Nyton
Well-Known Member
It was dawn in Roger Wilco City and the morning sun shone through the window in Anthony Claymere’s office. As the light poured in onto the desk that was centered in the room, an arrangement of writing utensils cast a shadow onto several photo frames set up behind them. This shadow had not caught the eye of Anthony Claymere for some time until after it had creeped up to reach the chest line of the photo’s occupants. The gradual growth of the shadow told him that much time had passed since he had first arrived at his office. Even moreso if one considers that he had not left his office since the sun had first gone down. With the work load he had tackled over the night finally receding Anthony paused.
“…..” It was during this pause when Anthony’s eyes tracked over to look at the photo of his family. He reached over to his phone and began to call home when he stopped himself. He decided instead to send Celine an electronic message. Given how much time the woman spent hacking through the datanet she would most likely receive it there.
Celine,
I’m sure you’ve noticed that I’ve been working late. Again. Sorry but this work with the latest deal is crucial and I need to see it through. This is going to be big sweetie. We’re going to push higher than ever. Maybe we can start talking about making this security consultation business you’re thinking about. Perhaps during a vacation even.
See you this evening.
Tony
Anthony sent off the message and looked over at the photograph again. The image of his family was a constant reminder to him of what he didn’t have while growing up. His eye suddenly twitched as the memory seemed to rise up unwelcome, like bile from his stomach. Swallowing it down the moment passed him and he was back on matters at hand. There was a representative from the biotechnological firm Tran Seed Biological scheduled to meet him later. It wouldn’t do to look as though he had been awake all night.
“Good morning Mr. Claymere.”
“Good morning, sir.”
“Top o’ the morning’ to ye sir.”
The employees who greeted him were the morning shift. None of them were surprised to see the owner of the business already there. Anthony gave each of them a polite nod and returned each greeting as he proceeded to the locker room. There was always a spare suit kept fresh for him in his personal locker. After a quick shower the middle aged man dressed and groomed himself, ready for just about anything. A buzz was heard coming from his pocket from which he retrieved a small phone.
“Mr. Claymere, your father in law is here to see you.” declared his secretary.
A sigh escaped from Anthony’s lips. “I’ll see him in my office.”
By the time Anthony arrived in his office Thomas was already there. “Get a lot of work done last night, Tony?” The disdain could be heard in his electronically synthesized voice from the fully converted cyborg. Anthony just snorted dismissively. “Important business matters, Tom. This project is big and you know it.”
Thomas made a perfectly natural sigh in appearance even if there was no real exhalation. “Tony, I know that. You’re not the only one who has a lot invested into this.” he said as he moved his arms. “The procedure has been very successful. I can even move my grinders better than when I first had them installed at The Forge. Who would've thought that a step backwards to the flesh would be the key to that?”
Anthony sat down at his desk. “That’s good to hear. I take it you and your friends are having fun now. They certainly seemed eager to see this through. Was there anything you came to see me about?”
“Yes Tom, there is.” Thomas said and he crossed his arms while looking at his son in law. “I’m going to be fairly busy soon. That means I won’t be around to protect the family. If I’m not around and Nyton is still away then the only one left to protect them will be you.”
Anthony’s eyes narrowed slightly at the large bodied cyborg. “What are you doing all of a sudden?”
“Why should you be so concerned, Tony? My friends did their part and helped you make a lot of money. My affairs are my business.” Thomas retorted.
“Don’t think me so easy to read, Thomas. After all these years do you seriously believe I’m just a money mongering businessman?” he replied while folding his hands together and leaning back against his chair. “All this time I’ve worked hard so that my family would not have to suffer the streets like I did. I already had to work hard just to win your approval for Celine. After everything I’ve done you still push me out of your life.”
“Tony, now you know its not that.” Thomas began with warmth in his voice. “I know your business sense has kept this family well off. And it wasn’t just your business skill that made me accept you as Celine’s husband. Right now you are the only support for this family but you‘re not even there to see them enjoy this life you‘ve provided. I think you‘ve been so obsessed with leaving the past behind that you can‘t let it go and enjoy the present.”
“Why don’t you just admit you are the one with the obsession. That you want to go to war again? This is all about avenging your family instead of taking care of what you have now. Did you really think you and your full convo friends would have been so eager otherwise?”
“Very observant, son.”
