15

Yuller was standing at the ready. His team was around him. This wouldn’t be his usual small-Op. This time it was time for them to go big.

His job was to coordinate the assault on the Katharis clan and ensure that these fearsome warriors would be too afraid of leaving their home unprotected to go join the battle against the Harcourt clan.

This mission however wasn’t without its sacrifices though. They were up against one of the most feared warriors among the founding clans. And to have any chance of survival they’ve dedicated a large portion of their forces to this invasion.

And now Yuller was standing on a tree and scanning the horizon, waiting for the reinforcement command had said was coming.

He saw a chopper in the distance. It came closer and soon it was above them. He looked up waiting for the rope to come down. But there was no rope.

A thing jumped from the chopper and fell to the ground. Dust rose around it as it stood up. Three red light looked over at him, “Are you Captain Yuller?” A strange voice asked.

“That’s me.”

The dust settled and the figure came into view. It held a fist over its heart then said, “Greetings captain Yuller, I am to be under your command for this operation.”

The figure was a metal-man for all that Yuller could see. It arms and legs in the shape of a humanoid, only more bulkier and made entirely out of metal. It’s torso narrowed at the waist and its face was a full plate mask of metal.

The metal too was something strange, it was grey and dull, not like the shiny iron or steel of the other robots Yuller had seen before.

The robot was also much more aware of its surroundings compared to the other robots Yuller had seen. The mechanical soldiers Yuller has battled before could easily be defeated by blinding them and hitting them with a geas disruption. Yuller didn’t think the same strategy would work with this one though.

Suddenly Yuller thought of something… It seemed familiar somehow. “Oh, you’re what Lady Clara was working on, I must say you look much better.”

“Yes I too find this form pleasing.”

“So, do you have a name? what are you capable of? When can I send you out?”

“You can call me T5, as for my capabilities, currently I have nothing to tell you. Compared to the average mortal I am much faster and powerful, but that’s about all I know. And as you know, the average mortal isn’t really that difficult to surpass.”

Yes, as the robot was sounding now, it sounded about on par the muscular pair in his squad.

“Well then, how about I give you a test then? Follow me.” Yuller turned and started walking back to his command post. T5 followed him and one of his squad in the distance also came along.

The command post was a small table, since they didn’t have much time and were constantly on the move it was nothing more than a simple retractable table on which a map had been laid. The map showed the surrounding lands and also detailed the Katharis clans many buildings.

Compared to the Harcourt clan the Katharis clan was many times larger, they had many times more soldiers and also soldiers with more powerful abilities.

They were still only a middle ranked power however, due in part to the fact that they were constantly battleling one another.

A group that was large but had nothing and no one to stand behind was the opposite of helpful and would infact cause greater harm.

One of the reasons for this chaos was that almost anyone invited could join this clan. There were a few powers inside that would always take talented people from their homes to advance their own goals. Sometimes they would even put pressure on the families if they refused to release the children.

Another reason for the chaos was that they had a strong sentiment of hate towards all humans. It was just about the only thing that bound the clan together; their mutual hatred of humans.

Yuller didn’t know the reason that Clara was so determined to take them out of the battle at the Harcourt clan, but Yuller could think of at least one good reason to stop them here.

They were savage when they fought, and they didn’t go down easily. Through the battles the clans held outside the Meritocracy they’d long since learned that bullets didn’t do much against them. And along with the new advancements in tech the Katharis clan now had even greater physical power.

They would be a very difficult enemy. Especially considering that most battles were fought on land.

Yuller pointed at a part of the map, then said to T5, “I’m sending you here, this is their armoury. It isn’t used much but if you can find a way to destroy it we at least won’t have to worry about them nuking our asses as they tear us to bits.

“Affirmative…Should I leave now?”

“Do you know the way?”

“I’ve been linked up to the clan’s network.”

