07. Unexpected Dev-elopments, page 28
part #7 of Apocalypse Gates Series
“I do love taking control of a powerful stick,” Gothy snickered as she headed for the driver’s side.
“We know,” Mousie giggled.
“Is there anything else?” the guard asked Desiree.
“No. I know the way,” Desiree said, moving past the guards with Alvin following her.
It didn’t take them long to find the King in his office.
“I said I didn’t—! Desiree? What a surprise,” Mithrilblood said, getting to his feet. “Alvin, it’s good to see you again.”
“What’s up, Dad?”
Mithrilblood chuckled. “Besides the growing number of gray hairs on my head?”
“Besides that, yes,” Alvin laughed. “Heard you’ve made some deals with Red River.”
“With the Lone Star government, actually. It’s been a madhouse here ever since the envoys showed up… Everyone is trying to get a piece. The majority of the clans are already considering the fungals beat, sadly.”
“They aren’t beat until they lie burning at your feet,” Alvin said.
“Exactly, but the napalm was nearly enough to convince them it was just a matter of time. Once we had deals in place for the machines of your world, they were already looking beyond the fungals.”
“I hope you aren’t letting them gain position on you?”
“Of course not. My main concern remains the fungals until we’ve wiped that blight from the world.”
“Passionate about it.”
Mithrilblood sighed. “You don’t know, of course. My brothers all died to them. They fought and died in battle, as most of us do, but all of them died to fungal spores. The memory of my eldest brother spawning one of them is still vivid in my mind.”
“Have none of the other clan heads dealt with similar?”
Mithrilblood grimaced. “They might have, but none will admit it. That memory is what spurred me to rise to this seat. I vowed to eradicate them, and now, with your help, that’s possible, but it’s not done yet.”
“Speaking of things to help,” Alvin said, handing over a small bag. “Two Predators. They’re small planes that can scout for you. The book to run them is inside, along with the machine needed to interface with them.”
Mithrilblood looked at the bag, then to Desiree, before looking back at Alvin. “I have no other daughters you can take, and my wives are mine.”
Alvin blinked, unsure if Mithrilblood was serious or not.
“Stop it,” Desiree sighed, punching Mithrilblood in the shoulder. “He already has the best Dwarf he can have.”
Mithrilblood began to laugh as he rubbed his shoulder. “Your mother and my other wives might argue that point, Daughter.”
“Had me going there for a moment,” Alvin chuckled. “Desiree is right, though. She’s the only Dwarf I want.”
“Fine, fine. What will these flying scouts cost me?”
“Surprise me,” Alvin said. “Frankly, we have a good amount of XP that we haven’t even spent yet.”
Mithrilblood nodded slowly. “Maybe... upgrades to your battle armors?”
“Sure. We’ll take whatever you have.”
“Very well. It will take them a day or two to do. Can you stay for that time?”
“Just finished the weekly and we don’t have a time table, so yeah. Besides, I’m sure Desiree would like a chance to visit.”
“With Mother, at least,” Desiree said.
“Ah, she does have her mother’s cutting tongue. I do hope you’re strong enough to endure her displeasure.”
“I doubt I’ll ever fail to please her.”
“You never will unless you’re trying to,” Desiree said. “And if you do, I’ll just let Gothy know. She’ll extract a far greater punishment on you than I could.”
“Fighting dirty?” Alvin grinned. “Smart.”
“I still have work that needs to be done,” Mithrilblood said. “If you wish to deliver these to the appropriate places, Daughter, you can also deliver your armor to be worked on.”
“Dinner, later?” Desiree asked.
“I would look forward to it. Maybe dinner here with us tonight, and then at your home tomorrow?”
“We can do that,” Alvin said.
“Good. I’ll make sure my wives are told. No reason to incur their wrath by not telling them.”
“Happy wife, happy life,” Alvin said.
“Indeed,” Desiree smiled. “We’ll see you later.”
~*~*~
When they reached the Capital laboratory, they dropped the Predators off with the team in charge of vehicles before going over to the battle armor portion of the lab.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” Gothy was saying to David when they walked inside.
“So am I. It was hell,” David said.
“Everything good?” Alvin asked.
“Thanks, Alvin,” David said. “As I told Sis, I knew the moment that thing died. My thoughts became my own again. I contacted Susan earlier today, and she told me the story.”
“Cousin?” a Dwarf with a shorter beard asked, seeing Desiree.
“Hanzle,” Desiree replied, “how has it been since taking over?”
“Difficult. Even when I was in charge of research, I didn’t understand how much more there was to do. Adding in the mantle of arbiter, it has been a challenge, but a hotter fire just brings the impurities out.”
“Alvin, this is my cousin, Hanzle,” Desiree introduced them.
“The King sent us over to get our armors upgraded as much as possible,” Alvin said, shaking the Dwarf’s hand.