“I notice more than I let on. I let you influence Nyton into your world of military glory because I could see the pain of loss you felt for your own sons. I figured once he was done putting his life on the line for those cat sluts he would come back and inherit the business. He can only live in your world for so long, dad.”
“For as long as he chooses. Just as I have choices of my own to make and it’s time for some action.”
Anthony just sat there silently for a moment as he studied his father-in-law. “You’ll be breaking your promise to Celine you know. You told her your fighting days were over, dad. Testing hardware was one thing but you know this is completely different. Now I knew that this project would further your means but I only did this so that you would have no excuses. This choice is yours to make.”
With this Thomas actually paused for a second. “You certainly have your fair share of tactical ability. Guess Nyton didn’t get it all from me. Hopefully he also didn't get my drive to go on foolish crusades."
"Dad, why can't you just talk to me straight about just what is going on? What are you doing that requires you to break your promises?" Thomas asked with a look of exasperation.
Thomas checked his scanners to ensure there were no listening devices anywhere. A filter unit in his body was also activated to prevent anything they were about to discuss from being detectable. He then glanced at his time unit and with it his schedule along with the schedules of Anthony and his associates. Their conversation had shifted exactly where he wanted it three minutes early. "Son, I'm glad you asked. If you'll sit down I'll tell you all about it."
Anthony just made a gesture with his arms indicating that he was already sitting down while looking at him with impatience. Thomas just nodded and chuckled a bit while he himself took a seat in the reinforced chair kept just for him. "Son, what I'm about to tell you isn't on any official records or documents. It was very easy for us to cover our tracks after all the chaos that has happened these past hundred years. I'm also a bit older than I've let on. It was sort of an old tradition some full convos do in that they don't count the years they lived as a human and restart at the beginning of their new life in a metal body. I was about thirty two when I turned full convo which in turn makes me a total of one hundred and eighteen."
Leaning back as though to settle in, again just a human action that he had never let go, Thomas continued. "Back then we were fighting the Reds during the Hanya campaigns when some new cybernetic weapons were being fielded. Now a full conversion cyborg was nothing new but we were suddenly seeing soldiers capable of things we could only call....breathtaking. Before this time a full convo was nothing more than an ID-SOL with a lot of tricks. Some more durability, a little extra punch, some gadgets, plus being made of metal, well, advantages certainly but an uncertain investment in the hands of a novice. An ID-SOL with experience and ingenuity could beat even the most highly advanced full convo at the time. We saw less and less of them being used as pure weapons for a time until one day they started to be fielded again solely for this purpose. Only this time they were different. They were no mere trump card. They were gods."
Now Thomas was being sucked into his memory, treading down a well worn path that at times was done with joy and others with sadness. "When we first started hearing the reports they were met with skepticism. Nothing more than an enemy psy op that was meant to demoralize us. But soon the reports began to have credibility. They were like human tac nukes. Men, clones, and ID-SOL alike were slaughtered by them. Our hardware was useless. Shortly after the Reds unleashed these soldiers, our side did the same. To watch them fight was incredible. Their moves were so strong and precise that we could feel them from miles away. The fighting became intense because you never knew when one of these monsters would just appear out of no where. The thing that drove us nuts was that even our own wouldn't talk to us. There was no way to tactically predict when we would have the advantage. There was this one time when we were flushing the Reds out from a defensive position when suddenly one of their full convo Red Demons appeared. We thought we were doomed until one of our full convos showed up."
Thomas then stopped for a few seconds before resuming. "Well, I'm sure you get the idea. It was around this time that I finally lost my meat body. Not that there had been much left, I was already sixty percent cybernetics by then. It was here that I found out where those insanely powerful full convos came from though. I was in the hospital when I was approached to participate in an experimental branch of cybernetic enhancement. Turned out I filled the requirements to become one of those new full convos. So I went for it and became what you see today. My first body was different from this one mind you. Those were the days before the Soul Enhancement period when the bodies were still limited by the manufacturer. I underwent a massive experimental body conversion and the next thing I knew I was getting used to being a brain in a highly combat capable box."
"I'll spare you the details of the training, the combat, and the numerous modifications that happened over the years. Let's just say I fought a lot of battles. Us full convo specials tended to keep to ourselves at first and I found out why. We called ourselves the Metal Ascendancy while everyone else was just 'regular meat.' The regular meat just seemed.... too slow. Like talking to them forced me to wait forever for the next word to be said. I also noticed too much. With our higher levels of awareness I caught every single expression a regular human made. I thought I would go mad from the non-stop stream of information my body's systems presented me with. The only time when it seemed quiet was during battle. I don't know how better to explain it but it was as though the necessity for heightened situational awareness of battle created a need to constantly be in battle for our kind to feel normal enough to be comfortable. I believe it was well into my tenth year as a full convo that I began to notice something else."
