Unity by Carl Stubblefield (epub read online books TXT) 📕

fortunately I can show you some things that will help with making our camp so we can kill two birds with one stone. To get through this, you may have to save some of your questions until the camp is set up, just so we don’t get bogged down. Do you know how to take notes on your display?” He was speaking frantically and it was difficult to understand him as he rushed to get information out.

“Go to the gear icon in the upper right and access settings. Got it? Now scroll down to storage, then under that tab should be notes. Try asking a mental question once that’s open.”

What should I ask?

The text filled in the blank page, and Gus nodded at the utility of the new feature.

“You can do a lot with that section of your display, but since you haven’t been trained at all, there’s probably a lot other supers take for granted that are a mystery to you. That section can also take pictures and video if you need it for future review. I almost always have mine running during an active mission so I can review it and see my performance. The Faction can actually stitch the team’s experience together and you can see how you performed through another’s eyes. It’s a bit trippy, but also very helpful for feedback.

“Getting back on track. I’m surprised you have Ether Weaving, as that’s rare to have as a simple ability. While many powers manipulate ether in varied ways, they only manipulate it in a limited fashion. It frames how they access and express their will when they activate a skill.”

“So that’s a good thing, I’m taking it?”

“Oh, more than you know. I have a skill called Ether Design. Ether Weaving is one of the subskills that I picked up fairly early after I developed powers, and is just one way to interact and manipulate this material. That’s a big part of how I use my ability. I’ve never known anyone who can do what I do in the same manner. I want to see how you access your ability and what it looks like to me, then give you some feedback. Next, I’ll create something and I’ll show you how to change your approach to do the same.”

“So just try to make what you make with ether?”

“Yes. If we work together, I get XP for training you and you get XP from learning new skills. I don’t have any direct experience being a mentor, but I’ve heard that the quantum computer is very generous with XP allotments.”

“You know about the quantum computer? What about Nth? I didn’t think they trained supers about that.”

BoJack threw his hands out to stop the barrage of questions. “Put those in notes for now, we’ll get to them. They’re important and part of the history lesson that you need to hear in a bit. For now, would you show me how you use that ability?”

“Alright, just a second.” Gus noted his questions, surprised at how many popped into existence in the minimized window. He then looked upward trying to recall what to make. He settled on a simple basket and wove the ether threads, tying them off and securing the construct midair.

BoJack cocked his head as he examined the basket as it swung lazily there. A single cable extended and poked and prodded at the basket.

“Not bad for a newbie. And did you say you haven’t developed any crafting skills?”

“No. I’ve heard that’s another way to get a decent amount of XP besides battling or leveling skills.”

“Yes, yes, it is…” BoJack said distractedly, squinting his eyes at the bands of ether that made the approximately gallon-sized basket. “Gus, what energy do you use to fuel the construct?”

A dumbfounded expression swept over Gus’ face. “What energy do I use? I’m not sure what you mean by that.”

BoJack turned back to the basket and grabbed one of the strands with two cable constructs. He looked at Gus apologetically. “May I break this?”

Gus shrugged okay, and BoJack pulled apart the section of basket. It began to thin and then held as the cables trembled a bit when it stopped stretching. There was a tiny *snap* that sounded like getting shocked with static and the weave fizzled out of the cables holding it, burning like a fuse as the construct unraveled and disappeared. BoJack sped to observe it from different angles before it was totally consumed.

“Fascinating,” he drawled in amazement, then stood scratching his head staring at the blank space where the basket had been.

“Okay. That was different. Kind of changes things a bit, but we’ll work with that.”

He shook his head to clear it and then turned to Gus. “Alright, I need to shift gears for a bit here. Gus, can you see this?” BoJack outstretched a palm in front of him and then put his other hand above it, like he was seasoning his lower palm with salt. He then drew it upward and a six-inch shard formed over his palm, floating in the air. BoJack pinched it to taper the upper point of the shard but did not touch his fingers. When he drew them away, Gus could see that the top of the shard was open. He could also see that what he was observing was visible by its outline on his display, but not visible to the naked eye.

“You can see that on your display, right?” BoJack continued as he saw Gus nod. “It’s a plain construct of ether. The only thing sustaining it is the faintest whisper of energy from MP. Now I’m going to infuse it, so watch.”

BoJack looked upward to the small breach in the trees above and a thin fiber of light began to extend down, ending in the empty shard. Immediately next to the thin filament, everything became as dark as pitch, the intensity of the darkness lessening the further away from the strand.

Gus looked up as it disappeared above, catching an occasional glint as the