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

the black and gold Serif logo. Grasping the handle on the side, he pulled the package inside and closed off the entryway, locking it.

He quickly grabbed a knife from his workbench and sliced the seal with reverence. He pulled apart the flaps, removing contoured foam revealing two large cases that could have held electric guitars. Long and rectangular, the cases gave no hint of what lay inside to an outside observer.

Shamus eyed the cases suspiciously.

Two? What’s going on with this?

He removed the slightly wider case and unbuckled the four catches on the sides.

With a hiss, it opened. The distinct smell of polyfoam and machine oil wafted into the air. Shamus took it in like a bouquet of fine wine. His eyes started when they saw the contents. He initiated a full run-down scan and his processors digitally analyzed the arm that lay inside. It was unlike anything he had ever seen, and his display spooled out the analysis, forming a three-dimensional image floating above the arm, some sections disassembling and reassembling to show internal features and configurations.

Looking at the breakdowns, he had to refocus a couple of times to make certain he was reading the specs correctly. Advanced kinematics, predictive algorithms directly embedded, and dynamic nano interface capability, among other features, each more stunning than the next. He could find no serial number or product name, but it was obviously a Serif design. He had thought he had the top of the line before the incident, but this was a whole new level of sophistication and design.

He lifted the arm reverently from its polyfoam housing, staring at the limb with awe as he admired its heft. It felt solid, but lighter than the 800 models, almost half of the weight. A data window expanded as he focused on it, showing a reinforced nanotride housing protecting the intricate machinery within.

Another window enlarged, illustrating the arm’s own self-repairing mechanism via an internal nanobot reservoir. That was new. It would save him so much time tinkering and working when something was damaged.

With awe, he clicked the arm in place and felt the brief discomfort as the calibration and synchronization process started. Tiny fibers snaked out and connected with the baseplate, directly wired to nerves unused since his arm was taken and his brain perceived a variety of sensations as the arm went through its protocol, most of them intense and unpleasurable.

When the arm had finally synced, he felt a wave of pleasure as the refractory endorphin hit sank in, mollifying the intensity of sensation, allowing him to better tolerate the procedure. His tension eased as the endorphins smoothed out the transition.

He flexed, opening and closing his fist in front of him, admiring the pure artistry that had gone into this magnificent piece of tech.

Those supers have really outdone themselves. I guess I am giving them that little bonus…

As if on cue, the pleasant wind chime tone indicating someone was at the door sounded. Shamus closed the case, slid the package under a nearby table and sat down at his desk, attempting to be busy and preoccupied.

Eliza appeared and confirmed that it was indeed the supers, so he allowed her to open the door, and tried to appear as nonchalant as possible. The three came in, the younger man looking disheveled, his hair whipped at crazy angles, as if he had just come out of a bar fight. Shamus noted that the girl and older man kept their usual poise and calm demeanor.

“I see you received our gifts,” Tempest said cordially, nodding towards the new arm.

“Indeed. And I have found the information you were needing as well. Here are the schedules you wanted. They’re only accurate for the first couple of pages, usually because of changes in the deliveries and arrival times. I’d recommend acting as soon as you can. That’s in restricted hybrid territory, and I’m in no shape to travel there as I am. Your best bet is to go to one of the delivery points and follow the courier to their destination,” Shamus said in a smooth, even tone. This was business, and he didn’t want to show these supers any advantage with the magnitude of their gift. Chances were they didn’t know what they had done.

“That’s it?” Aurora spat. “You’re not even going to take us there?”

Tempest raised his hand to calm her. “It’s okay, Aurora, we can take it from here. The nav-points are all in here, I assume?”

Shamus nodded to Tempest. “Of course, I’m a professional. I usually would take you there, but certain circumstances have occurred recently that, well, let’s just say I’m not at my best.”

Tempest nodded knowingly and scooped up the folder, gesturing to his companions that it was time to go.

“Oh, one more thing. You’ll want to use this.” Shamus tossed a small USB device to Gus before he could turn and leave.

“What is it?”

“It lets you hide your position and access to the local network using a spoofing protocol. We don’t use the satellite network you outsiders are so fond of, on account of all the storms.” He twirled a finger overhead as he leaned back in his chair, feet up on the desk. “Our system is cobbled together, but it gives us a similar level of connectivity, although to communicate with the outside world, you need to visit a kiosk.”

The group looked confused, so Shamus elaborated.

“When you piggyback unprotected on a local network, they can see and hear everything you’re doing. You need to scramble that kak, especially if you want to keep your conversations private. You’ve been jumping from network to network to communicate—not the best idea in Hinansho.”

The wind-blown super thanked him and Shamus just tipped his hat.

After they were gone, Shamus had Eliza lock the doors again and once again began to stare lovingly at the new arm.

I’m back.

A glint formed in his eye as he mapped out his plan to get back what had been taken from him.

Chapter Thirty-Four

In My Foreign

As the three supers entered the