Again Thomas paused to ensure Anthony was taking it all in. There was still impatience visible but it had diminished slightly. "I was moving in to engage some targets when I heard something. At first I thought it was just a battle cry or some men psyching themselves up when I set my sensors to analyze this noise. By this point my combat sensors had attuned to certain items and allocated lesser priorities to unrelated sounds. For whatever reason I chose to investigate the noise and found that the regular meat soldiers were cheering us on. It took me so by surprise that I actually stopped. When my partner asked me why I had stopped I motioned to the soldiers who were waving and cheering to us as they rushed on to battle. My sensors immediately picked up all sorts of emotions coming from them. They were excited, relieved, happy, filled with admiration, and most of all inspired. I could not help but raise up my arms and reach out towards them. To think that just the sight of us fighting nearby would inspire them with so much confidence. I decided from that moment on that if they were willing to support us despite how aloof we had been then maybe I shouldn't be so judgemental towards humans."
"That is really very nice of you to not think us regular meats so belligerently anymore but what I want to know is just where is this leading?" Anthony quickly interrupted. Thomas knew to expect such jabs seeing as his son-in-law had been a fighter his whole life. He wasn't just going to sit here quietly as a lamb. "Well, perhaps I should fast forward a bit. Eventually the Metal Ascendancy reorganized and began to seperate from the government. Disagreements with policy and strategies forced us to go freelance. We sort of contracted with the government to do their work in exchange for our own independance. Unfortunately we weren't the only group out there and we had constant run ins with these rivals. The Mistic Metals, Kashmere Korrupts, and Angel Returners. This worked out for a good while and it kept me out of battles I found distasteful. After thirty years of fighting I was starting to see just how wasteful all of this warfare had become. It seemed like Nepleslia was never going to become united. I thought we could find a way with our skills but all we did was drag things out longer. Most of us seemed to just accept that this was the way things were meant to be. The fact that we needed to be in battle just to feel normal was strongly convincing. But then some of us came up with the strange notion that maybe if we can't stop fighting in the wars of Nepleslia, then maybe we can stop fighting ourselves. So we looked to try and unite all of the full convo groups into one and work together towards finding some means of uniting Nepleslia under one banner rather than fighting incessantly."
"How magnaminous of you." Anthony said with a shrug. "So what went wrong?"
"Well, it took some time to make everyone else agree. In fact we had some serious hold outs that cost us much to kill or convince. After a few years of our own personal civil war we were poised to begin working together when technology suddenly left us behind. It was around the time that Power Armors began to be fielded. With Power Armor a regular soldier could be trained in a fraction of the time it took one of us to ascend into the metal brotherhood. They were more readily disposable and we could feel the strain it took to fight them. We were no longer gods on the battlefield. In light of this we pooled our resources to upgrade ourselves for the sake of survival. Eventually we caught up but by the time we had honed our new edge the government dismissed us. It was then that some of us became disillusioned and started to rebel. Some of us believed we had become so different from the humans that we should set ourselves apart. That if they would ignore our age and insight then we should take matters into our own hands by force." There was a sense of regret that was audible in Thomas's voice now.
"As it turned out several full convos began to commit indiscriminate terrorist actions against the humans. We were such fools. At first we thought we had overlooked some of our own during the conflict. That maybe there was some group were were not aware of. By the time we found out what was going on we couldn't tell who was friend or foe. There were several casualties as a result of this but even more severe was the damage this did to our confidence and sense of self. How ironic that we who felt could lead humanity to unite were busy fighting amongst ourselves. All our skill and wisdom did nothing to prevent this tragedy." Thomas then shook his head and heaved his shoulders in a visible sigh of sadness.
"Some of the survivors decided to quit fighting and left. Those of us who remained reorganized ourselves into the Irregulars. We continued our traditions while adapting to the changing times. One means of adapting was to begin having our own children. During our transitions we saved our genetic data or preserved our reproductive organs within our bodies. Using this we could have children invitro. As a result of raising families together our bonds to each other grew stronger. We were not so much a military unit anymore as we were a family of clans. Some of us were even able to take human spouses within our fold. Our children were flesh and blood humans which we cherished above everything. We lost all notions of superiority and wondered about whether we should continue to fight in the wars against 'fellow humans.' The Vordichibean menace still reared it's head now and then despite their overall defeat. They had reminded us that there were external threats still out there. We figured it would only be a matter of time until we encountered such threats and decided to prepare. Meanwhile we raised and trained our children to be strong warriors like ourselves."
