Pythagoras

If the myth of Area-51 was ever to come to fruition, if anything was ever close to that misplaced truth then this was it.1

The inhabitants of the lab irritated me beyond comparison; they were usually bumbling incompetent fools who were content to give us new shapes of weapon rather than new weapons. For that’s what the place was – a weapons development site.2

I had followed them through the grounds, met at the gate by a group of three I had been taken inwards to be bored by a never ending tirade of promises of actual results this time. It had been a wonderful promise, though one I doubted until the last minute.3

We proceeded through the building fairly quickly, only diverting a couple of times to examine other weapons they had designed. Remodelled was the word I would have preferred to use but I had little in the way of persuasive force here.4

Finally we came to a set of double doors and passed through them, inside was a small ante-chamber. Upon opening the doors at its opposite end bright, white sunlight filtered in and blinded us. The lab was dim inside and the change of contrast was startling.5

Nearby a humanoid structure stood a good six feet tall and looked as though the back was unfolded. Cynicism rose in me at the assumption that these useless scientists had created something which was just another shape once more, another suit of Kevlar armour.6

I suppressed my urge to shout at the scientists, they had a right to a chance to prove that their creation justified my visit. They would have their chance and they would fail but all in due time. For now I would continue to listen with contempt and remain unattached to their creation.7

“Please step into the suit General.” A beak-nosed scientist was talking to me directly. The suit stood a good fifteen feet off to my right and his left. I looked in that direction, eyes reduced to thin lines against the glare of the sun.8

“What the hell for?” My voice was sharp and demanding as I remember. I leaned down a little to meet the stout scientist nose to beak. I was the General not he and I would not take orders from him.9

“To experience the biggest breakthrough science has ever known. Why else?” It was matter-of-factly that he said it and I could have found myself believing him if my trained scepticism didn’t force me to doubt him until the very last moment.10

I boarded the suit as I was instructed to – scientists fussed around and made last minute alterations and checks. When they had done even the hockey-like mask fit like a glove. Comfortable.11

A siren sounded nearby but the sound was muffled in the surprisingly comfortable armour. I remember, I felt like a small boy pretending to be Arthur in Camelot. Ridiculous.12

“Pre-test – Initialize!” It was from a loudspeaker. The same one the siren earlier was emitted from. At that prompt the tinted lenses of the mask sprang to life with information. Most of it was incomprehensible.13

The word ‘WAR’ occasionally flitted past.14

“Complete.” The same voice again. “Begin P.O.S.T.”15

Information almost identical to a PCs starting sequence was displayed momentarily then gone.16

“Complete. Communications online.” An electrical pop to my right and then loud in my ear, “General. There is a rifle at your feet. Collect it now.”17

I had not noticed the rifle while boarding (shame on me) but stiffly I bent down and scooped it up.18

“Good. Targets downrange will appear in five.”19

I turned to face out across the field. I sensed eager scientists at my rear backing away. The sensation was incredible, I could actually feel them backing away as though I were a spider on my web. By the time I had managed to awkwardly shoulder the rifle the first target was up.20

Aiming was incredible clean and efficient. Inside the suit I didn’t shake at all. Once the rifle was facing the same way as me a crosshair jumped onto the eyepiece display. I wiggled the gun – the crosshair tracked it across my vision. Stunning.21

The pressure I applied on the trigger was displayed on the visual display. It racked up considerably as I tensed my finger and once the readout hit 5000 the rifle in my hands fired. The crosshair barely jumped and the target it has previously overlapped exploded in a brilliant spray of metal.22

Personal enjoyment overtook duty and I took great pleasure in expending the rest of the ammunition in the clip, shredding over four dozen more targets with a single shot each. Each time I fired, an ammunition counter decreased by one.23

One hundred percent accuracy.24

It was incredible, the ease of use, safety and information/communications that the suit and rifle gave the user.25

With the clip on the weapon empty the readout on my display was zero and the box magazine ejected automatically. This level of technology was decades ahead of the market and current applied technology.26

