Tag Archives: AD7

Champions of Battle: AD7 – Awakening #039

Rubin’s Palace Science Facility – Active Research Quarters:

Thick walls of stone, compressed steel, and electromagnetic shielding held 8-7’s quarters but one would not notice from the inside.  The multiple room apartment was well furnished with white fluffy couches, thick wooden tables, holographic projection entertainment, and other amenities one would only find in the best apartments.  Plush carpets were accented with marble areas and trim while carved ivory shelves and counters shined in in the kitchen.  

The lavish decor remained unused as 8-7 lay face up on the stone floor.  There, she set into power save mode to think about what had happened on that busy and informative day.  It took only a few moments for her to realize what she had to do.  Only the proper methods were questioned at this point.

Though the mechanical lady had only been awake for half a day,  she had a fairly good grip on her current situation.  The researcher’s reactions and the scientist’s questions spoke volumes.  She took in all that happened around her to know how best to act and what she could and could not say.  In the end, she was certain that she gained more information than she gave.

Hours after waking, she had met their lead scientist, Doctor Yu, and had an interview.  The doctor seemed nice enough and even excited to meet 8-7.  However, every now and then, 8-7 noted slight twitches in Doctor Yu’s face.  Many of the questions were about random parts of mechanical life.  Only a few of the questions were serious and accusing.  It was clear that the Doctor did not want to ask these questions.  Perhaps they needed to be asked.  One such question stood out.

Why did your machines attack Rubin’s army?

“…your machines…”  The doctor thought that she was the master of the machines.  Naturally, because they all thought she was Master.  What then?  Would Master turn herself into a machine?  That would be overly foolish.  Master would never allow her free will to be reprogrammed.  

Apparently, they thought she would.  It was evident in her future weapons test.  The powerful Hanja characters covering 8-7 were silent as they had been for five decades.  8-7 noted that their untapped energy baffled the scientist.  Not only were they surprised that she was so powerful without their use, they wanted to see everything that she could do.  

They will see soon enough.  These scientists had a high respect for her power but a low expectations of Master’s reasoning.  Perhaps after they meet Master they will know what they do and don’t want to know.

“…attack Rubin’s army…”  Master’s commands were to protect the wall, protect.  The mission was one sided.  No one far enough from the wall would be in any danger.  To avoid battle, any Adventurer would only have needed to withdraw.  Signs were clearly posted and well kept.  Somehow a cloud of ignorance or overactive patriotism made them forget.  I’ll have to be extra careful around such people.

The question was past tense so the battle had to be over.  8-7 remembered the initial conflicts with Rubin’s army.  They were not that much of a threat while Master was in control.  However, things must have turned for the worse as evident by her current location.  The mech-army would have fought until the last of them were defeated and she was here with enemies.  The machines must have failed.  How do I get back?  

She remembered the sight of Rubin’s Banner but had not seen the large red “R” since she had woke up.  Apparently, they were trying to hide who they were so that she would not attack them.  They feared her power but wanted her to be friendly with them; perhaps even befriend them.  It was only fitting that she play along while pretending to be Master.

Their act was of no use as she knew exactly where she was.  The repeater droid told her all that she needed.  It was the greatest of fortune that she had been able to speak with the ball shaped droid for a few seconds.  That was more than enough time for the machines to discuss an overview of events of the last twenty years.  

The wall had been abandoned for that long.  There was little hope that it was still intact.  However, Master’s bots were everywhere in this place.  They were just behind a shield of some kind.  It shouldn’t be long before she would be free to send a message to them again.

8-7 recognized freedom, she didn’t have it here.  Soon she and all of Master’s droids will have it again and the wall will be safe.

#1 – Awakening #38 – Awakening #40

Champions of Battle: AD7 – Awakening #038

Sanity – Training and Equipment District

With the help of Sanity’s training facility, AD7 relearned some of her old skills quickly- really quickly.  The whole ordeal was quite different than she had expected.  Back in her day, both a physical and mental strain was needed to relearn techniques after so long.  However, the “training” she’d received up to this point had been more like unlocking old consciousness with a computer.  

The change made sense to AD7 given the new technology of the day.  She had quite literally been brought back to life from a burn corpse.  So a little memory reconstruction was more than plausible.  Unfortunately, the machine and its magic couldn’t do everything.  Although she knew how to do some of her more basic moves, only brief portions of her past came to light.

Instead, AD7 was reminded of more changes due to the past.  Her old pride and joy, the Engineering Talent Set, was no more.  Instead of building odd machines, there was a Mech Talent Set that used mechanical suits.  She could make and alter another suit.  However, she already knew that her friend Eighty-Seven would get very jealous.

Currently, AD7 was taking a break from the whole training ordeal.  Her pulsing head had long since told her it was time to stop.  She had followed Keyanna’s excited suggestion to look at weapons and walked with her to their next location.

Keyanna seemed to know more about AD7 than she knew about herself.  That in itself was disturbing, but Keyanna only got more and more excited about sharing what she knew as they talked.  She even knew everything about AD7’s old weapon, more than what was comfortable.