It was at this point when Thomas suddenly felt a tightening in his body. He felt his grinders instinctively begin to tense up. "After the retaking of Geshrintall most of our families moved there as part of the Nepleslian enforcement and to counter the threat of the Elysians. Seeing as they were an external threat we decided this was the perfect time for our strength to be known. Our subcontracts increased as we devoted ourselves to the skirmishes that we began to have with the Celestial Navy. Our focus and purpose had begun to grow when the plague hit."
Anthony believed he could see the motions of a person trying to hold back tears in his father-in-law. Although the body could not produce real tears, the expressions were genuine. "We lost all of it. Our clan leaders, our friends, our allies, our children! It was the loss of our precious children that hurt us the most. Some had just given birth to them. Others were already into their third generation. It was just too much. We who made up the Irregulars had suffered many crippling blows over the decades but nothing like this. The survivors again regrouped and fought but this was mostly to try and soothe the pain by returning it to those we believed responsible. We inflicted so many horrific losses upon the Elysians but it was no panacea for our pain. No matter how many I killed I would never have my family returned. I couldn't handle it, so I left with my only surviving daughter Celine."
The emotions hung heavily inside the room for a moment. Anthony sighed a little bit at the old man who for all his massive size in body, had shrunk down to a quivering child. "Dad, you do know that Celine is still alive. I never asked for much in the past but I have to this time, for her sake. Please don't go. She still needs you. And... I still need you. You have been the closest thing to a father that I have ever had. You gave me a chance and made my dream possible. I know I can never replace the sons and family you lost but please, can't we at least have this?"
For a moment Thomas felt what was akin to a shift in his spirit. The rage was still there but it abated somewhat. His son's plea had been genuine which was such a shock that there was real hesitation being felt. In a matter of seconds Thomas reanalyzed his thoughts and motivations. He was still hurt by the loss. That would never leave. However there was something more important now and that was the safety of his family. He had known this for some time but he felt it all the stronger now. For that briefest of moments he changed his mind and would rather stay to protect them until new realizations arrived. What of the deployment of the Yamataian fleet over Nepleslia? There were still threats being made in the name of a madman? What would stop him from ever doing it again? If history had proven anything it was that when tyrants are allowed to go unchecked then the cost of facing them is greater. There was still a danger and something had to be done to prevent it.
"Thank you son for reminding me of how important this family of ours is. If I am to protect us though, then I have to do something now before it is too late." Thomas finally said. There was a slight twinge of regret in that he would have to be seperated from his family but it was the sort that he knew had to be done. "I won't let anyone hurt this family any further even if I have to do so from afar. Son, this is for everyone, not just myself now."
Anthony let out a sigh as he saw that Thomas was determined to see this through. It was disappointing but he knew this would be his final word. "When do you plan on leaving?"
"After the upcoming holocaust memorial ceremony. We still have a few things to take care of before then." Thomas said, standing up. "I believe your meeting is about to take place in five minutes. I won't take up anymore of your time, son."
"Very well then, I guess this will be all for now." Anthony then stood up and extended his hand out to Thomas. "I won't tell Celine about this."
Taking his son's hand in his own Thomas then shook it. "Thank you, Tony. For everything."
As Thomas began to walk out of the office the scheduled visitor arrived being led by Anthony's secretary. "Excuse me, Mr. Claymere. Mr. Gran from Tran Seed is here to see you."
Thomas nodded as he excused himself and departed. "My father-in-law, Mr. Gran. He has a habit of visiting at odd times."
"No explanation necessary. I am familiar with how full convos can be." the representative replied as they walked together.
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Thomas left out a side entrance he usually used to prevent drawing attention. As he exited into the alley he looked over to his left to see Shannon leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. "Ye ha' a good convehsasion wi' ye son?" she asked without saying an audible word.
"Aye, he's a good lad. Now where off ah we headin' ta? Ye sehd ye foun' some othahs willin' teh help." Thomas replied in the same direct feed that his kind developed.
