Chương 60: Arc 1 - Chapter 37 - Assessment Prep I

Upon returning to the Alpha Squad dorms, the two of them discovered they were the first ones back - most likely due to Professor Hilax's unwavering commitment to her lecture plan, which likely resulted in her class ending sooner than others.

"So, how did the shopping go for you and Karania yesterday? I hope you got everything you were looking for?" Corvus asked, breaking the silence that had descended a few minutes after they had entered the living room. Choosing to take a seat at their regular table, the pair decided to wait for the rest of the squad to convene and discuss their plans for the assessment preparation.

Corvus was scheduled to attend the squad leader meeting and receive the mission package—which included all essential information, maps, and relevant intelligence about the assessment—in roughly two hours. Jolted from her reading by Corvus's sudden question, Thea raised her eyes from her data-pad. She had been perusing some of the technical documents for her Gram to kill time. Setting it aside, she shifted her attention to Corvus and replied, "Ah, yes!

We were quite overwhelmed with the sheer amount of stuff to choose from honestly, especially when it came to the armours… I hope I made a good choice with mine. Karania was complaining about not having enough Merit and Credits to get all of her Abilities and dream equipment though, so there's that problem…"

"Yeah, that's to be expected, really. I barely got half of my Abilities as well. Although I did manage to pick up all of the equipment I intended to get. Mostly 'cause it's cheap, I guess. I'd imagine a Medics' loadout is quite a lot more specialised, and thus expensive, than my rather basic loadout." Corvus contemplated, his hand thoughtfully stroking his chin.

"I opted for a straightforward T1 ballistic-type Assault Rifle, a laser-type sidearm, a vibrosword, and a rather ordinary T1 medium armour. After all, I haven't fully specialised in any particular area yet, so I thought it best to opt for something affordable, effective, and reliable." Hearing Corvus detail his equipment gave Thea an idea for their upcoming assessment preparation session. She took a deep breath before speaking up, "Corvus... How about we relocate our prep session to the training room?

We could show off our Abilities and equipment in a live-environment—it might spark some ideas that mere lists might not inspire." Corvus' face brightened instantly. He snapped his fingers and pointed at Thea, "Brilliant! Yes! That's definitely what we will do! I originally intended for everyone to simply share their lists, but hosting live demonstrations for a more tangible understanding of what we're each capable of? That's a superb idea! I'll notify the rest to assemble in the training room instead."

Without wasting a moment, he pulled out his data-pad to send a message to the rest of the squad. As he started typing, he continued, "Could you assist me with the arrangements? We'll likely need some chairs, a projector, a table,... Actually, I'm not certain about the specifics, but I'm sure we'll work it out." Caught off guard by Corvus' request, Thea delicately inquired, careful to not come across as patronising to her squad leader, "Can't we just ask the Sovereign to set it all up for us…?"

Corvus paused, lifting his gaze from the data-pad. His expression was unreadable, and an awkward silence filled the room for a few seconds until it was abruptly ended by Corvus' hand smacking his forehead.

"Right. I completely forgot about that part. This whole 'live-inside-the-DDS' thing is still extremely wild to me, I won't lie... Everything feels so real, you know? While we had some deep-dive stuff on Valtrusia, it was mostly games or some kind of professional work-based simulators, so they never even got close to this level of realism for everyday stuff. I keep forgetting this isn't the real world! Probably makes me seem on-edge more often than necessary. I'm glad you're adjusting better than I am!"

he said, jesting about his own oversight, while shaking his head in amusement. Thea breathed an internal sigh of relief, grateful that she hadn't unintentionally insulted her squad leader. She was starting to feel a rapport developing between her and Corvus, their interactions becoming increasingly natural and friendly. This was a welcome development for her, given that they were to face challenging assessments and potential real-life battles together for the next decades.'

I think I'm starting to get a hang of this whole social thing. Still got a long way to go, but at least I'm able to share my thoughts in a one on one like this already. Really feel like James never gave me a proper indication for just how difficult this whole social-thing truly was. Or how much it seems to be a mandatory skill in the UHF, with their whole squad-based setup 'n' all.' On the other side, Corvus, having accepted Thea's suggestion, raised his voice.