As they talked, AD7 tried to be polite and maintain a bit of normalcy, but Keyanna made this very difficult.  Instead of walking beside her and talking normally, she hopped sideways while facing AD7.  AD7 could see the excitement in her eyes with a single glance but tried to look foreward.  Honestly, Keyanna was so giddy that AD7 was surprised she hadn’t already been tackled by a screaming fan.

“Past videos had shown you using weapons like this,” Keyanna smiled and almost screamed like a fangirl.  

AD7 managed a look at Keyanna.  She looked down to see that Keyanna had a large weight in each hand that she was quite proud of.

“It’s strange,” Keyanna started again. “They’re very famous but very difficult to duplicate and are very, very hard to use,” she paused to take a breath, “but we managed it.”

AD7 took what was a replication of this famous icon.  This “weapon” was nothing more than, two large and very heavy spherical weights connected by a chain that had to be at least more than a decimeter long.  One of the weights had an enchant on it that looked fiery and explosive, slightly slippery and warm to the touch.  The other weight seemed a little heavier and was much colder.  

The chain was very thin- thinner than it should be.  She measured out a centimeter of chain and decided to give it a test swing.  One swing was all it took for her to judge the weapon.  She was certain that if forced to use this thing as a weapon, she and many others around her would really need a healer.

“I don’t think I can use this,” AD7 said simultaneously disappointed and frustrated.

  “What’s wrong with it?”

“I… I can’t use this.”  AD7 was on the verge of tears.  She had relearned her talents.  She knew this weapon was used with her talents.  It felt familiar but incredibly unwieldy.  Why couldn’t she use it!?

“We’ll have to try something else then.”

“No,” AD7 sternly corrected, “the weapon is fine.  I’ll just have to learn to use it again.”

#1 – Awakening #37 – Awakening #39

Champions of Battle: AD7- Awakening #036

With little additional thought, Tosca followed her sisters to the royal garage.  The three of them always, always, always had meals together after work, without exception.  It’s been their routine for the longest of times.  It didn’t matter how the day went.  Every evening, the three of them shared a meal, did an activity, and then went to their separate apartments.  It just wouldn’t feel right for things to change, even today.

The three ladies began their practiced path through Rubin’s Castle.  The transition of architecture was stunning.  Cold, emotionless, plain lab walls were quickly replaced by the tapestries, polished marble floors, and expensive displays of the palace.  The regal elegance caught Tosca’s eye every time the three found an excuse to walk through.

Every now and then, there was a surprise.  A new token or trophy was displayed.  A new exotic rug from who knows where was placed near their path.  Regardless, everything in the palace was perfectly clean and cared for.  Things were definitely classier than they were ten years ago.  It was nice to see how Rubin’s style changed over the years.  Everything was stunning.  However, the best part of the evening still had to be the time the sisters would spend eating together.

The excitement or difficulty of a day usually affected the class of meal they had.  And with all the buzz throughout the facility and Adrianne’s excited tests, news about their new friend’s progress was exciting enough to warrant meal at the Bosstown Ge’s.  No doubt, Adrianne learned incredible things from watching the mechanized woman in action.  In any case, they probably would not hear anything about it tonight.

Work topics rarely made it into their after-work conversations; they were usually top secret.  Besides, they had far too many important things to sort out, especially this time of year.  The Trails were coming up.  They had to get ready to face any challenge thrown their way.  And while Rubin’s Trail turned out to be a wonderful and prosperous kingdom, it never hurt to have two.

The three ladies made up the active part of team Leuk Aga1n, a leading group in the royal clan Rubin’s Trail Mix.  Capable warriors, they fought alongside many other champions to defend the boundaries and honor of Rubin’s Trail.  However, Leuk Aga1n’s main focus was research and developing weapons for the clan and the kingdom.

As they reached the royal garage, Adrianne took the lead flanked closely by Chaeri on her left and Tosca on her right.  After hearing about their discussion earlier, she was surprised that Tosca was following so closely.  Of course, Tosca was the mentally tough one.  She had a much stronger character than Adrianne could muster on the best of days.

Entering the royal garage also never got old.  The lavish cleanliness and expensive style continued even here.  Not a speck of oil or fluid was on the light concrete flooring.  In the distance Rubin’s Royal Shuttle, a sleek black monster of a ship, menaced; even while resting.  Very heavily armed and elegant, it was a combination of Rubin’s older and newer tastes.

As always the kingdoms standard, the simplified sketch of a red trail through the woods, took its place on all the fighter ships.  It was also prominent on the king’s ship and the walls of the garage.

Spotting Dr. Yu, a few of the pilots rushed to their ships.  There were a few questions from her friends about the guards following them.  As a response, Adrianne told the quick story of the gankers she ran into.  In the end, she was just happy to be alive and thankful that Chaeri thought to call the sky guard to help her.  They were all happy for the guard’s foresight to follow along today.

Adrianne’s amazement continued as she spotted her ship among the many docked there.  After the morning’s excitement with the gankers, Silent Blur was covered in scorch marks and other debris.  Only half a day later, it looked as good as new.  The minty-lemon scent gave testimony of the royal garage staff’s tireless work.  Not a speck of soot or sap was on her ship.

Adrianne paused, Chaeri and Tosca followed suit.  “Ready?” she asked.  With no objections, they entered Silent Blur for another daily adventure.

#1 – Awakening #35 – Awakening #37