Void's Psionics (4 page)

“
It’s a personal Psionic
collector?! A battery?” Steven was on his feet. “I thought it was
impossible to store energy and be able to reabsorb it. It can be
stored and used in our devises, but can’t be returned to a
person.”

“
That
was
the believed idea till now, but we
still know so little of our ancestor’s technology.” Stephanie said.
“Keep going. Tell me everything you can articulate.”

“
Well now that it is
assimilated I can feel it drawing the energy from my body so long
as I continue gathering and don’t intend to focus it. This
yellowish orange oval is a visual resembling a fuel gauge.” He
traced the line. “And rather than my body dissipating what I
Gather, it draws the excess all into itself. It has no absorption
limit, but once it saturates it cannot absorb anymore. It shuts
itself off and can only pull from just one individual. The moment I
was recognized, it would respond to only me. Used in conjunction
with my multi-tool, it bypasses drawing the energy requirements
from me to power itself to create or modify. When depleted it will
pull from me again.”

“
So… it is an empty battery
that can fuel creating objects itself as well as yourself if you
ever use what it stores?” She asked.

“
Correct. It seems the mass
is actually individual atomic size batteries rather than
atoms.”

“
Can you calculate the
maximum storage capacity it can hold?”

“
Give me a moment.” He
pulled out his oval tablet and quickly felt out how to measure it’s
capabilities.
Since psionic output is
calculated in watts for the twelve classes and the capacity is
telling me it’s capability then…
he thought
while his left hand typed rapidly on the laser display put on the
table’s surface. “Roughly it can hold fourteen trillion gigawatts
before total saturation.”

Silence followed that rough estimation before
Stephanie asked “Are you sure? That is the equivalent solar output
of a G class star.”

“
I know. From the emptiness
of the cube integrated in my multi-tool, the storage capacity can
store that much completely. Each atom of the cube can roughly store
the psionic power of a year’s maximum output of a Class Twelve
individual of Jake Dorgen’s record holding blast. At that output of
constant it will take roughly 299,413,108 years, two months and
sixteen hours to full saturation.” He turned the screen. “Here are
my figures based on the depth my multi-tool’s basis can accurately
relay to me.”

“
Well fuck me sideways.”
Steven sat down feeling completely numb. “We’ll be screwed if it
breaks at a zillionth of a fraction. The explosion will be epic
though.”

“
No, it can’t be broken to
detonate as you would imagine. If I die the energy will simply
dissipate safely over eons… like when you let go of extra as it
leaves your body rather than hold it in and channel it to a point.”
Oliver corrected. “I can feel the safeguards placed inside my
multi-tool. I never could before now that it is finally complete.”
He tilted his head slightly. “Think of the buffers in your suit. It
absorbs your energy and stops when the power cells are full. At the
push of a button you can create a basic electrical charge that in
one touch will render an opponent unconscious. The cells in your
suit also have a containment breach protocol where a neutralizing
solution is let out to keep the acid from eating through the suit
and yourself. My people weren’t stupid. Someone must have known a
full release of
that
magnitude would be completely terrifying.”

“
I can believe that at
least.” Steven’s color began to return. “But why did it suck up
heat like me at an all you can eat buffet?”

“
I’m guessing here, but I
think that without a multi-tool’s ability to guide, or programs to
be more specific, that the cubes absorb any form of biological
energy, but doesn’t know what to do with it. When it integrated I
couldn’t sense anything, but right now it’s like I can see a spark
within my mind and a stream of energy being fed to it. There was
nothing for several seconds till the oval was finalized. It must
have released heat as it drew from the body and shed it faster than
can be measured by your scanners. I want to be on record in saying
that is
only
a
guess.”

“
Noted.” Stephanie said and
turned off her tablet and sat the object on the table. “I’ll
believe you, but I want to do a blind study and see if Renee says
the same thing. Sparky, no telepathy please.” The Drake wanted to
be certain too. “I’ve already locked the cubes behind an acrylic
window so no one accidently gets frostbite playing
catch.”