"Sovereign, could you please set up everything required for a squad meeting inside the training room?" he asked, his tone firm yet polite. He requested a table, a few chairs, and a projector, amongst other things.

"The training room has been modified according to your specifications, Recruit Sylarion. Should you need further assistance, please don't hesitate to ask," the ship's AI promptly responded. Corvus let out a low chuckle, his expression a blend of amusement and surprise.

"It really is as easy as that, isn't it?" he mumbled to himself. Rising from his chair, he gestured towards the training room.

"Shall we head over and wait for the others inside? I've just sent out the message - they should be here soon." Acknowledging with a nod, Thea fell into step alongside Corvus, and together they proceeded into the training room. Upon entering the modified training room, Thea and Corvus found themselves in a much more spacious area than Thea was used to from her previous trips to the training room.

The Sovereign had clearly adjusted the dimensions of the room to accommodate their assessment preparations effectively, making the room appear almost cavernous in comparison. Towards one end of the room, close to the equipment racks, a well-organised, board-room like setup had been established. A round, sturdy table was flanked by multiple chairs, arranged in a semicircle for a face-to-face discussion among the squad members.

A high-resolution holographic projector was stationed towards one end of the table, ready to display any data or maps they might need during their session.

"Perfect! That should do just fine," Corvus muttered to himself, as he walked towards the chair located closest to the projector and took a seat. Thea, meanwhile, felt conflicted. On one hand, she wanted to take the opportunity to build some more rapport with Corvus, but on the other hand, she felt a need deep inside of her body to pull out her Throatcutter and continue her exercises, which were focused on getting used to the mode-switching capabilities of the weapon.

After all, if she wanted to make a good impression on the rest of the squad, she would need to be at least of passable talent when it came to showing off her new melee weapon… After a brief moment of indecision, she realised that both could be achieved simultaneously, if she was clever about it. With a resolute nod, she turned to Corvus, her eyes alight with determination.

"Hey Corvus, I thought I'd continue practising with my new melee weapon while we wait for the others. It's an exceedingly complicated weapon, so I'd love to use the time that we have right now, while we're already waiting for the others," she proposed.

"It might give us some topics for discussion about my combat style as well, and you could provide me some advice on using the weapon effectively, if anything comes to mind." Her suggestion earned an intrigued lift of Corvus's eyebrow, a glimmer of approval sparkling in his gaze.

"That sounds like another excellent plan, Thea," he concurred, the corners of his mouth upturning slightly.

"It might also be a good opportunity for me to familiarise myself with the weapon's mechanics, considering we could encounter similar technology on the field… I might not be anywhere close to Isabella's level in terms of melee combat, but I can definitely come up with some ideas, at the very least!" Inwardly celebrating at having made another successful suggestion, Thea quickly walked towards the equipment racks to retrieve her Throatcutter.

While inside the training room, there were two ways to gain access to the equipment that was registered to her profile. She could either walk to the equipment racks and choose it from the list of available equipment, as she was doing right now, or she could ask the Sovereign to materialise it for her, regardless of her actual location. Thea generally preferred the first version, as she didn't want to create any unnecessary work for the Sovereign.

While it was "just" an AI, Thea didn't feel comfortable with the idea of simply using it whenever she felt like it. The Sovereign had been exceedingly forthcoming and helpful to her as a member of the UHF so far, after all. As she retrieved the Throatcutter from the equipment rack and began to stroll back towards the table, drawing herself nearer to Corvus, she noticed his intent gaze fixed on her new weapon, his eyebrows arched in evident curiosity.

"I'm surprised you went for such a large weapon. I wasn't expecting to see something like a glaive on our Scout," he admitted, while mustering Thea curiously. Thea gave a shrug as she closed the distance between them further, stopping around ten metres away from him as she replied, "Isabella recommended it. She said the reach advantage would be vastly more useful to me than pretty much anything else, due to my high Perception.

I'm still extremely new to the whole polearm-style of fighting, but if the brief sparring sessions with her yesterday are any indication… I think she's right.

