Aeron's hand unclenched as the tension between him and Matt lessened. The room still crackled with unspoken understanding, both men fully aware that the path ahead was littered with corpses and the consequences of their choices. Aeron had made his bargain, and Matt, after hearing his story, had silently agreed to the terms. Aeron walked over to a nearby console, his fingers tapping rapidly across the holographic display. 'Now that the order of our transaction is made,' he said, his gravelly voice tinged with a hint of finality, 'let's seal it. This is more than a handshake deal, Matt. I need your word—and I'll need it in writing.'
A few quick gestures later, a holographic contract shimmered to life between them. Aeron added a physical copy by producing a slim, metallic sheet that materialized with lines of glowing text. 'Terms are simple: I arm you to the teeth, and when this war is over, you come back here. You erase everything I've built. My weapons, my tech, all of it goes up in smoke. We can't let the Dominion or the Kraelith turn these tools of survival into tools of oppression.' Matt, steely-eyed, placed his palm on the glowing contract, watching as the light flickered over his hand. 'Agreed,' he said. His voice held no hesitation, no need for bravado—it was just a fact. He didn't need to fight for any grand cause. He was fighting for his own survival. Even so, there was a flicker of something deeper in the back of his mind. The voice of his other self. The one that sacrificed everything to save her.
The hologram shifted, sealing the pact. 'Now,' Aeron said, walking over to a nearby rack laden with sleek, high-tech weapons, ' let's get you decked out for whatever hell you're about to unleash.' The room dimmed as Aeron activated hidden compartments in the walls, revealing shelves of weaponry and armor, all meticulously maintained and polished to a deadly gleam. He motioned for Matt to follow, gesturing toward an arsenal that would make any soldier envious. 'This is some of my best work—new and improved since the last time I reverse-engineered Kraelith tech. You'll need it, I'm guessing.'
Without a word, Matt began strapping on the gear, feeling the weight of the armor settle comfortably onto his body, almost like a second skin. Aeron fitted him with a set of cutting-edge weapons, each piece uniquely designed for efficiency and lethality. As Matt handled the weapons, they folded neatly and attached seamlessly around his armor, compact yet ready for rapid deployment. Aeron's craftsmanship showed in every detail, combining versatility and deadliness in a way Matt hadn't seen before.
[Vanguard System: Inventory Update]
Primary Weapon 1: Twin Reaver-Class Plasma Pistols
Type: Dual-Wield Plasma Pistols (Semi-Automatic)
Damage: 35 Plasma per shot
Fire Rate: 3.0 rounds per second
Effective Range: 50 meters
Magazine Capacity: 50 shots per charge (per pistol)
Special: Recoil Dampeners (improves accuracy while moving)
Note: Foldable design integrated into combat armor holsters.
Primary Weapon 2: Havoc Mk. III Machine Gun
Type: Light Machine Gun
Damage: 25 Hybrid Explosive rounds per shot
Fire Rate: 900 rounds per minute
Effective Range: 200 meters
Magazine Capacity: 120 rounds
Special: Enhanced Heat Dispersal (reduces weapon overheating)
Note: Compact fold for back-mount storage.
Secondary Weapon: Ghost Reaper Sniper Rifle
Type: Long-Range Anti-Material Sniper Rifle
Damage: 150 Anti-Matter per shot
Effective Range: 1,500 meters
Magazine Capacity: 5 rounds
Special:
Optical Camouflage: Barrel and scope cloaked when aiming
Silent Kill: Completely silent when firing
Note: Collapsible stock for easy carry.
Melee Weapon: Spectronite Combat Knife
Type: Close-Range Melee Weapon
Damage: 75 + 10 Energy Burst on impact
Special: Spectronite Edge (bypasses standard armor, high durability)
Utility: Plasma Dispersal Throwing Knives
Type: Throwable
Damage: 20 Physical + 10 Plasma Burst (on impact)
Effective Range: 20 meters
Quantity: 6
Special: Plasma Burst deals AoE damage (1-meter radius on hit)
Utility: Explosives
EMP Grenades (x5)
Effect: Disables electronics and energy shields for 10 seconds
Blast Radius: 5 meters
Pulse Mines (x10)
Effect: Proximity-triggered explosive, deals 50 damage to all nearby targets
Blast Radius: 3 meters
High-Explosive Charges (x8)
Effect: Standard explosives, deals 100 damage
Blast Radius: 8 meters
Armor: Hybrid Combat Armor
Armor Rating: 95
Shield Capacity: 100 (Recharges after 10 seconds of no damage)
Special:
Stealth Module: Temporary optical camouflage for 30 seconds (Cooldown: 5 minutes)
Adaptive Plating: Provides damage resistance against both energy and kinetic attacks
Note: Designed to integrate with compact weapon storage.
[Vanguard System: Inventory Logged]
Matt tested the weight of the twin plasma pistols in his hands, the sleek design fitting his grip perfectly. Each move he made was smooth, effortless. He sheathed the pistols at his hips, their foldable design making them barely noticeable. The Havoc Mk. III folded neatly across his back, light and easily accessible. The sniper rifle compacted even further, sliding into a specialized mount. Lastly, the combat knife gleamed with its deadly spectronite edge as it slid neatly into its holster by his thigh. Aeron watched, his expression unreadable. 'Everything's been tuned to near perfection,' he said, gesturing to the final piece: the armor. 'That suit should keep you alive longer than anything you've worn before. Built to absorb impacts, withstand plasma burns, and keep you cloaked when needed. You'll need all of it.'
Matt nodded, pulling the mask of his helmet over his face. His HUD activated instantly, displaying a tactical overlay with Vanguard feeding real-time data directly into his vision.
[Vanguard System: Stealth Module: Cooldown: 5 Minutes. Adaptive Plating: Energy-Kinetic Ratio: Balanced]
"Good," Matt thought. "Let's make sure they stay that way." Aeron stepped closer, his expression hard but sincere. 'Whatever you're up against, I hope you know what you're doing,' Aeron said, a trace of weariness lining his words. He wasn't asking for details—he knew better than to pry. He'd outfitted Matt with the deadliest tools in his arsenal, but he could sense the weight Matt carried wasn't tied to any noble cause.
'You're not doing this for the Dominion,' Aeron remarked, his voice low. 'You're not doing it for any banner, are you?' Matt glanced back at him, eyes cold and calculating behind his helmet. He wasn't about to explain the real reason he fought, the one that haunted him night after night. He wasn't ready to speak her name, not to Aeron, not yet. ' I'm not doing it for anyone but myself. I'm just trying to stay alive.' Aeron gave a slow nod of understanding. 'Fair enough. Just remember, survival isn't free. One way or another, you'll have to pay the price.'
Matt's gaze flickered to the weapons on his body. ' I've been paying it for years.' Without another word, Matt turned toward the exit, his boots echoing in the metallic chamber. The Forge's doors slid open, revealing the dim, war-torn world outside. As he stepped through, the light from The Forge flickered for a moment before the heavy doors slammed shut behind him, leaving him alone with his thoughts and the sound of the wind howling in the distance.
The war hadn't ended, not yet. But now, armed with Aeron's creations and a newfound sense of purpose, Matt would carve his own path through the chaos. And when the time came, he'd return to The Forge—if he survived long enough to see that day.