“What did you bring this time?” Hanzle asked with gleaming eyes.
“Predators— remote-controlled scout planes. Hmm... let me think how to explain that better…”
“No need. I had the Human knowledge added already,” Hanzle said. “I had to so I could keep up with David.”
“Says the man who’s been the one to improve on every addition I’ve thought of,” David laughed.
“I see the bromance is thriving,” Alvin snickered.
“Laugh all you want, but when you see what we’ve done, you’ll change your tune,” David said.
“How long to upgrade all four suits?” Gothy asked.
“Two or three days, at least,” Hanzle said.
“That works. We want to spend two days here, anyway,” Alvin said. “Gothy, we’re having dinner here with Desiree’s family tonight, and then hosting them tomorrow night. David, you’ll be invited to tomorrow’s dinner.”
“I’ll let Bridget know,” David said a little slowly. “Umm, Sis... I uh… I got married a few days ago. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
Gothy just looked at David for a long moment before she pulled him into a big hug and squeezed. “I’m glad for you. Just be better than Dad was, okay?”
“I will,” David said, relieved she wasn’t mad at him. “I promise.”
“Good,” Gothy said and let him go. “Wait. Who did the ceremony?”
“The King,” Hanzle laughed. “They were married twice. Once for your ways, and once for ours.”
“Oh? What gift did you give her?” Desiree asked.
“The most top of the line armor we have,” Hanzle replied before David could. “What did you say? ‘To keep my darling wife as safe as she can be’?”
“That’s my brother,” Gothy said.
David shrugged. “I wanted it to be something I made specifically for her.”
“How’s she been?” Alvin asked.
“Great,” David beamed. “She’s been working with the healers here. Learning from them, and teaching them, too.”
“If you’ll leave the armor, I’ll get them started,” Hanzle said. “I still have things to do. David, why don’t you walk your family out?”
“Yes, sir.”
Gothy and David chatted as they left the building, then exchanged a hug as they parted.
Alvin put his arm around Gothy’s waist as she watched David head back inside. “Happy?”
“Yes. It’s odd, though. I was worried, but I knew he was going to be okay. I knew the marriage was coming, but the fact that he did it without me stung a little.”
“We didn’t exactly include anyone for our vows, either,” Alvin chuckled, thinking about collaring her what seemed years ago.
“That would’ve been awkward,” Gothy snickered. “I know, but I’ve always been there for him when it counted. Twice now, I haven’t been, and it hurts me a little, but also makes me happy that he’s fine on his own.”
“Come on. Let’s go home and get ready for tonight. You’ll have to explain to Nohel that she won’t be cooking for us.”
“She’ll understand,” Gothy said.
“We’ll see,” Alvin replied.
“Shotgun!” Desiree said loudly from next to the car.
Mousie laughed as she held Ruffian’s keys up. “I’m driving, too.”
Gothy gave Alvin a smirk, “Round two?”
“We won’t be in it that long,” Alvin laughed.
“I could drive back to the castle first,” Mousie said, “for the right incentives.”
“I’ll give you what you need later,” Gothy purred.
“Sold,” Mousie giggled.
Alvin threw his hands up and rolled his eyes, though he had a smile on his lips. “The hardships I endure.”
“But it’s the hardness that I want,” Gothy snickered.
~*~*~
Alvin was dressed when they rolled back into the base, having gone into a portal just outside the castle. Gothy was still dabbing at her watering eyes, as Alvin had been as rough as she loved.
“I’d like to get some of that later, Hero,” Desiree smiled.
“Not going to say no,” Alvin replied. “I try to keep my wives as happy as possible.”
The group trooped through the kiosk room to find Jarvis and Nohel waiting for them in the kitchen.
“Welcome home, sir,” Jarvis said. “We’ve been watching your exploits... well, some of them... while waiting for you. We’ll have a fantastic dinner ready for tomorrow.”
Nohel glanced at Alvin, then away. “Thank you for allowing me this chance, sir.”
“You don’t need to call me ‘sir.’ Alvin will be fine. Jarvis just does it to be funny.”
Looking his way again, Nohel nodded, a smile crossing her lips briefly. “Okay, Alvin.”
“You can call him Hero if you’d like, too,” Gothy said. “After all, he’s the one who really saved you. The choice is yours, though.”
“No. Hero is what you all call him,” Nohel said softly. “It isn’t my place to address him like that.”
“Call me whatever you like,” Alvin said before anyone else could jump in. “I never did ask— are we paying you?”
“A little less than you’re paying Jarvis currently,” Gothy said, “since she’s apprenticing under him.”
“Does he not scare you?” Mousie asked Nohel.
Nohel gave Jarvis a smile. “No. It’s weird, but all I feel is safe with him, like my grandfather used to make me feel.”