"This particular glaive is called the Throatcutter. It's a modular one, so I can actually change how large it is, to make it easier to transport or use it in confined spaces. Here, let me show you…" she finished, as she pressed the button on the Throatcutter's shaft, causing it to split into two parts and reveal the second vibroblade for the, now transformed, short-glaive in her left hand. Corvus rapidly blinked a couple of times before whistling lightly and uttering, "Wow. That's really useful.

So you got the advantage of reach in the large form and then two shorter versions for confined spaces… That's ingenious." Taking a closer look at the transformed version, he asked, "It's a T1 weapon, right?"

"Yeah. Cost me quite a chunk of Credits though, I will admit. Think it was around 3. 5k? Little bit below that, I believe…" Thea contemplated. Corvus abruptly began to cough, momentarily choking on his own spit, leaving him breathless. He pounded his chest a few times to help regain his composure. Observing Corvus's reaction, Thea let out a chuckle. Her eyes twinkled with a blend of amusement and mild concern.

"You okay there, Corvus?" she asked, struggling to suppress her laughter. Corvus raised his hand in a reassuring gesture, still catching his breath, before he managed to regain control of his vocal cords.

"Fine, fine," he wheezed, clearing his throat and wiping away the tears that had formed at the corners of his eyes. His voice recovered its usual confident tenor as he spoke again, "That's... quite a substantial amount of Credits to spend on a melee weapon. Did you manage to get all your necessary gear or did you find yourself short, due to your... extravagant purchase there?" With a reassuring nod, Thea replied, "Oh, yes! I managed to get my complete gear set, although it did get a bit close near the end.

Got my armour, my primary DMR, a heavy sniper rifle for larger targets, a sidearm, and of course, the Throatcutter. I also have my backpack and all other necessary accessories that I could think of. Plus, I've acquired all of my Abilities. I did make sure the Throatcutter was one of the last items I picked up, you know, just to be safe. After all, melee isn't really my strong suit."

"Wait, you got all that and still had some to spare?" Corvus's brows shot up in surprise, his eyes wide.

"I mean, I knew you did well on the cube trials, but... just how much did you actually start with in terms of Credits and Merit?" Before Thea could respond, the entrance to the training room hissed open, and in walked Desmond and Lucas, seemingly engaged in a deep conversation about combat strategies - clearly, Corvus and Thea weren't the only ones excited for the assessment. Their entry effectively interrupted Thea's response, leaving Corvus with his curiosity still unfulfilled.

Upon their arrival, Corvus acknowledged them with a nod, directing them to the seating area and inviting them to settle in. He started elucidating their earlier discussion and his vision for the preparation session, going fairly in-depth on the topics he wanted to cover. Meanwhile, Thea seized this additional time and the momentary distraction provided by Corvus to refine her weapon transformations as much as she could, aiming for a smooth execution that wouldn't appear clumsy at the bare minimum.

Approximately five minutes later, Isabella and Karania also arrived in the training room, cueing Thea to holster her Throatcutter, now in its double-knife form, and join the others at the table. Once they were all seated, an expectant hush briefly enveloped them before Corvus, grinning broadly, began to speak.

"Well… This is it. Last couple of hours of prep time before the assessment tomorrow morning. I'll be going to get the intel in a little over an hour, but I figured we shouldn't waste any of our precious time by waiting around, doing nothing, until then.

"I figured we could all go over current equipment and Abilities, after our shopping trips yesterday. That way, we can get a rough understanding of each other's capabilities, perhaps even brainstorm some generalised, rudimentary tactics, without the mission-specific intel. Thea had the great idea to move the discussion in here, so we can actively show-off the equipment and Abilities too, which I thought was a great idea. You all good with this arrangement?"

He looked around, pausing at each squad member, waiting for any potential objections. Everyone nodded in agreement. Much to Thea's surprise, even Desmond agreed to share his full loadout. It seemed that everyone was ready to give it their all for this assessment, regardless of preconceived notions.

"Marvellous! I must say, your enthusiasm is truly appreciated. It's a relief not to have to try and convince anyone today! Well then, I suppose I'll take the lead as usual. We might want Thea to go last, so we don't risk feeling utterly humbled right from the start, based on what she confided in me earlier." he teasingly remarked, though Thea sensed a touch of seriousness behind his words.

