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The Sky Above pt. 6
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2024 9:27 pm
by Olga Barber
6th of Ash, 124th Year of the Age of Steel
Everything exploded and Olga was thrilled.
“Completely ruined, ma’am. Congratulations.”
“Congratulations to us, Tolfar,” Olga said, removing her goggles. “Ready for test two?”
“Shouldn’t we confirm the damage? There was a target,” he said, already walking to the other side of the testing area. “Not that it should be especially easy to find.”
“Good instincts, and no, I can’t imagine it will be,” Olga said, following - and then quickly leading - forward.
The tank had fired trued, sans Operator. Olga hadn’t needed Private Baccas or any of the other trainees for the first tests. Easy enough for her or Tolfar to input what was needed. All that remained was booking the testing grounds; easy, considering her project. Then, of course, there was getting there. The testing grounds were below ground - very far below ground. A basement in the basement of the Imperial Academy of Arcane Sciences. This was, of course, for security reasons. It wasn’t just tanks that were tested here but all sorts of weaponry. Artifice aside, there were all sorts of Alchemic concoctions and Runeforged items, all for the purpose of warfare. Olga only had the faintest idea of what either world magic was capable of, but she was sure that it wasn’t pretty. She’d heard rumors of all sorts of horrors. Magetech capable of using some strange sort of frequency to scramble the brain and poisoning you without gas or injection. She wasn’t sure how any of that could be tested, or even who it was tested on, but that those things needed to be contained was obvious even to her.
However, the testing grounds proved to be excellent for Artifice.
She’d ordered a tank to be constructed - by who, she wasn’t sure - and once that had been done, it was easy enough to install the core. There was about three-hundred and fifty feet between the tank and the target range, which she wasn’t sure was really enough. Olga had definitely felt the explosion when the missile landed. Luckily, the missile itself was as standard as she could order, meaning not enchanted. No, she decided there wasn’t any point in risking her or Tolfar, and there wasn’t a need to order a special missile. She just needed whatever it was they planned on stocking the tanks with normally.
And so, she arrived, they loaded the tanks and they shot - and it worked. Perhaps a bit too well.
“I don’t understand why you asked for a mannequin.”
“I didn’t -,” she paused, frowning, as both her and Tolfar looked for the torso, or any part of the wooden doll. “- don’t question me, Tolfar. It was a fine idea. The tanks will be aiming for soldiers, anyway. It needs to be able to differentiate between a human figure from otherwise.”
“Yes, ma’am. Of course, ma’am.”
“Well, keep looking, Tolfar! We need to see the exact damage and piece together the mannequin, if possible. I want to see where it struck.”
“Perhaps, next time ma’am, we can request a Sembler for support? Or Sembler glasses.”
Re: The Sky Above pt. 6
Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2024 1:24 am
by Olga Barber
“Again.”
“Re-loading -.”
Olga adjusted her goggles as a construct slowly prepared the tank for the next round of testing. Arguably, at this point, it was unnecessary. She and Tolfar had run around fifteen tests, and each time, the tank proved lethal. The mannequins were destroyed. Obliterated. They never stood a chance. Each and every time, the tank landed its missile so perfectly, they couldn’t find any remaining pieces. Olga had even sent for a Sembler (as much of a surprise to her as it was to Tolfar) who confirmed what they already suspected: there wasn’t any coming back from a tank attack, not for these mannequins. The tanks shot directly at the chests, and each time they landed, resulting in an explosion of plastic and wood.
“The military will be impressed, ma’am.”
“They should be, Tolfar,” she said, watching as the construct checked the tank was loaded and then backed away. “On my mark - get set -,” she paused, pulling on her headphones and gesturing for Tolfar to do the same. Once he gave her the thumb’s up, the all’s good, the OK, she nodded. “Go!”
And, for the sixteenth time that day, she watched a mannequin blown to pieces.
“They’ll be more than impressed. Even considering the mannequin isn’t moving -.”
“We could order the disposable constructs, ma’am.”
“Oh. Right,” she said, remembering that they could order those in. Olga shrugged. Why not? It would only further support her research. “Construct XVI,” she snapped, and the construct who had been preparing the ammo and loading the tank swiveled towards her and Tolfar. “Please send an immediate request to the Artifice offices. We will require at least five disposable constructs for target practice, as many as can be provided.”
“Please see them dressed in enemy gear, Construct XVI.”
“Good point, Tolfar. Yes, Construct XVI, see to that.”
The Construct XVI responded in the affirmative, and quickly left the testing grounds. It was only a matter of minutes before it returned with five cat-sized constructs. These constructs were wearing uniforms of enemies - a bit too large for them, but they function as needed. Or would, anyway. She only needed them to scurry around, this way and that. “Tolfar, send one out to be blasted, keep the others near. Construct XVI - equip the tank.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
And, so Olga watched as Construct XVI re-equipped the tank, dragging the ammo from the stockpile and slowly loading it. And, while the Construct XVI worked, Tolfar shepherded four of the disposable to him, while the fifth was sent to dart off in the rubble. When everyone was ready, Olga looked at Tolfar - confirming his headphones and goggles were good to go - and then said, “On my mark - get set - go!”
And, for the seventeenth time that day, she watched something else blown to pieces. Olga realized she missed the mannequins exploding.
“Again.”
“On my mark - get set - go!” Eighteen.
“Again.”
“On my mark - get set - go!” Nineteen.
“Again.”
“On my mark - get set - go!” Twenty.
“Again.”
“On my mark - get set - go!” Twenty-one.
And each and every time the tank hit its mark.
“You’re right, Tolfar. The military will really love this.”