“Jarvis, is that some special ability you never told me about?” Alvin chuckled. “Mousie, and Nohel— both were leery of men and yet they both feel safe with you.”
“It’s because I’m a gentleman of refined age,” Jarvis said. “Not some young rapscallion.”
Gothy laughed. “Only you would use that word, Jarvis.”
“We’re going to shower and get ready for dinner tonight,” Alvin said, “so you two are on your own.” Alvin paused again, turning to Gothy. “Nohel’s room?”
“I gave her the guest room for now,” Gothy said. “I did expand it some and added a small bathroom to it, so she has her own studio apartment.”
“Fair enough,” Alvin nodded. “No stayover guests for a while, then.”
“Unless they stay with us,” Gothy smirked. “We could pop over to say hi to Rebs, for instance.”
Thinking of the sweet young woman who’d joined them briefly, Alvin smirked. “Wouldn’t say no to Neapolitan again.”
“None of us would,” Desiree added. “Maybe a quick stop when we leave here?”
“I’m sold,” Alvin laughed. “Gothy, you might want to let her know we’re coming. Hate to show up and for her to not be there or have time.”
“Good point. I’ll send a message before we leave for dinner.”
Chapter Thirty-four
Alvin grinned when he found a message from Shawn on the kiosk the next morning.
Alvin,
It’s done. I was able to add the gravity core to the Huey, but I can’t say for certain what it will do, because I didn’t have the keys to take it out on a test flight. Let me know what happens with it, please?
Shawn.
Alvin walked over to the garage and summoned the Huey to the base. Looking at the helicopter, his smile grew as he started to add upgrades to it.
“A day for the upgrades to finish, but that’s okay. We’re going to stay here tonight, anyway,” Alvin said to himself, then went back to the kiosk room to get the runes he wanted for it.
As he dug through the drawers, Alvin was happy with some of the runes they’d gotten recently. Taking the best of them, he went back and added them onto the helicopter.
Bell UH-1H Modified (Uncommon)
Armor: 33,937/45,000
Modifications: Armament upgraded, Antigravity core, Luxury seats, Improved sights on M134s, Sound system, Radio, Improved gunner straps
Runes: 4/4
Durability: 200%, Impervious, Silence: 80%, Resistance (fire): 40%
Armament: M60C (Uncommon)
Damage: 8
Durability: 20,561/40,000
Ammo type: 7.62x51mm Nato (200 round belt feed)
Runes: 4/4
Durability: 100%, Silence: 60%, Reload: 5 seconds, Phantom
Armament: M134 Minigun (Uncommon)
Modifications: Improved sights
Damage: 8
Durability: 21,723/40,000
Ammo type: 7.62x51mm Nato (3,000 round belt feed)
Runes: 4/4
Durability: 100%, Silence: 60%, Reload: 3 seconds, Elemental-Ice
Armament: M134 Minigun (Uncommon)
Modifications: Improved sights
Damage: 8
Durability: 20,902/40,000
Ammo type: 7.62x51mm Nato (3,000 round belt feed)
Runes: 4/4
Durability: 100%, Silence: 60%, Reload: 3 seconds, Elemental-Acid
Looking at his handiwork, Alvin whistled happily. “I hope they pick a good name for you.”
~*~*~
Jarvis was standing back, letting Nohel cook breakfast for them, and offering periodic suggestions to her. Alvin paused to watch them, wondering if he should go rouse the sleepers.
“How long, buddy?”
“Ten minutes,” Jarvis replied absently, obviously in a slight fugue from teaching Nohel.
Alvin slipped into the bedroom, but discovered that it was empty. When he entered the bathroom, he heard the soft squeaks of Mousie being pleasured. Knowing they were awake, he chuckled and left them to it. With nothing pressing, he remembered he wanted to check on the medical bay.
He paused at the storage area to get the Grey DNA they’d picked up. The DMV was quiet, not currently working on anything, so Alvin fed it the DNA. Once the machine started working, he looked to see if there was anything that stood out.
“Fucking shit... a thirty on their Aptitude stat?” Alvin asked incredulously. “Well, their stats everywhere else are shit... Sterilization? Heh, that makes sense. Okay, the only thing I want from them is the ability to increase Aptitude, so rip that.”
Once he’d targeted the information, he checked the time required and nodded. Two days isn’t too bad, Alvin thought as he walked out. I wonder if that’ll make our heads larger?
Getting the coffee pot and cups, he took a seat at the table and fixed himself a cup. He was just finishing his coffee when his wives came out of the bedroom.
“Morning, ladies. Did you have fun?”
“Last night and this morning,” Gothy smiled. “It’s too bad you left us in bed.”
“I was getting some things arranged,” Alvin said. “Only thing we have on the docket today is dinner tonight.”
“Sounds like we can do anything,” Desiree smirked.