"Absolutely," Karania interjected suddenly from beside Thea, offering her a slightly apologetic glance.

"Believe me, you don't want her to go anywhere near the beginning. It'll make you question your own choices... Yesterday's shopping excursion was brutal in that regard..." She addressed the rest, while grimacing, exaggerating the discomfort and pain on her face. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Thea retorted in mock outrage, "Hey, don't make it seem like you didn't enjoy it, Kara!

I even bought you lunch, because you ended up using all your Credits on meds and stims!" She felt surprisingly comfortable with the banter, despite having been made the centre of attention for something she really didn't want to be the centre of. Desmond, Lucas, and Isabella looked around in mild confusion. It was evident that they were missing a crucial piece of information. They decided to simply give Thea a curious glance, but remained quiet otherwise, gesturing towards Corvus to start.

Corvus took a few steps away from the table, positioning himself at the centre of the training room, before turning to address the rest of the squad.

"As you all know, my primary role is that of being the Squad Leader. Given my current lack of specialisation, I chose reliable, cost-effective, and proven equipment that fits our team's immediate needs. I'll pick up whatever deficiencies we find after the initial assessment. For my medium-grade armour, I opted for the 'Harees', a fairly standard but dependable T1 choice. To act as a form of command centre for us, I equipped the 'Enhanced Communications' and 'Portable Jammer' as my two major modules.

"The first module boosts our squad's communicative abilities, extending the range of our squad-coms and providing enhanced encryption and resistance to electronic countermeasures (ECM) for all our communications. The second module, as the name suggests, is a portable jammer. It interferes with all external communications within a 200-metre radius, barring our own, working hand in hand with the Enhanced Communications module.

Unless our opponents possess a T2 communications module or a stationary setup, it should effectively block all inbound and outbound signals." As Thea listened to Corvus's explanation, she made a mental note to consider the jammer module for her next armour upgrade. It seemed extremely beneficial for both her scouting and sniping responsibilities.

Despite her thorough research the previous day, however, she didn't remember spotting it among the available options for her T1 armour, leading her to surmise it might not be compatible with the light-class armour frames. Corvus carried on, "This seemed the most logical approach for now. As for my primary weapon, I chose the ballistic version of the MX-41 'Fall' AR. It features a moderate firing rate of about 700 RPM, exceptional reliability, and a good balance of penetration and power.

With my current loadout, I can comfortably carry around 400 rounds without it becoming a hindrance. My secondary weapon is a laser-type SMG, and for close quarters, I have a basic vibroblade. All in all, nothing overly elaborate." Having concluded his equipment description, Corvus signalled to the Sovereign to fully equip him, allowing the team to scrutinise the gear he had just detailed.

In a flash, Corvus disappeared, replaced by a menacing figure clad in medium armour, brandishing a sleek and formidable-looking assault rifle. Named for its developer's obsession with the resilience and adaptability of desert-dwelling animals, the Harees armour exuded a similar aura of rugged durability. It was a striking, angular suit of carbon-fibre and plasteel composite plates over a flexible body glove, providing an excellent balance between mobility and protection.

The armour was kept in a slate grey tone, with some subtle, utilitarian detailing. The helmet was the main draw of the armour's design however. It boasted distinctly sharp features, which were in stark contrast to the more angular design of the rest of the Harees, looking more akin to a stylized head of an animal than a typical combat helmet. Its visors were elongated to the sides and kept in a matte-red, giving the full setup a menacing look.

While the armour was imposing, particularly due to its helmet, the MX-41 'Fall' Assault Rifle drew the squad's attention. Its matte-black surface was interrupted only by a few strategically placed, burnt-orange accents, which highlighted the gun's complex inner mechanics. It boasted a medium-length barrel, perfect for maintaining accuracy at even mid-range engagements while not being too unwieldy in close quarters.

Above, an augmented-reality holographic sight was mounted, providing a clear and precise targeting system for almost all situations. The rifle was designed to provide a steady, controllable rate of fire, and its magazines were sizable enough to hold 33 rounds of. 388 calibre ammunition each. The design was known to incorporate a sophisticated recoil absorption and redirection system that allowed for more accurate sustained fire, while also providing improved stability for short bursts.

