Chapter 19-19 Walltaker (II)

Chapter 19-19 Walltaker (II)

+Hey, Sevens, there's something popping up on the DeepNav. Pairing aerial imaging now. Scrambling interceptors from anchor [SE-SEC7].

Looks like some kind of subtle spatial distortion. Ninety kilometers ou

Shit, twenty now

Eight.

Its getting close. Too close. Fire up the Knots. Send

WARNING: PARADOX DETECTED

DOMAIN: (SPACE)

WARNING: RUPTURE DETECTED

DOMAIN: (SPACE)

WARNING: ENTROPIC OVERLAP DETECTED

BORDER WALL STABILITY COMPROMISED

REND CAPACITY [SE-7777]: 3%

Godsdammit. There goes my fucking lunch break.

ATTUNING NETHER BROADCAST SEQUENCES TO [OVERSEC-OPEN-PUBLIC]

Attention: we have spatial rupture right pressing right up against SE-7777! Repeat. Spatial rupture. Geometric fragments spiralingdeploying Rendsinks to contain leaking. Activating Knots. Sevens. Cast the Paladins. Get them down here. I have a feeling we need to be sending an emergency commission to the Agnosi soon for a wall patch. My guess is either a smuggler barge or a golem just fucked itself passing into SE-7777s area of influence.

Poor stupid shit. Guess they thought they could run the border.+

-Exorcist Kelenn Tens Nieyvyr

19-19

Walltaker (II)

Alright, Draus said, restarting the simulation with a thought. Lets run through one more time.

A detailed reconstruction of the SE-7777 border wall hovered at the center of the Command Nexus. Created from a mix of Nether scans and orbital imaging provided by Aegis, the towering pylon protruded from the depths of the Maw, its height rivaling that of even the highest Elysiums crowning the Tiers.

Near translucent threads passed through the hollow portals dotting the stretch of the structure, each voluminous length composed of countless strands representing all affected Domains. From pylon to pylon did these threads run, each section of the wall connected to countless others, with multiple redundancies in place to make a cascading collapse impossible. SE-7777 was but one of the few walls in its section, with several others that could assume its role should something fail in its design.

However, it stood as the sole dam choking a narrow passing of the Mawa geographic weakness inherited from the builders of old Noloth.

With everything within five hundred kilometers of SE-7777 mapped, the simulation reset itself as the avatar for their compromised barge moved down its designated route once more.

Things will begin with the payload, Avo said. Will alter the Heaven of a barge before setting it off. Ensure an easily triggerable spatial paradox. Detonation takes effect within 5 kilometers. Apply leakage directly. Fill it with dead smugglers just in case. Makes things more believable anyway.

Three markers appeared in incremental spots approaching the pylon. I scoped this area already, Draus said. Mostly dead zones in the gutters above. Ill be able to make and manifest the reflections in time while directly observing from above.

Emergency Knot response time? Avo asked.

Thirty seconds, Draus said. But well be movin fast. Jumpin from place to place and gettin close before they scramble.

Good, Avo said. Will have Chambers and White-Rab on standby if something goes wrong. Cripple their communications. Distort sensors. Low risk of failure.

So, I got a question right, Chambers said, pointing at the barges avatar. We know itll pop once it gets close to the wall, but why are the Paladins gonna give a shit again? Like, Syndis shit their pants all the time. This might just be a closer pants-shit than most.

Because were going to deliberately paradox a barge that has passed through SE-7777 before, Kae explained. Its current canons allow it to imprint itself on almost flat surfaces within a certain range of angularity. When it paradoxes and ruptures, the issue will make itself known quite obviously.

Will also be feeding related mem-data to Kare after this, Avo said. So we can push the Paladins to act if necessary.

Chambers smirked and nodded. Nova. So. After this, you light up Kassamond and Kare, make the former volunteer to oversee the border patching while the rookie ends up miraculously discovering a treasure trove of mem-data in the wreckage and winning her that sweet, sweet promotion.

Or just more influence, Tavers said. She shot Avo a look. Dont have her climb too fast. Or get lucky too much. Jealousy can make the other motherfuckers around you downright perspicacious.

An uncharacteristic sigh left Chambers. Aint that the nasty truth.

