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 Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2022 5:55 pm
Andreiya was not particularly fond of going out too late at night, but there were far fewer humans out at this hour, and it meant they had all the space and privacy they needed. The park had a secluded field surrounded by a patch of trees, which gave them plenty of open space and privacy. He’d checked his ComTech half a dozen times to make sure there were no nearby energy signatures, and couldn’t help but sigh with relief that they were alone.
“I think this should be good?” he suggested, and looked to Vyn and Aliez for approval before he walked a few yards away so he could comfortably fiddle with his blaster. While he’d been focused almost exclusively on collecting data on his anomaly of a plant, there had been a lot of down time while he waited for things to grow.
It meant he spent some time trying to improve himself, and that meant trying to improve his blaster. He’d adjusted the focus, the grip, the recoil.
The crystal was as powerful as he could get it, but a simple conversation had spawned the question of if Aliez’s shield was stronger than his blaster–or Vyn’s.
It wasn’t that he thought Caedus might have tricked some of the Vanguard to defend them, but he hadn’t seen some of them in so long–and couldn’t Caedus make his own weapon? Shouldn’t they know what their own weapons were capable of?
So, they’d decided to test the theory.
Andreiya was torn, because on one hand he wanted to know that he had a powerful weapon, but on the other hand he wanted to know that Aliez could defend against any real threat. Also, he didn’t want to shoot him.
“I have it on full blast right now. I can turn it down if you want to test lower levels first. I will only aim at your feet, nothing vital. Oh, but we should have the first aid kit nearby, just in case. Unless Vyn wants to go first?” They could shoot at the same time, but it sounded like maybe that was getting a little dangerous.
He tried not to sound excited, or anxious, or any combination of emotions that would have been otherwise unfitting; he couldn’t help his curiosity, but it was tempered by worry. Someone had to have the strongest weapon, right?
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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2022 6:22 pm
Aliez was also checking his ComTech, making sure there weren’t any blips of energy signatures that could indicate that they not only needed to keep an eye out for others, but that there might be hostility towards them.
So far, there was nothing. Which meant Andreiya and Vyn would try to help him figure out if his shield was hopefully strong enough to withstand them shooting him. He didn’t like the idea, but he needed to know if there was enough strength in the shield to protect himself and others should the need arise.
Andreiya was at least considerate of his anxiety at the idea of being shot at. Whereas, when it was suggested that maybe Vyn wanted to go first, Aliez immediately raised his arm to protect himself if necessary. Vyn wasn’t the kind to hold back.
In many ways, he appreciated that about his friend. In other ways… he really didn’t want to have to use the first aid kit.
He didn’t think that the Commodore would give him a shield that wouldn’t be able to withstand their own weapons, but he did want to make sure.
“Give me a chance to get the shield back up after it goes down,” he requested as he eyed Vyn, which he assumed would have a returned suggestion of how he should know how to dodge, and how their enemy wouldn’t wait for his shield to recharge.
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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2022 7:38 pm
Their enemies wouldn’t wait for a shield to recharge. Negaverse, White Moon, it didn’t matter which — they would be relentless, just as they’d been when they killed their Commanders and their friends.
Vyn thought it was best to be prepared for all scenarios. They should expect the worst while hoping for the best. This war was not theirs, but they would inevitably find themselves caught up in it. Their priority in those situations should be their own survival.
Which meant it was important that Aliez should be able to do that — at their side, or alone, if he had to.
But, Vyn could be reasonable. They were here with a purpose in mind. There would be other occasions to remind Aliez that their enemies would not be so kind, that he should always be on his guard. Tonight wasn’t about testing his reflexes, or his ability to dodge. Tonight was specifically for testing his shield.
So Vyn gave him a few moments to prepare.
With his blaster drawn, he held Aliez’s gaze.
“Tell us if you need a break,” Vyn said.
Patiently, he waited until Aliez seemed as if he were ready to begin. Only then did Vyn fire first.
Normally, he would not discriminate during a training exercise, and aim wherever he thought it would benefit Aliez to learn how to defend. Tonight, he followed Andreiya’s example and aimed for Aliez’s feet.