The Fall was a workhorse through and through. A reliable weapon that could adapt to a variety of situations, like a jack-of-all-trades, much like its wielder, Corvus. His remaining gear, as he'd previously hinted, was considerably more modest. He sported a standard-issue vibroblade at his side for close-quarters engagement, and a T0 laser-type SMG on his other hip, ready as a secondary fallback option.

"So, that's my loadout," he concluded.

"As for my Abilities, I selected one Active and two Passive ones, although I have a couple more of each on my wish list for when I can accrue more Merit," he confessed, a tinge of reluctant disappointment colouring his voice. With a flick of his wrist, he displayed three, familiar-looking, blue boxes for the rest of the squad to see. [Active (Silver) - Private Communication - Level 0] Requirements: Line of Sight, Line of Effect.

Description: Allows the participant to use up a certain amount of Focus to create a private conversation between themselves and the selected target(s) for a short time. Cost: 35 Focus - Maximum Target(s): 1 - Maximum Distance: 1, 000 Metres Effect Duration: 60 seconds [Passive (Iron) - Resilient Crown - Level 0] Description: Increases the participant's resistance to debilitating effects that focus on the head or its sensory organs.

Increased Resistance: Minimum [Passive (Copper) - System HUD - Level 0] Description: Provides the participant with a System HUD that displays certain types of information in real-time. Functionality: Minimum As the rest of them thoroughly inspected the Abilities, Corvus gave a quick rundown for each of them, "The HUD, thus far, provides an indicator above each of your heads, complete with your respective call signs.

The Councillor suggested that it would evolve over time, even incorporating overlay maps and an integration with my armour's HUD. Given its affordability, it seemed like a no-brainer to add to my arsenal.

"Resilient Crown struck me as crucial, given my role as the team's decision-maker. If I were to be disoriented in the heat of battle, it could jeopardise the entire operation. Especially if I'm currently connected with someone using Private Communication - who knows what might happen in that instance.

"As for the Active, its utility should be fairly self-evident. While it holds great potential, we will need to test it thoroughly to identify any possible limitations or nuances. But we can address that once we've all shared our respective loadouts and abilities. So, there you have it. That's my current loadout," Corvus concluded, while shouldering his rifle. Corvus's display was met with approval, as the rest of Alpha Squad continued to muster and think about the loadout as a whole.

Isabella, who had been seated next to Corvus at the table, whistled softly as she inspected the Fall closer.

"That rifle looks a lot more formidable than I'd have anticipated for a standard AR. Having a. 388 calibre is going to be mighty nice. Solid choice, Corvus," she commented with a respectful nod, her gaze lingering on the sleek weapon. Karania, on the other hand, couldn't help but admire the Harees armour Corvus donned. With a wide grin on her face, she remarked, "That's quite the intimidating piece of armour you've got there, Corvus. Love the helmet.

It's got that certain aura of menace to it that I really appreciate. Nice pick."

"I should definitely consider getting that System HUD Ability too," Desmond muttered, his interest piqued.

"It wasn't too expensive, right?" He quickly jotted down a note on his data-pad after receiving Corvus's confirming nod and reply, "Oh, it's quite affordable, only 45 Merit." Lucas and Thea silently nodded in agreement with the previous comments, genuinely impressed by the practicality and effectiveness of Corvus's choices. After a brief discussion about some minor loadout and Ability details, Corvus had the Sovereign remove his gear once again before taking his seat at the table.

Corvus leaned forward, an eager expression on his face, and prompted, "So, who's up next?" He was enthusiastic about finally experiencing the role of being the evaluator rather than the participant in this exchange.

"I suppose I'll go next," Isabella offered nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders lightly.

"Let's just go counter-clockwise; it'll ensure Thea goes last and saves us from having to keep urging someone to step forward." With that, she rose from her seat and leisurely strode towards the spot previously occupied by Corvus, before turning around and facing the table.

"So… I'm the offensive heavy. I got a T1 heavy armour called 'Titan'. It prioritises defensive capabilities, while not being too bulky as to limit my movements. For my three major modules, I went with 'Movement Actuators' for my legs and arms, as well as a 'Belt Feeder' module, to help with my weapon's ammunition issue.