“Well done Sir. Release the weapon.”27

I let go of the weapon and it clattered to the ground, surprisingly light considering it was so large; weighing even less due to being empty.28

“Hold still Sir. We have a unit on the way to test the suits ability. It will arrive in just one moment.”29

Sure enough, a moment later the extra unit arrived. It was an identical suit which sported an extra two clips and rifle. My own suit had analysed it before it was even within firing range.30

“Remain calm and brace yourself Sir. You will be fired upon.”31

The extra unit opened fire and scored a total count of 49 hits on my suit, I didn’t hear a single one of them land but a display showed every hit location and a counter recorded every one. I was perfectly safe. I was calm.32

“Hit the switch under the left eye of the mask Sir.”33

I did as I was told again and pushed in the small concealed switch. It was like dropping underwater, everything slowed down and some of it even floated; the Dragonfly which did not move, its wings not a blur and yet suspended perfectly still in the air.34

A base instinct, to survive, to kill. It overtook me so quickly it was like a train without carriages passing a road crossing. The only weapons, mine and the test units. He had the only ammunition too. My disbelief was suspended by whatever the suit had done to me. I had no time for panic because time had become irrelevant.35

I rushed forwards and snatched the gun from the other unit. Moving beside it I took the first clip from its belt and jammed it into the butt of my gun. Before I knew what was happening I was behind it, opening fire liberally at point blank range.36

It didn’t fall despite taking two dozen rounds to its back, they had pierced the armour but still it stood, frozen like the Dragonfly. The other clip was in my other hand before I watched it move away and I advanced on the control tower.37

Six rounds saw its struts cut off at the base. Another twenty saw its top demolished into a hail of glass and torn metal. The suit scanned for extra targets and found the scientists. It advanced; menacing the frozen men who no doubt couldn’t see it, or react if they wanted to. It would be instantaneous to them – I understood that much about the ability.38

Knocking in the final clip of ammunition to the rifle I advanced still, the suit chose not to use the gun and locked its firing mechanism. It played out before me, one death at a time. Precise punches and swings of the rifle destroyed the group of men.39

They were left, broken and floating in the air where they had been put by my frenzy. But a warning sounded within the suit. The other unit had activated its ability too. Panic.40

The pilot was skilled and well practised with the suit. He managed to close range on me and land a shoulder barge before I could even turn fully. I fell sideways and landed awkwardly, luckily he was within the crosshairs of my weapon after.41

I yanked back on the trigger and fifty rounds spat from the barrel of the weapon, each shot paused in the air as he closed on them. They were slowing and being pushed aside even as he advanced, as though they were perfectly harmless paper.42

The distance between us was getting narrower and another surge of pure space shot through my body and mind. Clarity in a lethal dose: sense and sensibility bludgeoning me senseless. No return.43

His leg raised, atop me and about to stomp down. I rolled backwards as his foot lowered, coming up on my feet awkwardly due to the weight of the suit.44

“T.A.O: Target Aggression Offset – Begin.”45

I didn’t have a clue what that was but there was little time to care about it; my enemy was bearing forwards with a punch which would knock me flat if I allowed it to land. I threw my shoulder back, leaning onto my back foot and the punch passed me.46

Quick footwork put me with my back to his off-balance body and my hands captured his arm firmly. A simple Judo move from basic training which had me slam my back into his chest and drop to one knee while rolling my other shoulder forwards. 47

It worked like a charm and he flipped over my in a twirl of arms and legs. Weight had no effect as his suit lost the ability and flowed through the air in still-time.48

“T.A.O: Complete – Target nullified successfully.”49

It then made sense in the lull, T.A.O was a non-lethal manoeuvre which incapacitated the enemy and stopped them from attacking you again. But there was more sinister; it made them your ally also.50

The suits ability stopped functioning and everything collapsed with a great roar and crash.51

Uncontrollably, the rampage began.52

Pythagoras53