“
Fine by me.” Oliver said as
he looked at the inner forearm. “It would feel great to be
seconded. If she can come up with similar figures it would ease my
mind.”

“
Don’t share this, Sparky.
Please. If people knew…”

“
We are in
agreement.”
The Drake gave a single nod and
cut her off.
“If the quantity can be
even
partially
reverse engineered it could prove to be a double edged sword…
especially if these safeguards could be stripped and that energy is
released all at once. Whole solar systems would vanish. I cannot
hide my emotions, but I will protect this section of thoughts. She
is still preoccupied with Taylor in the med bay, but when she
believes the problem is taken care of she has promised to help out.
I told her just now that Oliver believes the feminine side will
discover the cube uses better than he can.”

“
Good thinking. She’ll be
oblivious and cocky as long as we all Gather from this point on so
she cannot easily Read us.” Everyone nodded, but only Stephanie
wasn’t currently doing it till as she spoke. “While we wait on
little miss sunshine I wanted to ask you, Oliver, if your
multi-tool can link another weapon to yourself and possibly
another, circumventing trillions of credits on power requirements
and supposed pain to bind person to weapon.”

“
I can certainly give it a
try.” Rubbing his chin and looking around the shelves of weapons
asked “What should I attempt?”

Steven looked to Visor and with a gentle
mental prod had the bird flutter off his shoulder so he could get
up and came over saying “Brother, it would be best to carry a
smaller blade and something for defense. It would benefit your
fighting style.” He flipped the wrist of his free hand and out
sprang a thin hidden knife he grabbed before it could fall to the
ground. Stone had done something similar once. “Sometimes a knife
is more appropriate for killing in close quarters. On the plus side
your sword is overkill if you want to cut up a big juicy piece of
steak. When you cracked open the Salamander skulls last time your
sword made a mess. Bind this knife and… maybe one of those small
shields.”

Touching the cutlass at his hip had him
nodding. “Yeah… you’re right. I don’t like drawing my blade all the
time if a smaller one can do a more efficient job. And I’d be in
trouble if it got lost and I didn’t have another weapon… especially
since I can’t do a kinetic blast yet.” He looked around and spotted
a beige colored, bowie style dagger with an overall length of
twenty eight centimeters. Only the barest shading broke up the
solid light coloring. The grip thankfully didn’t have ridges for
fingers, but its pattern would allow for him to have a sure hold
even when wet. The topside of the blade was levelly flat till it
dipped down and slightly curved in the tip.

“
Don’t you want Pinky over
there?” Steven joked as Oliver very carefully lifted the upside
down dagger from the stand.

“
Not my color. Too bright.”
He replied, looking over it.

“
Besides,
I
want it. I love pink.
Well salmon actually.” Stephanie seemed to hover over the knife on
her desk. “If he can bind it to other people, I want this little
cutie all to myself.”

Oliver also lifted an indigo colored targe, a
circular shield that would allow a person to slide in a forearm for
stability with a solid bar for a hand grip to keep it from flying
off when swung around. The shell was lacking any form of pattern as
an individual. If not for the holding pieces in the underside it
would seem to be an oversized throwing disc. He then carried over
the two rather hefty items to the desk, sat down and laid the
shield on the table as it wasn’t as dangerous as the knife.

Four sets of curious gazes looked on as
Oliver rubbed his chin and took in the overall design and
craftsmanship of the cutting tool. Committing it to memory before
doing anything else, feeling it was an integral step in the process
without understanding exactly why. He just went along with it. To
commit it more to memory he carefully ran a thumb over its surfaces
aside from the deadly edge on the blade.