"Speaking of which, my choice for weapon is the ER-950 'Devastation' - a T1 rotary HMG. It fires. 66 calibre bullets at 950 RPM, from a 100-round belt. The ammo is extremely cumbersome, so I went with the major module for my armour to help me out with that. I should be able to easily carry a thousand-or-so rounds, no problem. As for my melee option, I went with a 'Decimator' type chainsword. Can't go wrong with that."

With her quick and technical rundown complete, Isabella commanded the Sovereign to equip her, triggering an instant transformation. In the blink of an eye, Isabella's casual figure was replaced by a formidable display of raw, unbridled power. The 'Titan' was an awe-inspiring piece of armour. Composed primarily of a Tier 1 material alloy, its thick, durable plates were expertly moulded to encapsulate Isabella's imposing form.

It exuded a sense of unyielding strength and resilience, a movable fortress that embodied its name perfectly. Its matte grey finish added a utilitarian touch, silently asserting that it was built for warfare, not for show - fitting Isabella's general style very well. The bulky-looking armoured plates were robust yet intricately articulated, granting Isabella a surprising range of mobility despite their bulk.

Reinforced joints, the visible manifestation of the Movement Actuators modules, cleverly augmented the suit's overall mobility further, compensating for the armour's natural heaviness. The Belt Feeder module was prominently, yet ingeniously, integrated around the waist, designed to feed ammunition directly to her weapon without hindrance, while being aptly protected by a layer of T1 material alloy plates.

As Isabella brought forth her weapon, it became immediately apparent why she had chosen to go for such a module. The Devastation HMG was a monster of a weapon, a relentless beast that demanded a constant supply of ammunition to unleash its full fury. Each. 66 calibre bullet it fired was significantly larger and heavier than those of standard assault rifles, resulting in a more devastating impact but at the cost of greater weight and volume of the ammunition.

A single belt of 100 rounds for the Devastation would be cumbersome to manage manually, both in terms of its weight and the practicality of feeding the ammo belt into the weapon under stressful combat conditions. The three thick barrels of the rotary HMG, rapidly cycling to maintain the weapon's blistering rate of fire, would chew through this belt in just a matter of seconds. As such, the weapon would frequently need reloading during sustained firefights. That's where the Belt Feeder module came into play.

It automated the task of feeding the ammunition belt into the weapon, allowing Isabella to focus entirely on aiming and firing. Integrated into the armour around her waist, it held several ammo belts coiled within a compartment and mechanically fed them into the weapon as required. This module saved Isabella the labour of manually reloading, reducing downtime and ensuring her Devastation could continue to rain down its namesake upon the enemies unimpeded.

The placement of the module had the additional 'benefit' of making it seem like the armour was feeding it's intestines to the Devastation, further adding to the brutal, war-themed aesthetic. The 'Decimator', securely placed on Isabella's back, was a similar sight to behold. It was a massive, two-handed chainsword that evoked the perfect blend of terror and awe.

Its long, cruel blade was composed of a dense, high-strength T1 material alloy with hundreds of razor-sharp teeth, each individually powered to saw through armour, flesh, and bone with equal ease. The hilt was constructed to accommodate a primarily two-handed grip, with rubberised handle wraps for secure handling even under the most gruesome of conditions.

Its substantial size made it a weapon that demanded both considerable strength and skill to wield effectively, but in the right hands, it was bound to be a whirlwind of destructive force. Even at rest, the Decimator was a menacing weapon that made Thea swallow hard. It was a symbol of raw, unadulterated power, and in the hands of a heavy like Isabella, it promised nothing but doom for any who dared to stand against her.

Witnessing Isabella's newfound loadout, Thea couldn't help but recall their earlier training sessions. Even with a standard-sized chainsword, Isabella was a force of nature - terrifying in her sheer destructive capability. The thought of Isabella wielding a weapon over twice that size was enough to send an involuntary shudder down Thea's spine.