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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2022 9:20 pm
Because this was only practice, Andreiya completely respected the request to give him the chance to get the shield bak up. The idea was to know if it could withstand blows, and he understood that there were some limitations with what power their crystals could manifest.
He gave Vyn the chance to fire when he and Aliez were comfortable and prepared, and when the shield still stood, he fired as well. If the shield went down, he didn’t want to risk injuring Aliez, so he aimed at the grass just in front of his feet.
Vyn’s shot hadn’t shattered the shield so he didn’t have much faith in his own, but he had just tweaked things! The crystal might not have been any stronger, but he hoped he’d still optimized it.
Still, so far so good! The shield survived the first blast, and his blaster didn’t malfunction so he was on a good track, too.
So far.
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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2022 9:31 pm
He really didn’t think anyone gave Vyn and Andreiya enough credit. They were both incredibly kind and devoted to their world, and they were good friends. They knew Aliez was anxious about practicing with a shield to which he didn’t know the limitations.
Aliez could feel the vibrations of the shots throughout the dome of the energy shield. He could feel the power from the shots fired at him, and he was grateful that they were both aiming at his feet just in case.
“I’m okay,” he said, more to himself than the others, as if to remind himself that the Commodore wouldn’t have given him anything that he thought wouldn’t be able to protect him. Of course, he could have given him a bigger shield… but he also knew his crystal wouldn’t be able to charge something larger at the current energy level he was at. Maybe one day he would be worthy of something more.
Maybe one day he would feel as though he actually deserved it. Because right now he was just struggling to understand what they were even doing there on Earth. They were trying to keep on top of things, but it was difficult when they had no idea what to look for.
The shield had gone down -- it needed to recharge, but he knew that Vyn and Andreiya’s blasters would need a chance to recharge as well. He took a deep breath and held up his arm again, letting the energy dome surround him once more. Corporal Weapon: A vambrace that can be converted into an energy shield dome. It can deflect moderate physical and magical attacks, and convert those attacks into energy that can be absorbed by Vanguardian Source Stones. Up to two others can comfortably fit inside the dome with him. After the shield is hit three times, the build up of energy will discharge and cause moderate disorientation to whomever is attacking. Can be used for up to ten seconds and needs ten seconds to recharge.
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Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2022 2:30 pm
Vyn held himself steady, kept his blaster aimed and ready, but took his finger off the trigger while Aliez’s shield was down.
Their technology was superior to that of Earth in many ways, but the need to recharge, even for such a short time, could be a source of frustration to Vyn. They were lucky at least that the White Moon had limited magic; their abilities could be exhausted with time and patience. The Negaverse, on the other hand, possessed skills and weapons that far exceeded their own. Whatever loose alliance the Commodore had with them was not enough to give Vyn much comfort. They were a danger. They would always be a danger.
Vyn feared it was only a matter of time before that danger turned on them.
He wanted to be prepared for any circumstance — White Moon aggression, Negaverse betrayal, either option could spell disaster for the Vanguard. He wanted his friends prepared, so when the time came they wouldn’t be as they’d been on the hilltop, too young, too new, too afraid, too destroyed by the events of that night — by the actions of their leader, as well as those of their potential enemies.
The dome of energy surrounded Aliez again. Vyn aimed carefully and shot one more.
Something happened. Vyn was unprepared for it, and so could not discern exactly when or why or how. Something burst. A wave of energy struck him. One moment, Vyn stood there waiting for Andreiya to follow with a well aimed shot of his own, and the next Vyn was on the ground, incredibly disoriented, and confused as to how he got there.
He stared up at a few pin pricks of stars that happened to shine through the city’s ambient lighting as he caught his breath.
Then he lifted his head, looked between Andreiya and Aliez, and asked, “What was that?”
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Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2022 7:54 pm
Andreiya further lowered his blaster when the shield went down, even if he was certain that his blaster still needed some time to recharge. He would have continued to wait patiently until it was his turn, and he raised his blaster, prepared to aim after Vyn, and–
He wasn’t sure if the shield reflected Vyn’s blast or fired one of its own, but he immediately refrained from shooting a second shot. He flipped the safety on and sheathed it so he could hurry over and check on Vyn.
