strength.

“Mates!” Alex exclaimed. “It looks like this fucking undead army have failed to acquire that which they seek.”

Several hundred undead, in constant motion, dug at the soil surrounding the dark trees. The soil resembled granite, judging by the sparks issuing from underneath their claws.

“Ha!” Alex exclaimed. “They are trying to get to the roots, but the Mallorn magic can still withstand them.” Sensing his clanmates’ desire to rush into battle, he raised his voice to a low shout. “If we don’t learn from our mistakes, we’re dead. Iss, show us their leader.”

The undead commander appeared on the hologram, pacing along the alley, gesticulating wildly. He didn’t appear to be in the best of moods.

“It’s… what a jackass!” someone said.

“That jackass got me in one shot,” Alex pointed out.

An oppressive silence fell over the wardroom.

Alex continued, “Iss, can you bring us in closer? It would be useful to read his stats…”

The image zoomed in and enhanced, and a thin tick with an inscription appeared over the undead’s head:

.           

Lich, Nekri 

Level 5 387

.

The hologram was supplemented with sound – first, the noise hit their ears, as if a large-scale mining operation had begun nearby. Iss adjusted the settings, and they heard Leach’s thin squeaky voice, “Wet dust, wet dust. Trash, trash. I will reach you, I will reach you, I will…” Then he screeched like a sawmill, “Dig, grave worms!”

Several of the crew gasped. Some looked sick to their stomachs.

“Turn the sound off!” Alex screamed, wincing. When the undead’s scream died down, Alex took a deep breath. “We must prepare ourselves for the battle ahead. I believe the Mallorns will be able to withstand a siege for a few days.” He gritted his teeth, ready to rush into the attack, but after the recent, senseless, bloody clash, reason prevailed.

He knew perfectly well that they needed a sound preparation for the upcoming battle. Alex slapped his own cheek, pacing back and forth.

He pointed his finger at the AI. “Iss, I will have to work standing up for a long while. Can you provide me with stable, comfortable, strength support?”

“Yes, Commander Phoenix. I have dispatched two emergency support droids to perform this task.”

Alex nodded, contented. “Call Doc. He will also receive a task.”

The chief of the medical unit and the emergency support droids arrived within moments. “I listen, Head Phoenix,” the shiny white ball said.

“Doc, we have a tough battle ahead. I need you synthesize a combat cocktail for the squad. The main criteria are super-efficiency and no side effects. Can this be done?”

“Yes, commander. It will take three hundred minutes, and will require that I tailor individual formulae for each fighter. I propose to equip individual first-aid kits with this drug by the forces of the Dark Radiance medical laboratory.”

Alex wanted to take Doc in his arms, but instead barked, “Do it!” The medical droid flitted away rapidly.

While he spoke with Doc, Iss brought the emergency droids up to speed on the case, and they began crafting their anti-emergency algorithms.

Unexpectedly, Alex felt torn from the floor, scooped up by force fields.

“Commander Phoenix, please move your limbs, head, and fingers, so that we may adjust to your motor skills,” the droids whistled in unison.

And after a few seconds he was able to grasp the weighty Khort by the very edge of the butt with a mere two fingers, and without soreness. Relieved, he began considering the pressing deals,

Well, it’s time to check if the seventh great debuff had been destroyed, or it’s my wish list.

Alex exhaled, setting himself up for serious work. He closed his eyes, focused, and launched the skills – Blacksmith Mage, Multithreaded Consciousness, and Two Communicator Pins ++. He lifted his eyelids and froze. A large, radiant swarm of nanites levitated nearby.

Now, that’s impressive. The nanite population has grown by an order of magnitude. He cautiously pushed his Khort into the nanite cloud, commanding, “Study it for further modernization.”

The Khort rapidly darkened, changing its metallic color before disassembling into many components.

A message popped up:

.

Attention, Phoenix!

Significant improvement in both your internal structure as well as the product is possible 

Two Communicator Pins ++ request: 

Permission to include the capabilities of the Dark Druid in the general functionality is required 

Access to subspace storage and materials in storage is required

Permission to use the Multithreaded Consciousness ability in the analysis and production chain is required

Permission for full control and reintroduction into the product cycle of two emergency support droids (DAP-U013 and DAP-U014) and one warehouse droid (MSD SHP-021) is required

Terms of Reference (any simplified form) is required

.

Alex carefully examined the system request, checked the serial numbers of the droids that held him tightly, and gave the go-ahead. “I confirm the action!”

Terms of Reference, Master? rumbled in Alex’s head.

He wanted to scratch his head in contemplation, but it was as if someone had put his thoughts on the reverse. Terms of terms of Reference… simplified Terms of Reference.

“I need two hundred modernized Khorts. Please provide the best of the fastest options.”

He wanted to shout something provocative and inspiring, but chose instead to restrain himself as one hundred and fifty people continued to watch his every action as if they were watching a performance by a long-awaited magician and the head of the clan in combination.

Finally, the long-awaited options were displayed:

.

1. Manufacturing of one new Khort and manufacturing of three new cassettes with ammo (81 seconds, the Phoenix brand) is required

Rating — Best

2. Manufacturing of one new Khort and manufacturing of three new cassettes with ammo (68 seconds)    

Rating — Satisfactory

3. Full upgrade of Khort and three new cassettes with ammo (96 seconds, the Phoenix brand) is required

Rating — Worst

* Attention!

Any unified Commonwealth ammo cassettes can be accepted for use in

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