Her mind's eye conjured vivid, brutal images of the havoc Isabella could wreak with such a monstrous weapon, and for a moment, she found herself feeling a twinge of sympathy for any enemy unfortunate enough to be on its receiving end. It was a fleeting sentiment, rapidly overshadowed by the reassurance of having such formidable firepower on their side.

Continuing to take a page out of Corvus' presentation style, Isabella stretched out her right hand and displayed her purchased Abilities for the rest of Alpha Squad to inspect. [Passive (Silver) - Redundant Organs - Level 0] Requirements: 4 Base Vitality Description: Drastically alters the organs of the participant, to allow for limited redundancies in their functions.

Affected Organs: Critical - Redundancy Factor: 10% [Passive (Iron) - Heavy Armour Expertise - Level 0] Requirements: Heavy Armour Description: Alters worn Heavy-type Armour to be marginally less cumbersome, resulting in increased flexibility and manoeuvrability for the participant. Factor: 5% [Active (Copper) - Directional Strike - Level 0] Description: Allows the participant to use up a certain amount of Stamina to instantly alter the direction of momentum for their next melee attack(s).

Cost: 60 Stamina - Effect Duration: 1 melee strike(s) or 1 second(s). [Active (Copper) - Surging Strike - Level 0] Description: Allows the participant to use up a certain amount of Stamina in order to drastically increase the momentum of their melee strike(s). Cost: 60 Stamina - Factor: 10x - Effect Duration: 1 melee strike(s) or 1 second(s). As Thea read through Isabella's Ability descriptions, she immediately recognized the last two mentioned.

She had encountered them during her first Practical against Lan and Naria, both of whom had proven to be formidable opponents due to those very Abilities. Thea couldn't help but wonder about the level of devastation Isabella could unleash with her already impressive close-quarter combat skills, combined with these incredibly powerful melee-focused Abilities.

"The first Ability sounds rather peculiar," Isabella started, recalling the Councillor's explanations.

"It seems to involve my organs performing tasks that are typically assigned to other organs. Like my heart filtering toxins, or my liver pumping blood. Although it sounds unsettling, I can see the practicality in ensuring that I don't immediately kick the bucket even if a specific organ is damaged. Hopefully, it won't come into play too often, but as they say, it's better to be safe than sorry, especially when facing other Aces," she quipped, injecting a bit of humour into the conversation.

Isabella continued, discussing the significance of her second Passive Ability.

"Even though the effectiveness may appear minimal at first glance, those 5% can prove decisive in critical moments. Every single percentage point in flexibility and manoeuvrability counts in close-quarters combat, and even the slightest advantage can mean the difference between life and death. I'm grateful the Councillor pointed it out; it's an Ability I might never even have considered to exist on my own."

Isabella went on to mention her last two Abilities, which were inexpensive Active-types that she believed would complement her Decimator well. She acknowledged their high Stamina cost but emphasised their potential to catch inexperienced foes off-guard. With a wide smile, she added, "I can't wait to test them out, along with my Decimator, during our upcoming sparring sessions, Thea!" The mention of the sparring sessions made Thea cringe inwardly.

They had already proven to be painful and humbling experiences, and now with Isabella equipped with the two most troublesome Abilities Thea had encountered so far, her enthusiasm for the sessions had waned considerably, despite her burning desire to practise more with her Throatcutter.

"I do plan on picking up some anti-armour weaponry in the future," Isabella admitted, a hint of concern in her voice.

"However, I didn't have any remaining Credits, nor a clear idea of what specific equipment to look for. I hope this won't pose any issues for us down the line. I'll consult with Professor Molkier, one of the Warfare 101 professors, to ask for his opinions on what to get." With a shrug, she concluded, "Well, that's pretty much all I have for now. Got a couple more Abilities on the list, but that's about it." They engaged in a brief exchange, asking Isabella a few questions regarding the specifics of her loadout.

The squad was particularly interested in the ammunition capacity of the Belt Feeder, which turned out to be four belts, and the types of attacks Isabella's armour was reinforced against, primarily ballistic and laser weaponry. Overall, the squad expressed their satisfaction with Isabella's offensive heavy loadout. Once the Sovereign had removed Isabella's equipment, she returned to her seat at the table, making way for Desmond to take the floor…