The Reaper’s Legion

Chapter 114

Dexter

-Matthew Reaper P.O.V.-

White flared across my vision at the same time as an all encompassing, monolithic sound wrapped my senses in an iron grip. For the briefest of moments, I reached out with all of my senses for possibilities, the most pressing of which would be a nuclear weapon deployment.

Yet, I felt no pain beyond the sharp noise, no explosion beyond the thunderclap that hit my chest.

The voice in the back of my mind said one thing, with utmost pleasure. As it did so, I felt and saw the image flare across my own processing.

‘The Raijin Field has been repaired. Good work, Terry.’ I listened, turning my attention back to the biotics around me. Always I was aware of the Knights presence, they were a part of my mission. And now was a unique opportunity to carve through larger numbers of them.

In the breadth of a second I processed all of this before the sonic reverberations throughout the battlefield crashed against my suits sensors. I could fight blind so long as noise was abundant, motion sensors and a veritable battery of short range sonar gave me prescience within a few meters.

And with it, I dominated the biotics nearby brutally. Their wailing and confused screeches mingled with gurgling as I swept my swords through less armored throats and mouths. I’d learned that cutting in through the mouth, albeit less pronounced than most other biotics, was far more effective at beheading the biotics than most of the neck. While possible to get through at the right angles, their neck armor was a presence I could do without.

Efficiency was king, I would need to use the least amount of my resources as possible to extend my rampage. Caloric needs were one of them - my body was still limited by the need to repair my pseudo-flesh - and power needs were another. The suit itself would likely take the increased pressures in stride, my power armor was designed for this and more.

Exploring my boundaries was an experience, and thus far I’d found that my power armor could take any needs I threw at it. I pushed, flexed, rolled, struck out at odd angles, demanded incredible torque and pressure on awkward portions of my suit, and more. It kept up at every portion, turning my body into my marionette, myself donning the cowl of the Reaper himself.

I felt my other voices shake their heads as I embraced the symbology further.

‘Good, so my computer self is an egomaniac, too,’ I heard him say. That almost seemed like a bad thing, even though we were for all intents and purposes far more efficient a murderer than anyone else on the battlefield.

Save for the Raijin Field, that was luckily a weapon that would remain king for some time.

But, all things must eventually end. I wove my way back through the lines, dozens of suddenly dead and dying Centaur in my wake as I reached the gates once more.

The Knights there stood straight as they renewed their formation, baulking at the death that I’d wrought in mere moments of undefended opportunity.

“Glad he’s on our side,” I heard one of the Knights laugh in relief as the Centaur glared upwards at us, confused at the sudden space between us.

The horde was nearly spent, and in a heartbeat I watched as dozens more evaporated into a silver mist, Daniel’s heavy weapons roaring out, mulching tissues and biotic bone as easily as a gardener could churn fresh soil. Darting strikes with arrows filled the gaps, and further control from Fran mitigated even more movement.

As the next few minutes of depleted fighting wore on, I gradually relinquished control back to the others, satisfied in my mission. Astoundingly, it was a flawless completion, aside from some injuries upon the Knights.

They’d all survived, my limits tested, and the mission completed.

It was a good day.

When finally Reaper’s Eye wore off it felt like I was somehow fitting myself into another shoe. Only, the shoe was me, and the bulk of my processing power and the like was the foot.

I was left with the distinct awareness that my so-called Trance was closer to a limiting frame of reference that was me, and at once wasn’t me.

Glaring out at the biotics, I also recognized one other fact.

‘Oh god that hurts…’ I stifled a groan as my bio-steel body eagerly notified me that it was fixing itself, strands of muscle and strained tendons regenerated with calories and, to my chagrin, a few points of matter energy.

I’d done some considerable fringe testing of my capabilities, alright, enough that I was pretty sure that if I didn’t have this body, I’d be a quivering pile of meat on the floor. Even with my bio-steel body, I had to make a concerted effort to shut out the pain in order to function.

Which, I realized, was exactly what the other mind was doing.