"The Yams ha' free ah booncha Spacah's from the Military Sectah. Lehts goh see ih they ha' some intel. I also figah the Hack Cult be eagah tah help out too." she said with a slight grin as her eyes turned a light blue.
"Ah'right, lehts go." Thomas said as he clenched a fist. In a flash they both left undetected.
“…..” It was during this pause when Anthony’s eyes tracked over to look at the photo of his family. He reached over to his phone and began to call home when he stopped himself. He decided instead to send Celine an electronic message. Given how much time the woman spent hacking through the datanet she would most likely receive it there.
Celine,
I’m sure you’ve noticed that I’ve been working late. Again. Sorry but this work with the latest deal is crucial and I need to see it through. This is going to be big sweetie. We’re going to push higher than ever. Maybe we can start talking about making this security consultation business you’re thinking about. Perhaps during a vacation even.
See you this evening.
Tony
Anthony sent off the message and looked over at the photograph again. The image of his family was a constant reminder to him of what he didn’t have while growing up. His eye suddenly twitched as the memory seemed to rise up unwelcome, like bile from his stomach. Swallowing it down the moment passed him and he was back on matters at hand. There was a representative from the biotechnological firm Tran Seed Biological scheduled to meet him later. It wouldn’t do to look as though he had been awake all night.
“Good morning Mr. Claymere.”
“Good morning, sir.”
“Top o’ the morning’ to ye sir.”
The employees who greeted him were the morning shift. None of them were surprised to see the owner of the business already there. Anthony gave each of them a polite nod and returned each greeting as he proceeded to the locker room. There was always a spare suit kept fresh for him in his personal locker. After a quick shower the middle aged man dressed and groomed himself, ready for just about anything. A buzz was heard coming from his pocket from which he retrieved a small phone.
“Mr. Claymere, your father in law is here to see you.” declared his secretary.
A sigh escaped from Anthony’s lips. “I’ll see him in my office.”
By the time Anthony arrived in his office Thomas was already there. “Get a lot of work done last night, Tony?” The disdain could be heard in his electronically synthesized voice from the fully converted cyborg. Anthony just snorted dismissively. “Important business matters, Tom. This project is big and you know it.”
Thomas made a perfectly natural sigh in appearance even if there was no real exhalation. “Tony, I know that. You’re not the only one who has a lot invested into this.” he said as he moved his arms. “The procedure has been very successful. I can even move my grinders better than when I first had them installed at The Forge. Who would've thought that a step backwards to the flesh would be the key to that?”
Anthony sat down at his desk. “That’s good to hear. I take it you and your friends are having fun now. They certainly seemed eager to see this through. Was there anything you came to see me about?”
“Yes Tom, there is.” Thomas said and he crossed his arms while looking at his son in law. “I’m going to be fairly busy soon. That means I won’t be around to protect the family. If I’m not around and Nyton is still away then the only one left to protect them will be you.”
Anthony’s eyes narrowed slightly at the large bodied cyborg. “What are you doing all of a sudden?”
“Why should you be so concerned, Tony? My friends did their part and helped you make a lot of money. My affairs are my business.” Thomas retorted.
“Don’t think me so easy to read, Thomas. After all these years do you seriously believe I’m just a money mongering businessman?” he replied while folding his hands together and leaning back against his chair. “All this time I’ve worked hard so that my family would not have to suffer the streets like I did. I already had to work hard just to win your approval for Celine. After everything I’ve done you still push me out of your life.”
“Tony, now you know its not that.” Thomas began with warmth in his voice. “I know your business sense has kept this family well off. And it wasn’t just your business skill that made me accept you as Celine’s husband. Right now you are the only support for this family but you‘re not even there to see them enjoy this life you‘ve provided. I think you‘ve been so obsessed with leaving the past behind that you can‘t let it go and enjoy the present.”
“Why don’t you just admit you are the one with the obsession. That you want to go to war again? This is all about avenging your family instead of taking care of what you have now. Did you really think you and your full convo friends would have been so eager otherwise?”
“Very observant, son.”
“I notice more than I let on. I let you influence Nyton into your world of military glory because I could see the pain of loss you felt for your own sons. I figured once he was done putting his life on the line for those cat sluts he would come back and inherit the business. He can only live in your world for so long, dad.”
“For as long as he chooses. Just as I have choices of my own to make and it’s time for some action.”