Memories from the mans template sang out to Avo. Moments from his past where he tried a little too hard or performed a little too well back in his ganger days. The other low lives didnt like Chambers outperforming them much. They cut that lesson into him that one midnight, timing their attack with the downpour so they could indulge without ending Chambers for good. Screaming agony echoed from inside Avo as the falling rain washed away wounds made by plunging blades and gnashing teeth.

Just one of the many instances when Chambers howled for death, but the city wouldnt let him go.

[Yep,] Chambers said, chuckling and somehow keeping his mind away from the torture, [shits something all juvs learn quick in the Warrens.]

After that, Kae said, pulling Avo away from his thoughts, a commission will be sent, and the Agnosi will respond. Except not! Except it will be us! She giggled, a strange expression overcoming her face. My identity will be changed, my body altered, and my thoughts masked. But me and Chambers will be off to the pylon so we can review the damage. She sighed as a distant expression came over her. I cant believe I have to become a spy to practice craft legally again. What is my life?

Two new shapes were formed by the simulation: floating vivianite lattices enmeshed in biomodded tissue made to be attached ones skull.

Got something you can use to blend in: proxies, Avo said. Recovered a few from some Incubi caches and a few prototypical versions from one of Waltons dead drops.

Draus shot Avo a look. Anything else thats good?

Mostly mem-data so far. Information. Knowledge about Necrotheurgy. Know how to build some of the proxies now though. Requires being able to construct a Metamind first. Might be able to do that with Kae and Calvino working together. Shouldnt be too complicated.

Kae nodded. The exo-ego stack-grafting process is not my specialty, but all Agnosi understand the steps. With the Stillborn, it shouldnt be too hard. Im more worried about the proxies, though. Do they even work? Is there a danger of compromise? It was used by the Incubi, no? Is it even usable for these purposes?

Yes, Avo said. Proxies are meant to be untraceable. Burner minds with a half-life that connects to and shuffles your base mind. Ensures no traceable data even if nulled. White-Rab is already done with them. Has the FATE-Skeins and counterfeit memories sequenced in. Made several gangers put them on as a test. Works.

Kae blinked. And then what happened to them. Avo opened and closed his mouth several times, chomping his teeth together. I should have expected.

Two profiles extended from below each proxy, showing two figures dressed in well-tailored suits of ashen gray. The first was of a woman around Kaes height but with skin a few tones softer, cheekbones a few inches higher, and eyes spaced a bit further apart. Her name was displayed as Agnos Iomae Hatherene. Across from her spun her counterpart, Agnos Nandu Yuewei, whose physical appearance could described as beyond grotesque with nose like a doorknob, dolloping ears, and drooping eyelids.

Chambers winced as he walked over and patted Kae on the back. Fuck, Kae. Im sorry.

Fuck, he whimpered. Godsdammit.

He could kill himself. Fry his brains in his restroom. No one would know of his shame. Know would know that he gave up.

But he would know, dammit. He would know that the five footlongs he ate for lunch won. He would know that he gave up because of a little discomfort, choosing resurrection over facing his consequences. Overcoming them.

Giving up wasnt what Jaus Avandaer was about. A quitter wasnt who First Sergeant Kassmon wanted to be. Clenching his teeth, he moved his finger away from the trigger and pistol-whipped himself for motivation. Come the fuck on, Kassmon. You got this. Cameawuugh!

The cry that tore out from his throat this time wasnt because of the pain in his stomach but the fact that his mind erupted into a chasm of soaring fire. Shit.]

Great. Perfect. Not this again. Ever since he got burned at Vengs Stand he felt weird. Felt like part of him was warped somehow. Now, as the Conflagration flowed out from an Auto-Seance hidden deep inside his innermost memories, he recalled everythingand more than a few new details from his template counterpart simulated within a certain ghouls memories.

+Kassamon,+ Avo said. +I need+ The ghoul choked back a note of discomfort. +What What is this.+

[Come back later,] Kassamon groaned. [Im taking a shit.]

An uncomfortable silence followed.

[Dude, you are in so much pain right now,] Two-Mag muttered.

[No shit,] Kassamon grunted.

[Thats kind of the problem, isnt it,] Abrel snickered.

[Fuck you.]