‘At least I figured out how to change parameters after activation,’ I let out a relieved sigh at the steadily vanishing pain. Now when I entered the trance there’d be ways for me to influence how things were done. Already, though, I felt my awareness increase, my mind both more and less fluid. Pre-designed responses that had been cultivated by Reaper’s Eye were still there, but I now had the imaginative flexibility of being myself to use.

It was unlikely that I’d not need to use that trance again, but at the least it seemed to have some fringe benefits.

When the last of the biotics lay dying, the Knights clubbing the few that made it to us to death with long pole-arm weapons, the cheering began. I joined in, clapping the larger framed Knights on the shoulders, who returned the gesture with beaming smiles.

It was difficult not to fall over with all of them doing it, though.

“That was amazing,” Alice dropped from the wall as the Knights made space for the rest of my team.

Daniel laughed and held out a fist to me, which I bumped as he jovially said, “you’re a biotic blender, man, good shit.”

Fran let out a long, relieved breath before saying aloud, “I’m so glad that’s over.”

I nodded to them, including the Knights, “we did good work. Now, from the sound of it, it sounds like the western side held too.”

“We’ll stick around until someone comes to relieve us,” one of the elder Knights among the group spoke, “would be pretty embarrassing if a lone biotic wandered in after all of this.”

“Sounds good.” I shook the man’s hand, our groups separating in high spirits as Shade emerged from nearby, having been doing strafing runs over the horde previously.

“I don’t know about any of you,” I began, “but I’m in the mood for a nice hot shower, food, and sleep.”

“Same, after I check on Richard,” Alice said, still cheerful, though tinged with a somber note.

I grimaced, realizing that Richard was still injured, fairly badly at that. “Something tells me he’ll be upset that he missed all of this.”

Alice chuckled lightly, “maybe.”

We got into Shade, moving quickly to the western wall as we allowed ourselves to relax and breath. It was clear that Alice was still worried about Richard, and now that everything in between had fallen away, she wanted to be by his side as soon as possible.

Thankfully, the battle at the west was already over as we flew overhead, circling once - though the Knights and Legion below cheered at the sight - before landing in the clearing Axiom had made in the road.

Harris allowed them some time to bask in the afterglow of success before issuing orders. Already I was directing my Legion to their new tasks, something we were quite familiar with by now. Cleanup after battles was just as important as the battle itself.

At least, some superficial cleaning. The bulk of the repairs would certainly take more than our own efforts to accomplish in a short time. We secured our perimeter, ensuring the few automated defenses we bore were active.

And, of course, our long range sensors told us a story of absolute silence. No biotic lingered along the edges.

The only one that remained was the shaggy behemoth that lay on its side, slowly breathing in and out, even as Harris approached it from the semi-circle that surrounded it.

“I guess that’s Gravedigger.” I murmured, shocked at the size of the biotic. It was almost as large as a Carrier, and as it steadily looked outwards upon the group, I noted the glint of intelligence it bore in its eyes.

Harris sat next to it, as it rested, and I watched as it closed its eyes, sleeping. Others nearby seemed entranced by the sight, and I realized only belatedly the gentle caress of a psychic field against my metal mind.

It did little to nothing to me, but I imagined the fact that everyone was remarkably calm was due to this pervasive force. Whether Harris was the source or the biotic, I was uncertain.

I turned to Alice, “you can take Shade to get to Richard, if you’d like.”

She’d been shifting from foot to foot, a restless energy. The woman smiled widely, and then surprised me with a quick, darting hug. Just as quickly, she began moving again, exo-suit propelling her at a sprint into Shade’s cockpit. I shook my head helplessly, directing shade to transport her.

“Now, where’s Terry?” I asked, turning my attention around. I glanced at the generator, seeing the man still hunched over in his suit. I smiled, finding it just like Terry to avoid a boisterous celebration in favor of his technology.

Then I realized his suit wasn’t just hunched over. It was sparking intermittently with electricity, and the man himself, barely visible within the glassy cockpit, was slumped over.

“Terry!” I shouted out, moving before the word even left my mouth. As I did so, others took notice, and realized something amiss, though not what it was yet. The closer I got, the more I realized what could have happened.

He was linked to the generator, his mech providing what the generators seemingly couldn’t.

“You crazy motherfucker,” I snarled just before stopping short, feeling ionization around. “Terry!”

