the body was stable, not disintegrating.

The Archivist jacked a cable into his nerval jack at the base of his neck, the series of biological information and readings from the five fetuses scrolling through his vision. He activated a series of tests, with mechanical arms prodding the fetuses, drawing samples of stem cells and blood for him to analyse.

DNA readings flooded his brain, as the structure of the cell was maximised in his mind vision, allowing him to observe the integration of the ancient Arcian’s DNA into the human cell, changing its energy sequence to half rely on arcia energy as well. The Archivist grinned, though his missing mouth did not show the expression.

Finally, I will hold the ultimate power that my predecessors have all sought. I will be free of this metal cage and this accursed planet!