“Then go. We’ll follow after you, but we’re going to be the distraction. Beware though, that’s a very sensitive area for them, there will be guards in the area.”

“Alright, Mission start.” And the metal-man jumped. When he touched down he first made a crater in the ground then sprang away once again, snapping the saplings that were in the way and pushing off against the trees.

It took a while for Yuller to realise that T5 wasn’t actually trying to be intimidating, he was actually being clumsy. If you looked past the robot body it was similar to a child running for the first time.

“We begin?” Tina appeared behind him and asked.

“Yes,” Yuller’s face turned serious. Now that they’ve waited long enough, Katharis clan’s leaders were about to return, and it was time for the Harcourt army to go out and greet them.

Yuller tapped his comm-ring, it chimed, “Captain?”

“Qwes, get Oswald tell him he’s incharge of keeping the Katharis elders distracted.”

“Affirmative, Captain. Anything else?”

“Yes, also tell Daren that its time.”

“He’ll be happy to hear that sir. I’m going now.” She hung up.

Yuller spoke again, “Alpha squad report.”

“Ready and waiting sir.”

“Get ready. Move in six, pass down the command.”

“Roger.” The comm-ring clicked off.

“Bravo squad.”

“Yes?” a woman answered.

“Start moving.”

“Okay.” Then she hung up.

Yuller rolled up the map, the kicked the table until it was folded. “Tina, we’re leaving.”

“Don’t have to tell me, I’m right here.”

“I like hearing you speak, makes me comfortable knowing where you are, since I can’t detect you otherwise.”

“That’s not very good stealth practice though, sir.”

“True.”

He started running, with Tina following behind. He met up with a man who was busily speaking into his ear.

“Greetings captain. We’ve got things sorted.”

“Then start.”

T5 rushed through the forest. He followed the instructions relayed to him by his systems and finally stopped in front of a large wall.

The target was a bit further along.

T5’s eyes shifted from a bright blue to a murderous red. He activated his impetus drive and his body started humming as it filled with energy.

He jumped again, but this time his movement was much faster and his jump was much higher. He flew over the wall and then strangely it was as if he was suddenly shoved to the side. He dodged a beam of bright red that shot at him.

His impetus drive spun and a small barrier appeared around him. He glided further forward, ignoring the lazars that were now aimed at him and ineffectively blasting at his shield. He came to a building that was marked on the map. With more than half of his impetus drives energy spent he landed and deactivated his barrier.

As soon as he landed two guards ran up to him. They were Leonids, humanoid-lion bodies with lion heads. The leonids roared and didn’t bother speaking to him. They readied their two glowing swords and the impetus drive suits over their bodies, then charged up to him simultaniously. They were many times faster than he was when he used the same technology. It must be that he wasn’t using it to its fullest capacity. He ducked beneath the first blade then stepped in close to the soldier, breaking off any further attacks from both sides. He lifted his arm and grasped the leonids suit, slightly crushing it as he used the grip to through the man at his partner. The partner ducked then rolled away. The first soldier rolled then stumbled to a stand.

T5 was surprised that it’d worked. Although he wasn’t as fast his reaction time was many times more quick than theirs. This must have been Clara’s intention when she provided him with this body. The doctor never thought of this, he was much too concentrated on making the body as powerful as possible and neglected this part.

Although his body was faster than the old models it was many times less powerful. Although this might have been a disadvantage to others he more than made up for it with his reaction speed which was much quicker than any mortals.

Interesting, let’s see what I can do then… His red eyes flashed and he went in for the kill. He ducked under the one blade then brought his arm up just in time to crush the soldier’s wrist. He pushed forward and sent the injured soldier stumbeling in front of the other’s swing. The other stopped just in time to stop from cutting his fellow, but T5 was already close enough that he didn’t need to worry about the difference in speed.

T5 reached forward and crushed the lion head beneath his fingers, then made sure to finish the other off with a kick to the lower body.