Anthony just sat there silently for a moment as he studied his father-in-law. “You’ll be breaking your promise to Celine you know. You told her your fighting days were over, dad. Testing hardware was one thing but you know this is completely different. Now I knew that this project would further your means but I only did this so that you would have no excuses. This choice is yours to make.”
With this Thomas actually paused for a second. “You certainly have your fair share of tactical ability. Guess Nyton didn’t get it all from me. Hopefully he also didn't get my drive to go on foolish crusades."
"Dad, why can't you just talk to me straight about just what is going on? What are you doing that requires you to break your promises?" Thomas asked with a look of exasperation.
Thomas checked his scanners to ensure there were no listening devices anywhere. A filter unit in his body was also activated to prevent anything they were about to discuss from being detectable. He then glanced at his time unit and with it his schedule along with the schedules of Anthony and his associates. Their conversation had shifted exactly where he wanted it three minutes early. "Son, I'm glad you asked. If you'll sit down I'll tell you all about it."
Anthony just made a gesture with his arms indicating that he was already sitting down while looking at him with impatience. Thomas just nodded and chuckled a bit while he himself took a seat in the reinforced chair kept just for him. "Son, what I'm about to tell you isn't on any official records or documents. It was very easy for us to cover our tracks after all the chaos that has happened these past hundred years. I'm also a bit older than I've let on. It was sort of an old tradition some full convos do in that they don't count the years they lived as a human and restart at the beginning of their new life in a metal body. I was about thirty two when I turned full convo which in turn makes me a total of one hundred and eighteen."
Leaning back as though to settle in, again just a human action that he had never let go, Thomas continued. "Back then we were fighting the Reds during the Hanya campaigns when some new cybernetic weapons were being fielded. Now a full conversion cyborg was nothing new but we were suddenly seeing soldiers capable of things we could only call....breathtaking. Before this time a full convo was nothing more than an ID-SOL with a lot of tricks. Some more durability, a little extra punch, some gadgets, plus being made of metal, well, advantages certainly but an uncertain investment in the hands of a novice. An ID-SOL with experience and ingenuity could beat even the most highly advanced full convo at the time. We saw less and less of them being used as pure weapons for a time until one day they started to be fielded again solely for this purpose. Only this time they were different. They were no mere trump card. They were gods."
Now Thomas was being sucked into his memory, treading down a well worn path that at times was done with joy and others with sadness. "When we first started hearing the reports they were met with skepticism. Nothing more than an enemy psy op that was meant to demoralize us. But soon the reports began to have credibility. They were like human tac nukes. Men, clones, and ID-SOL alike were slaughtered by them. Our hardware was useless. Shortly after the Reds unleashed these soldiers, our side did the same. To watch them fight was incredible. Their moves were so strong and precise that we could feel them from miles away. The fighting became intense because you never knew when one of these monsters would just appear out of no where. The thing that drove us nuts was that even our own wouldn't talk to us. There was no way to tactically predict when we would have the advantage. There was this one time when we were flushing the Reds out from a defensive position when suddenly one of their full convo Red Demons appeared. We thought we were doomed until one of our full convos showed up."
Thomas then stopped for a few seconds before resuming. "Well, I'm sure you get the idea. It was around this time that I finally lost my meat body. Not that there had been much left, I was already sixty percent cybernetics by then. It was here that I found out where those insanely powerful full convos came from though. I was in the hospital when I was approached to participate in an experimental branch of cybernetic enhancement. Turned out I filled the requirements to become one of those new full convos. So I went for it and became what you see today. My first body was different from this one mind you. Those were the days before the Soul Enhancement period when the bodies were still limited by the manufacturer. I underwent a massive experimental body conversion and the next thing I knew I was getting used to being a brain in a highly combat capable box."
"I'll spare you the details of the training, the combat, and the numerous modifications that happened over the years. Let's just say I fought a lot of battles. Us full convo specials tended to keep to ourselves at first and I found out why. We called ourselves the Metal Ascendancy while everyone else was just 'regular meat.' The regular meat just seemed.... too slow. Like talking to them forced me to wait forever for the next word to be said. I also noticed too much. With our higher levels of awareness I caught every single expression a regular human made. I thought I would go mad from the non-stop stream of information my body's systems presented me with. The only time when it seemed quiet was during battle. I don't know how better to explain it but it was as though the necessity for heightened situational awareness of battle created a need to constantly be in battle for our kind to feel normal enough to be comfortable. I believe it was well into my tenth year as a full convo that I began to notice something else."
