The year 2062 - the Bakkers clan's parking area
Another day passed inside the workshop, where I, between tasks, slowly but surely assembled my armor. Due to a lack of resources and certain components, the assembly had to be significantly simplified, but I was still satisfied with the result. After all, if I managed to create something functional out of junk, making a masterpiece out of proper parts wouldn't be too difficult.
With a severe shortage of pretty much everything, I decided to focus on more grounded endeavors, namely finishing my bracelet. Although I had managed to sporadically improve it, it was time to seriously upgrade it. The first order of business was to integrate a more powerful processor to control the entire system. My old workhorse just wasn't up to the task anymore, especially considering the upgrades.
I started by strengthening the structure, crafting new bracers out of sturdier synthetic materials. Then, after building the frame, I began the slow process of installing all the electronics, starting with the wiring and finishing with sensors and a wider display. Rick kindly provided the screen, a spare mini-monitor for a vehicle that he used for remote control. Initially, the display didn't fit into the designated slot, so I had to slightly adjust the frame until it finally fit perfectly. During the upgrade, the personal port was moved to the side of the device, making it more convenient to use.
Once all the modifications were complete, the bracers were finally ready. I had to abandon the old needle gun in favor of something more reliable. The idea of a power glove with an electric shock feature came to mind. Such a device would surely be unwelcome to both flesh and chrome adversaries who managed to get close enough to me. The casing for the first version of the knuckleduster was made from the same materials as the bracers. However, I had to enhance the insulating layer to avoid shocking myself. After all, the goal was to incapacitate an opponent, not myself.
After some initial testing of the electro-knuckleduster, I had to make numerous adjustments due to identified flaws. The gloves' protective functions were not satisfactory, so many changes were made to the design. I decided to use a full glove with microsensors for better tactile feedback. I added more armor to the battery on the wrist, slightly altering the appearance but not affecting the functionality.
In addition to the power functions, I added a scaled-down version of a kinetic shield powered by the same battery as the knuckledusters. I did this to enhance functionality, as situations vary and extra protection is always beneficial. Ultimately, I decided to integrate the gloves with the bracers, checking the coherence of the resulting mechanism.
After several stages of calibration, I had to reluctantly accept that I had made a significant mistake somewhere. The problem was quickly identified: the two devices were built to operate independently of each other. I had to rebuild everything, this time considering it as a single mechanism and altering the appearance of the entire construction in the process. I fitted an upgraded display on the palm's exterior side, developed with Rick's help, which controlled the shield's spread over the entire hand, thereby extending the protection coverage to half a meter in diameter. The shield could operate on internal power sources for about two minutes, which I deemed acceptable. Unfortunately, I didn't have access to expensive micro-batteries, so I had to make do with what was available. While it wouldn't be much help in open space combat, it became an indispensable ally in cover-based warfare. I could have opted for a larger battery, but that would have meant sacrificing many of the bracers' functions, which was not an option.
After testing my invention, the Bakkerss also wanted such shields. Since they were only interested in the shield function, I dropped many of my additional features, focusing on the essential protection function. The battery size and design were slightly modified, increasing the shield's coverage area and reducing overall power consumption. After a series of tests on this new "toy," an idea struck me:
"What if I make the shield segmented?"
Inspired by this thought, I immediately went to the virtual constructor. It took two days to develop a new operational principle that reduced energy loss during projection. This required creating four emitters positioned in the cardinal directions, cutting the charge consumption in half, a significant saving.
I also considered the possibility of segments being damaged by accidental hits. If such an issue arose, the other emitters would adjust their positions and continue operating until the last one was destroyed. In such a case, the device would still run off the main segment in the center of the bracers until it ran out of energy. However, if that happened, energy losses would increase, and instead of six minutes, the shield would only last three.
I decided to name the device "Ajax" making a small reference to the shield used by a hero from ancient Greek myths.
Overall, people were satisfied, especially John, who had recently taken a bullet to the shoulder after a skirmish with the "Rusty Stilettos" clan. They sometimes raided our camp, but without much success. Drones stationed around the perimeter of the parking area allowed us to quickly detect enemies, giving us the opportunity to meet them fully armed. Despite all precautions, we sometimes still lost clan members. It was far from a pleasant event, but we learned to live with it.
After death, a person's belongings would go to their relatives or, in the absence of such, to the clan itself. I understood the rationale behind this decision, but it still gnawed at me, knowing that just yesterday, I was sitting by the fire, sharing thoughts with someone who now was no more.
Losing acquaintances was always sad, but living with the nomads, I gradually got used to deaths and no longer reacted as intensely to such events.
This change in my behavior did not go unnoticed by those close to me. No one came to me for heart-to-heart talks, though I overheard John discussing this topic with his son on a couple of occasions. Vee was a stubborn boy but, due to his young age, he couldn't hold a grudge for long. Eventually, the boy managed to accept that his father was seeing Susan, even though he initially tried to avoid her, conspicuously ignoring the girl whenever she was around.
Vee generally found it easy to get along with people, but if he took an immediate dislike to someone, it was impossible to win him over unless he wanted to be won over. The two brothers fell into the first category, while Inga and I found ourselves in the second. There weren't many children in the camp, eleven counting us. We didn't have much in common, so we made a point of ignoring each other...
"Still tinkering with your gadgets?" John approached me quietly, trying to carefully start a conversation.
"It's my hobby and passion." I shrugged, setting aside my left bracer. "Is something up, or did you just come to chat?" I turned fully towards him, waiting expectantly.
"I was hoping you could replace the battery in the shield. We had a run-in with the 'Spirits' today, had to keep it on non-stop, but no losses, and we snagged a couple of decent 'Coyotes.' Of course, they came to us 'slightly perforated,' but give them two days in the 'pit,' and the cars will be as good as new." The nomad gave a deliberately cheerful smile, clearly gearing up to say something more…
"Come on, out with it," I roll my eyes at the hesitant man in front of me.
"We've decided not to renew the contract with the corporation. Lately, raiders have been ambushing us frequently, knowing our route paths," he hinted directly at the involvement of O'Brian's suits.
"That's interesting news, but you wouldn't come to me just for that reason..."
"Sue's pregnant." John sighed, his face falling.
"Congratulations," I shrug, taking the unexpected news in stride. "But instead of telling me, you should think about how to explain everything to Vincent. You know the kid is pretty sharp; he might think he's being abandoned. The boy is already a handful, and now he has a reason to throw a fit."
"I was hoping you could give me some advice," the man admitted, causing me to laugh nervously.
"John, I'm twelve, not forty. Where did you even get such an idea in your head?" I respond, my sarcasm barely contained.
"Yeah," the nomad scratched his cheek awkwardly, "you're right."
"Just talk to him, and the sooner you do it, the better."
"I suppose I will." The man turned and walked towards the exit in a jittery manner.
"You forgot your bracelet," I remind John with a smirk about his forgotten request. "Leave it on the table; you can pick it up tomorrow..."
Funny, really. Living here for over two years, it's no surprise their relationship has gone this far. I hope John takes my hint about Vee seriously. If they don't address the issue with the boy now, he might harbor significant resentment towards a parent who is also seeking their piece of happiness. Children are complex beings that require constant care. You can't just forget about them. Well, adults should be able to sort out their own problems.