Okay, that seems good
enough. Now I want it to be mine and mine alone.
With that thought the vambrace traveled over his
hand like a liquid glove to coat both hand and blade together.
Oliver felt through the link of the vambrace had with him
symbiotically that it recognized the dagger for what it was. It
knew it was functional, but empty of power. Without power it no
longer recognized its previous owner and master. Without an owner,
the protocols of his multi-tool didn’t deny accessing the knife’s
three abilities and transfer ownership to himself. The vambrace
seemed to give Oliver a feeling which made it seem it was asking if
he wished to follow through, but also there were limitations. He
agreed and in that moment there was a painful squeeze that had his
jaw press so tight it made it impossible to scream.

“
Brother! What…”

And just as fast, the bone crushing squeeze
eased. The inky vambrace withdrew and as it did it showed a bright
red hand dotted in white spots, like circulation had been cut off.
In his right hand was now holding the beige knife, but now it
sparkled faintly with a resemblance to a dawn starlight. The
lingering pain had done more than enough and without intent, he
dropped the knife.

Stephanie jumped away in fright, thinking it
would go right through her foot, but as the point hit tip first, it
bounced off the wooden floor rather than disappearing below. When
it didn’t she picked it up while Oliver flexed his throbbing hand
and used the other to rub it further. Very carefully she scanned
the edge with a recalibrated scanner she and Jessica worked
together on to detect the near impossible to read aspects innate to
the weapon. A quick preliminary reading had her smile. “It has got
the dulling barrier when not on your person. Are you alright?”

“
That really hurt.” He
answered, shaking the offending hand. “Felt like it was going to
crush every bone in my hand. Took quite a bit of power too. It
depleted the store it already absorbed and sapped me pretty
good.”

“
Then you just rest and
recuperate and try again with the shield. I’ll do a few tests in
the meantime. What can you tell me about it?”

“
For starters, there is a
limit to how many if these weapons I can carry. No more than three.
Now that it is complete,” He touched his forearm. “I was able to
understand a bit more on what I can and cannot do. It told me that
the armor and weapons are all connected and regulated by this. It
is what keeps them from drawing too much and over saturating. A
limiter. It is why the cutlass and knife light up in my hand as
well as even sheathed when it isn’t touching my bare skin. They
respond to me through the multi-tool, but I also found out that
through it, I can locate them wherever they may be so I never will
lose them or have them stolen.”

“
Weapon GPS. Sure is nice to
have. My weapons have it too.” Steven said, hiding the knife back
up in the armor’s sleeve. “But why can you only equip three
weapons?”

“
My people seemed to like
simplicity. Look at their laws and weapons. I’ve yet to see a
handheld blaster. Sure their ships had cannons, but they carried
swords and shields. Simplistic and easy to use to defend their
person. Unlike the Marines, Solarians fight more like Hunters.
Close range weapons. Melee. I think though, too many weapons will
disrupt something in this.” Touched his arm again, but keeping
gathering as most he could sustain without collapsing. Gathering
just above a lower Class Two. “I really don’t have a clear answer.
It just told me no more than three. I don’t like the feeling it
gives imaging four equipped.”

“
Don’t push it then. Let
your gut guide. It won’t steer you wrong often. It saved my ass
more times than I can count.”

“
Can I get an example?” He
asked the burly Hunter sitting back down as Stephanie went back to
work, still holding the beige knife in one hand.

“
I’ve never had anything to
hide.” Steven smiled. “It was during my three decade stint where
all Hunters are sent to the front lines. The most memorable gut
saving incident was when I was aboard the battle cruiser called the
Sweet Cheeks. I was forty nine at the time and we were called to
cleanse an outpost world that helps form a net that detects Keptl
FTL disturbances in our corner of Andromeda’s space. The cretins
had just knocked down the node, but hadn’t yet gotten through to
the civilians. I and a few brothers, sisters, a dozen Drakes hungry
to kill Keptl and five ranks of Marines at our back, dropped to the
surface since orbital bombardment wasn’t optional to risk losing
three thousand people as well as a primary node. We hit the surface
and went on the offensive against a host of Trackers, Defilers and
Lisks.