Again Thomas paused to ensure Anthony was taking it all in. There was still impatience visible but it had diminished slightly. "I was moving in to engage some targets when I heard something. At first I thought it was just a battle cry or some men psyching themselves up when I set my sensors to analyze this noise. By this point my combat sensors had attuned to certain items and allocated lesser priorities to unrelated sounds. For whatever reason I chose to investigate the noise and found that the regular meat soldiers were cheering us on. It took me so by surprise that I actually stopped. When my partner asked me why I had stopped I motioned to the soldiers who were waving and cheering to us as they rushed on to battle. My sensors immediately picked up all sorts of emotions coming from them. They were excited, relieved, happy, filled with admiration, and most of all inspired. I could not help but raise up my arms and reach out towards them. To think that just the sight of us fighting nearby would inspire them with so much confidence. I decided from that moment on that if they were willing to support us despite how aloof we had been then maybe I shouldn't be so judgemental towards humans."
"That is really very nice of you to not think us regular meats so belligerently anymore but what I want to know is just where is this leading?" Anthony quickly interrupted. Thomas knew to expect such jabs seeing as his son-in-law had been a fighter his whole life. He wasn't just going to sit here quietly as a lamb. "Well, perhaps I should fast forward a bit. Eventually the Metal Ascendancy reorganized and began to seperate from the government. Disagreements with policy and strategies forced us to go freelance. We sort of contracted with the government to do their work in exchange for our own independance. Unfortunately we weren't the only group out there and we had constant run ins with these rivals. The Mistic Metals, Kashmere Korrupts, and Angel Returners. This worked out for a good while and it kept me out of battles I found distasteful. After thirty years of fighting I was starting to see just how wasteful all of this warfare had become. It seemed like Nepleslia was never going to become united. I thought we could find a way with our skills but all we did was drag things out longer. Most of us seemed to just accept that this was the way things were meant to be. The fact that we needed to be in battle just to feel normal was strongly convincing. But then some of us came up with the strange notion that maybe if we can't stop fighting in the wars of Nepleslia, then maybe we can stop fighting ourselves. So we looked to try and unite all of the full convo groups into one and work together towards finding some means of uniting Nepleslia under one banner rather than fighting incessantly."
"How magnaminous of you." Anthony said with a shrug. "So what went wrong?"
"Well, it took some time to make everyone else agree. In fact we had some serious hold outs that cost us much to kill or convince. After a few years of our own personal civil war we were poised to begin working together when technology suddenly left us behind. It was around the time that Power Armors began to be fielded. With Power Armor a regular soldier could be trained in a fraction of the time it took one of us to ascend into the metal brotherhood. They were more readily disposable and we could feel the strain it took to fight them. We were no longer gods on the battlefield. In light of this we pooled our resources to upgrade ourselves for the sake of survival. Eventually we caught up but by the time we had honed our new edge the government dismissed us. It was then that some of us became disillusioned and started to rebel. Some of us believed we had become so different from the humans that we should set ourselves apart. That if they would ignore our age and insight then we should take matters into our own hands by force." There was a sense of regret that was audible in Thomas's voice now.
"As it turned out several full convos began to commit indiscriminate terrorist actions against the humans. We were such fools. At first we thought we had overlooked some of our own during the conflict. That maybe there was some group were were not aware of. By the time we found out what was going on we couldn't tell who was friend or foe. There were several casualties as a result of this but even more severe was the damage this did to our confidence and sense of self. How ironic that we who felt could lead humanity to unite were busy fighting amongst ourselves. All our skill and wisdom did nothing to prevent this tragedy." Thomas then shook his head and heaved his shoulders in a visible sigh of sadness.
"Some of the survivors decided to quit fighting and left. Those of us who remained reorganized ourselves into the Irregulars. We continued our traditions while adapting to the changing times. One means of adapting was to begin having our own children. During our transitions we saved our genetic data or preserved our reproductive organs within our bodies. Using this we could have children invitro. As a result of raising families together our bonds to each other grew stronger. We were not so much a military unit anymore as we were a family of clans. Some of us were even able to take human spouses within our fold. Our children were flesh and blood humans which we cherished above everything. We lost all notions of superiority and wondered about whether we should continue to fight in the wars against 'fellow humans.' The Vordichibean menace still reared it's head now and then despite their overall defeat. They had reminded us that there were external threats still out there. We figured it would only be a matter of time until we encountered such threats and decided to prepare. Meanwhile we raised and trained our children to be strong warriors like ourselves."