Avo sighed. +Kassamon. Have a new assignment for you to volunteer for. Giving you details now.+

[Sure. Whatever,] Kassamon sighed. [Youre not having me I dont know, help you eat puppies or something right?]

+No. Just doing something with the border wall.+

[...I prefer helping you eat puppies now.]

The ghoul grunted. Then, Kassamon suddenly felt an odd static pulse inside him. The tortuous weight that wouldnt come vanished, and in its place splashed a heated deluge from inside Kassamon.

The Paladin blinked as horror blossomed inside him. Shaking for another reason altogether now, he looked down between his legs and saw that the waters were stained dark red.

Loud hyena-like laughter sang out from Chambers. [Holy fuck, Avo, you popped the Paladins ass-cherry with your Heaven.]

Avo grunted. +Just helping. Tired of feeling him groan and writhe. Information coming in. Know youre about to shoot yourself. Do it in a second.+

[A-Avo,] Kassamon managed lamely. [Can can you make me not remember this? And clean up the mess.]

+Sure. Done with the adjustments. Shoot yourself now.+

Suddenly, the world jolted and Kassamon found himself tucking the barrel of his pistol under his chin, power settings low enough to fry his tissue, but not punch a hole in his ceiling. He resisted the strange compulsion to thank Avo just as he squeezed the trigger.

In the same instant the beam burrowed and boiled his brain matter, the embers of a roaring flame tunneled down through his Meta across the city, up the Tiers, into the mind of another Paladin

***

Kare was asleep when her mind ignited. Consciousness slammed down on her like a hammer, jolting her from the sheets as she recalled all that her template experienced over the past few days.

Jaus,] Kare choked, rolling from her bed. She was about to bounce her head off her nightstand when someone took hold of her body by the blood coursing inside her and planted her back upon the softness of her mattress. [I you oh, you Its you.] She groaned. [What I wouldnt give for you to just be a nightmare.]

+Cheer up. Here to make your dreams come true today instead.+

Mem-data and snippets of information took shape within her mind. She frowned as impossible predictions and understandings began to dawn. [You want me to be promoted?]

+Achieve some acclaim at least. Get more clout among the Paladins. Good for all of us.+

She frowned. [All of us.]

The ghoul had the audacity to chuckle. +City needs heroes. Reliable figures of virtue. Im just giving you a hand. Another thing. Will be coming up to the Tiers soon. Have another gift planned for you. How would you like to be the one who helps Naeko bring in some of the people behind Paladin Dawtons murder? Who framed Agnos Kae Kusanade?+

Suddenly, the disorientation inside her cleared. [Youre going to use me against Clan DRongo.]

+No. Going to use Paladins against them. So justice can follow after vengeance.+

He offered her a flash of insight into what he was planning, trickling in the mem-data that he obtained from a classified Ori-Thaum information node. Her breath hitched. Her stomach clenched. [This this is]

+Yes. Information about the responsible parties. Survivors of that night. Youre a good Paladin. You can find them. With my help. And your father. Uncle too. Together we can see things made right for once.+

Kare fought to control her breathing. [Youre not doing this for justice. You have your own aims.]

+No. This is for someone else. And I dont think she has the fortitude for murder. But just as well. Death might be too gentle. Too neat of an end. Have been thinking of ensuring another ending. Turning politics to my advantage.+

The Paladin bit her lip. [I will not help you hurt innocent people. I will not]

+I know. Everything you think. I know. Thats why Im giving this to you. This is an arrangement that is optimal for both of us. You practice your justice. I practice mine. And the city is served no matter what. You know Im not lying. Can feel it.+

She shivered despite herself. [I I okay. But]

But she never got to finish her words before fires governing her mind shifted, altering her memories, and the blood vessels inside her head burst.

When Kare woke again, she found herself with new knowledgenew hunches about Syndicate smuggling routes and a premonition that something was going to go wrong soon. Searching through her Meta, she encountered new installments mem-data that she didnt remember downloading, and accessed them after a moment of caution.

As the information loaded, and Kare found herself looking at some of Ori-Thaums most confidential operations, a yawning dread opened in the depths of her stomach as she struggled to remember how she obtained these details.

Only a haze lingered in her recollection. A haze, and an affirmation on her part.

Yet, despite her agreement, she couldnt shake the sense that she might have just made another bargain with something beyond her ability to fathom.