Aliez was the medic, but Andreiya at least knew basic first aid, so when he rushed over and saw no visible damage he breathed a little easier. He kneeled on the ground next to him, mindful to give him space and room but be nearby just in case. “Are you okay? What happened?” he asked, equally to Vyn and Aliez.
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Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2022 8:11 pm
Aliez had no idea what happened. One moment he could feel that there was more energy or… something… in the shield around him, and the next some kind of blast was knocking Vyn backwards.
The shield was immediately lowered and he hurried over to Vyn’s side in a panic.
Neither of them seemed to know what happened. Aliez certainly didn’t know what happened. He first held his Source Stone over Vyn to make sure there were no immediate injuries to worry about, and then glanced down at the vambrace on his arm that emitted the shield.
“I’m… not sure,” he admitted, although he had some theories swirling around. “When you shot me the first couple times, it felt as though the energy was being absorbed… The basts didn’t ricochet. I think… maybe the kinetic energy was stored inside the shield, and then when it reached a certain point… Vyn, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know it could do that,” he frowned mournfully as he knelt down by his friend. He was glad that Andreiya hadn’t been hurt too.
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Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2022 2:25 pm
Slowly, Vyn took stock of himself as he sat up. None of the aches and pains from his fall seemed especially severe, so he assured Andreiya, “I’m fine, just…”
He shook his head briefly, waiting for the disorientation to pass. Vyn planted one hand firmly on the ground, letting the grass press into his palm, between his fingers, using the feel of it as an anchor. He was unharmed, on the ground in the park, with Andreiya and Aliez beside him. He’d shot at Aliez’s shield — the third in a sequence, and the shield had revolted somehow.
“Don’t apologize,” Vyn told Aliez. “The entire point of us being here was to test your shield’s capabilities.”
He holsterd his blaster for the time being, then climbed to his feet when he felt steady enough, brushing dirt and bits of grass from his uniform to cover any momentary perception of weakness.
“Are you unharmed?” he asked Andreiya. “I wonder if the shield blast can be directed at a specific target or if it strikes indiscriminately. We only struck three times…”
Vyn considered this for a moment, then shrugged, “Well, at least you’ll have some way to defend yourself against an enemy who won’t let a shield stop them. Unless it was a fluke.”
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Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2022 4:35 pm
“I am unharmed,” Andreiya quickly reported, eyes darting from Vyn to Aliez to assure himself that they were really fine. They looked fine. They were acting fine. It was good enough for now.
“I hope it was not a fluke. Should we try shooting you again? …Maybe we should come back with our own shields, just in case this wasn’t a malfunction. We should hope it was the correct function of the shield, though. I would feel much better knowing that you had an extra defense if someone is not taking the hint and attacking you. Maybe something like that would be enough to get them to back off. Or, if it hits them hard enough, it might buy you some time. Vyn does not look like he could chase you down and continue attacking you right now.”
He sounded hopeful, at least.
He would like to think that his friend would be safe, even if he didn’t have someone there to have his back.
“Should we go back for now? We have the information we came for. And I am reluctant to shoot at you again knowing that something might shoot back at me. I am unprepared for that, for now. But we can remedy that easily enough for next time.”
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Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2022 6:00 pm
Aliez was relieved that both Vyn and Andreiya were unharmed. He felt guilty that Vyn was struck, but Andreiya was right -- this was why they came out to test their weapons.
“I will do some more research once we get back,” he said, shaking his head at Andreiya’s suggestion about shooting him again.
“I agree that we would be better off being prepared for another time. Come, we shall go home. I prepared a lemon, elderflower cake earlier. Provided none of our housemates ate it already, I should be able to put the chilled frosting on and you are welcome to a piece. I shall make tea as well,” he decided, because after a stressful training session, they deserved a break.
“Thank you for doing this for me. It is very much appreciated. You are both good friends.” Without them he would have never known about his shield’s capabilities. Or maybe he would have found out when he was in danger of being hurt. He knew they all had a long way to go with all of their research, but this felt like they were making a tiny bit of progress at least.
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