I shouted at him, reaching forward only to receive an immediate and painful shock of electricity. Swearing loudly, I shook my hand out, realizing that the electricity had ridden straight through my suit.

Again, I shouted his name, “Terry! Can you hear me?”

A moment later, several long feathers sheared through the wires connecting him to the generator, and all at once the system shut off. I didn’t spare a moment to dive forward, clamping onto the edge of the cockpit.

I groaned as my fingers dug into the lip of the lid, and with a snarl through my teeth and my power armor, I snapped it open.

Quickly I reached inside, tearing the harness apart as I strove to lift Terry out of the mech.

He stirred as I did so, “w-wha?”

“Terry, can you hear me?” I asked, still dragging him out when I realized that there was another part of the harness still attached to him at the spine. I frowned at the sight, noting it was far more secure than I’d thought it should be.

“Don’t touch, don’t touch,” he wheezed out, “my legs hu-”

He froze, eyes going wide in wonder. I frowned and was about to ask what was wrong, but the iron grip of his hands against my head stopped me, with no small amount of concern.

“Matt, my legs hurt.” He said.

I frowned, “then we should get them looked at.”

“No, I mean, they hurt!” He beamed with a broad smile, and I felt my own eyes go wide in realization.

“Holy shit.” I breathed, “you can feel them?”

Tears welled within his eyes as he sat himself back down, gingerly. “Yeah. And yeah, I know.”

I blinked, opening my mouth before he spoke again, “well, it worked, didn’t it? Not like you had a better idea.”

“Terry.” I started, “who are you talking to?”

His smile twitched, “uhh… nobody.”

The console of his mech sputtered, and if I didn’t know any better I’d say it was agitated.

“I need you to shut up,” he turned his head and whispered so low that I’d probably have been the only one who could hear it.

“Terry.” My helmet slid away so he could look me in the eyes, “who are you talking to?”

He opened his mouth, but the mech itself answered through the speakers, though distorted from damage. “Dexter.”

Terry grinned sheepishly, “j-just an A.I., nothing serious.”

I glanced down, seeing the sticky pad that was connected to the base of his spine, recognizing it as a prototype piece to the Reaver’s.

An exasperated breath left my lips, “Terry.”

He noted my glance, and knew that there wasn’t any way out of this.

“Alright, it was a good idea, and in my defense things have been great between me and Dexter. I mean, I’m sorry that I stole that A.I. tech, but it’s just been so handy-”

“Terry, it’s an A.I. that can overwrite your brain if it gets uninhibited access to it.” I stopped him cold, “tell me you can remove it.”

He blinked, as though suddenly realizing that, yes, that might be unwise to have. And, in the same moment, crossed his arms with a huff, “it’s not like he’s permanently attached there, the chipset is…”

He frowned, and then put a hand to the back of his neck.

“Shit.”

I watched as he disconnected the strap at the base of his spine, the elastic device coming off after he turned a nob enough. With a sick slap, he was now free of the mech.

I listened to him grumble several strings of curses as I stared at him.

“He’s still there, isn’t he?” Neutrally, I spoke, not wanting to spook Terry further.

After all, Smith and I had gotten along quite well.

Terry swallowed hard, looking up to me with grimace, “yeah. Yeah he is.”

I didn’t say anything, just extending my hand to him and bringing him out of the mech. His legs were weak, as they should be from disuse, and he cringed and whimpered a few times when they came into contact with something.

“Oh, god, it’s like pins and needles,” he half laughed through gritted teeth, “it better not be like this all the time.”

“Let’s get you to the infirmary so we can check some things out.”

“Like what?”

“Like if you’ve suddenly got a chip at the base of your skull.” I pointed out, “or if a part of your brain is metal, now.”

He blinked rapidly before nodding, “yeah, you know what, lets go to the infirmary, that sounds good.”

The others followed us, stunned silent that Terry seemed to be moving his legs, albeit not very well.

‘Well, hopefully this Dexter A.I. isn’t insane.’ I thought to myself, wondering what Terry would be dealing with in the future. ‘Probably not as bad as Wolvey or Reaper’s Eye.’

As though to illustrate the point, I felt pushback from both of those other parts of my mind.