It was at this point when Thomas suddenly felt a tightening in his body. He felt his grinders instinctively begin to tense up. "After the retaking of Geshrintall most of our families moved there as part of the Nepleslian enforcement and to counter the threat of the Elysians. Seeing as they were an external threat we decided this was the perfect time for our strength to be known. Our subcontracts increased as we devoted ourselves to the skirmishes that we began to have with the Celestial Navy. Our focus and purpose had begun to grow when the plague hit."
Anthony believed he could see the motions of a person trying to hold back tears in his father-in-law. Although the body could not produce real tears, the expressions were genuine. "We lost all of it. Our clan leaders, our friends, our allies, our children! It was the loss of our precious children that hurt us the most. Some had just given birth to them. Others were already into their third generation. It was just too much. We who made up the Irregulars had suffered many crippling blows over the decades but nothing like this. The survivors again regrouped and fought but this was mostly to try and soothe the pain by returning it to those we believed responsible. We inflicted so many horrific losses upon the Elysians but it was no panacea for our pain. No matter how many I killed I would never have my family returned. I couldn't handle it, so I left with my only surviving daughter Celine."
The emotions hung heavily inside the room for a moment. Anthony sighed a little bit at the old man who for all his massive size in body, had shrunk down to a quivering child. "Dad, you do know that Celine is still alive. I never asked for much in the past but I have to this time, for her sake. Please don't go. She still needs you. And... I still need you. You have been the closest thing to a father that I have ever had. You gave me a chance and made my dream possible. I know I can never replace the sons and family you lost but please, can't we at least have this?"
For a moment Thomas felt what was akin to a shift in his spirit. The rage was still there but it abated somewhat. His son's plea had been genuine which was such a shock that there was real hesitation being felt. In a matter of seconds Thomas reanalyzed his thoughts and motivations. He was still hurt by the loss. That would never leave. However there was something more important now and that was the safety of his family. He had known this for some time but he felt it all the stronger now. For that briefest of moments he changed his mind and would rather stay to protect them until new realizations arrived. What of the deployment of the Yamataian fleet over Nepleslia? There were still threats being made in the name of a madman? What would stop him from ever doing it again? If history had proven anything it was that when tyrants are allowed to go unchecked then the cost of facing them is greater. There was still a danger and something had to be done to prevent it.
"Thank you son for reminding me of how important this family of ours is. If I am to protect us though, then I have to do something now before it is too late." Thomas finally said. There was a slight twinge of regret in that he would have to be seperated from his family but it was the sort that he knew had to be done. "I won't let anyone hurt this family any further even if I have to do so from afar. Son, this is for everyone, not just myself now."
Anthony let out a sigh as he saw that Thomas was determined to see this through. It was disappointing but he knew this would be his final word. "When do you plan on leaving?"
"After the upcoming holocaust memorial ceremony. We still have a few things to take care of before then." Thomas said, standing up. "I believe your meeting is about to take place in five minutes. I won't take up anymore of your time, son."
"Very well then, I guess this will be all for now." Anthony then stood up and extended his hand out to Thomas. "I won't tell Celine about this."
Taking his son's hand in his own Thomas then shook it. "Thank you, Tony. For everything."
As Thomas began to walk out of the office the scheduled visitor arrived being led by Anthony's secretary. "Excuse me, Mr. Claymere. Mr. Gran from Tran Seed is here to see you."
Thomas nodded as he excused himself and departed. "My father-in-law, Mr. Gran. He has a habit of visiting at odd times."
"No explanation necessary. I am familiar with how full convos can be." the representative replied as they walked together.
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Thomas left out a side entrance he usually used to prevent drawing attention. As he exited into the alley he looked over to his left to see Shannon leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. "Ye ha' a good convehsasion wi' ye son?" she asked without saying an audible word.
"Aye, he's a good lad. Now where off ah we headin' ta? Ye sehd ye foun' some othahs willin' teh help." Thomas replied in the same direct feed that his kind developed.
"The Yams ha' free ah booncha Spacah's from the Military Sectah. Lehts goh see ih they ha' some intel. I also figah the Hack Cult be eagah tah help out too." she said with a slight grin as her eyes turned a light blue.
"Ah'right, lehts go." Thomas said as he clenched a fist. In a flash they both left undetected.