He turned around and looked back. A group of six was waiting for him and there were large guns in their hands. The man in the middle shouted something and then shot at him. The other shot at the same time.

T5 tried to dodge but once again his body wasn’t able to move as quickly as he thought. Though he managed to dodge the first blast, the next struck him and he had no choice but to be struck. He activated his barrier at the last moment. But the blast still struck and then scattered around him.

T5 was blinded, none of his sensors were picking anything up. He could still feel his body though, it was only the surroundings that were gone from his sight.

His barrier felt something, he rolled to the side then, with a thought he increased the size of his barrier.

From the outside it would seem he had let his barrier disappear but in actuality he had only traded efficiency in exchange for feedback.

While the barrier’s ability to stop blasts was now non-existent, he could at least feel the surroudings. With the barrier expanding around him he felt the world in minute detail, much more than he’d ever experienced before.

As soon as he felt somewhere he could hide he turned his blind body in that direction and ran.

“Boom!”

*Boooooom!*

*Rummbbbble*

“Hahaha! See that Captain, I told you I could get all six! What did I tell ya? Pay up!”

“After we’re finished with this Daren.” Yuller responded, then sighed. Daren kept on seeing challenges in everything when they were fighting.

“Oswald, how many have you got?”

“Only three.”

“Strange.”

“Pfft. I meant three bigwigs. You won’t have to worry about them for a while their too bust worrying about their own lives to worry about the mess your making.”

“Very well.” He tapped the comm-ring off then called another person, “Qwes how—“

“Take that you lizard goop bastard! – Captain!? Is that you sir? I’m sorry I got distracted.”

“I was wondering if you needed assistance, but I see your doing fine.”

“Hehehe.” Yuller hung up.

“Okay, Daren head over to sector six.”

“That’s where the shelter is?”

“Yeah, set up some traps. They’ll walk right into it.” The Kartharis commoners weren’t heartless enough to leave their family to die after all.

“Affirmative.”

“Lorrie, follow him, I want them dying not dead, got it?”

“Okay.” A hoarse female voice confirmed. She got up the corner of the room they were holed up in and left calmly, knowing full well she would easily catch up to Daren.

What he really wanted was to be in the field, but this was his life now. The price of success as they say.

“Any reports on our metal friend?” He asked.

“Yes, he’s hit some snags. But he’s keeping them busy, like you wanted.” Tina answered.

“No, whether he succeeds or not won’t matter. My orders were to get him used to fighting. What’s he struggeling with?”

“He was snowed.”

“Oh, strange, I didn’t think that would stop him.”

“He’s not you, he can’t kill as easily as breathing. He seems new to this.” She meant fighting in general.

“Very well, I’ll talk to him, he on the system?”

She shrugged, “He said so himself, didn’t he? Need me to get you your medicine grandpa? Your still young only a few hundred years old.” Tina was a Felinid, a cat-humanoid. He life expectancy was slight above a human’s.

“Alright let’s talk to him.” Yuller wanted to ask her for the robot’s name but he didn’t want to be accused of going senile again.

It only took him a moment to remember the name. “T5”

His comm-ring chimed as T5 answered.

T5 was surprised when he received a call for the first time in his life.

Without thinking too much he answered.

“T5?”

“Yes Captain?”

“I hear your struggling over there.”

“Nothing major Captain, I’m just waiting for my sensors to return.”

“Ok, if you say so…But you know, the first time I met you I felt that you wouldn’t ever let that get in your way…”

Before T5 could respond Yuller continued, “…But like I’ve been told, you aren’t used to fighting, so I can’t expect you to react as I would either. What I’m trying to say though, is that although this might seem like a difficult time for you, there’s a lot of battles which will be many times harder on the way. I believe in you, and I believe you can do this.”

There was silence for a moment, then Yuller continue, “But if you allow yourself to be scared by this. It will haunt you for a very long time. Okay, I’ve said what I’ve had to say.”