After everything was settled between Ironwood and Pietro, the date for the raid on the White Fang's base was set for the next day.
Time was running short, and there was no point in delaying. The mobilization of Atlas forces had already started days ago. Since the base was located beneath a building in the downtown area, the Atlas Military would be working alongside the Atlas police in a joint operation.
As for Asher, by the time he got home to Frostvale Manor, his parents had already returned from their work. He spent some time with them, letting them know he'd be busy tomorrow morning with a project and likely wouldn't have time for dinner that evening.
They were a little disappointed to hear that, but didn't press him on it.
He didn't tell them about the operation against the White Fang happening the next day. He knew they'd find out eventually through their own contacts. As for his involvement, he didn't intend to share that at all.
Considering everything that had happened recently, along with his injury, there was no way they would let him get involved in something like this. That's why he never bothered to ask for their permission.
Now, Asher was seated at his computer in his workshop.
His screen was split: on one side, multiple folders were open, with various programs running in the background. On the other side, there was a live feed from Asher's Automated Factory.
It was in full operation, with robotic arms and Automated Assembly Arms mounted on overhead tracks, working in perfect coordination moving parts and materials.
A small black console screen was overlaying the feed. Asher's hands moved quickly over his keyboard, typing out command after command, directly calibrating certain functions in the factory.
His mind was always evolving, always looking for ways to improve, and his factory software was no exception.
"GAIA, what's the ETA on the assembly of the blueprints I sent you?" Asher asked, his voice carrying through to the AI assistant managing the factory.
[All required resources are available. Inventory reserves are at ninety-three percent capacity. Material degradation remains within acceptable thresholds. Current energy output is stable at ninety-eight point two percent.]
[Projected completion time for blueprint batch 14-A: three hours, two minutes, thirty-eight seconds. The manufacturing pipeline is operating at ninety-six percent proficiency. The estimated deviation margin is point three eight percent. Would you like automated quality assurance to initiate upon task completion?]
"Yes. Flag any structural inconsistencies that exceed a one percent tolerance." Asher responded calmly, his focus never leaving the software he was re-programming, his hands gliding across the keyboard as he sifted through the folders on the other side of his screen.
[Acknowledged. Quality assurance thresholds updated. Structural deviations exceeding one percent will trigger the halt-and-review protocol.]
"The moment manufacturing is done, I want everything packed and shipped to Frostvale Manor. Contact the Shipping & Dispatch Team, and tell them I need those shipments here before tomorrow."
[Acknowledged. Notifying the Shipping & Dispatch Team. Shipment prep will begin upon confirmation.]
With that, Asher spent the next half hour finalizing the factory software update before closing out of the console. With that task complete, his attention shifted to the live feed of the factory.
Sparks flew through the air, scattering across the manufacturing and processing hub before fading away moments later. Most of them came from the metal parts being cut by high-powered lasers.
Countless machines were operating on precise schedules, all set and monitored by GAIA.
The pieces they worked on moved from one station to another on conveyor belts and automated arms. It was the satisfying rhythm of automation, accomplishing tasks on a scale that would take human hands weeks, if not longer.
With everything running smoothly, Asher crossed his fingers in his lap and leaned back in his chair, rocking slightly.
Looks like I made the right call giving the Insurgency the month off. Everything's going more or less according to plan. They handled their mission better than I expected, but they're still mentally scarred to some degree, which gives me the perfect excuse to take this raid on myself.
Now, he was in the perfect position to complete the so-called [Quest] Mori had given him.
Killing those responsible for helping the White Fang pull off the hijacking... In that case, starting with the leader of the White Fang here in Atlas seems like a good place to begin.
=====================================•=====================================
December 16th, 2033
When the day arrived, a notice was issued to Asher Frostvale, Penny Polendina, and her father and guardian, Pietro Polendina, informing them that a Small Manta airship would be waiting for them on one of the landing pads outside Atlas Academy to take them to the operation site.
The hum of the airship's engines vibrated through the air on the landing pad, prepped for takeoff. Compared to the standard model, this Small Manta was more compact and highly aerodynamic. It was faster than the larger model, designed for low-orbit use, though its flight range was much shorter.
The airship itself bore the typical white, light gray, and subtle blue lighting accents common to most Atlas technology. The front of the ship featured a large, wrap-around cockpit, lightly tinted, with four thrusters at the rear.
Even though it was the smaller version, it could still carry five people and some cargo, though this did reduce its flight time and top speed considerably.
Near the walkway leading to the landing pad were Pietro and Penny, accompanied by two Atlas soldiers who would be piloting the airship.
"Alright, I'm not coming with you, but I want you to be careful, you hear me?" Pietro's voice was firm, his concern matching his seriousness.
"If you run into anything you can't handle, I expect you out of there."
"I know, Father, I'll be careful, I promise," Penny responded, placing her hand gently on his, which rested on the arm of his chair.
Pietro let out a sigh and nodded.
"I know you will, darling. I'm just nervous, is all."
Penny smiled at her father, a proud look crossing her face as she spoke.
"Don't worry, Father. You made sure I'm combat-ready! I'll be perfectly fine. Besides, fighting isn't the focus of my duty on this mission. I'm here to protect Asher."
"Yes, yes, I know. But, actually, where is that young man? He should be here by now, shouldn't he?"
As soon as he spoke, the group heard a slightly muffled, robotic voice saying, "Sorry for the wait. It took a bit longer than I expected to get everything calibrated."
Pietro, Penny, and the Atlas soldiers turned around, spotting a figure approaching them. The person was wearing a full helmet with a visor that made their eyes glow blue. The helmet covered their entire face, with the front half housing a built-in mask, partially resembling a mechanical gas mask that could filter the environment.
Over the armor, they wore a long, light gray trench coat, the fabric smooth yet seemingly reinforced. The armor beneath had intricate paneling protecting vital areas, along with some non-vital sections. The material itself was dark black, matte, and synthetic, offering almost complete protection from the front.
There was something off about the figure—their height was unusual, and the sound of their footsteps seemed a little heavier than expected. The metal boots clanged against the ground, louder than the amount of armor suggested.
The Atlas soldiers, caught off guard by the figure's sudden appearance, immediately sprang into action. They reached for their rifles, planning to position themselves between the mysterious figure and Pietro and Penny.
But before they could move, Penny called out, "Oh, Asher, there you are."
The words made Pietro and the Atlas soldiers stop in their tracks, eyes widening in surprise.
They turned back to the figure, who had reached the front of the group. A slight click and the sound of depressurization followed, and the mask separated from the helmet. As it lowered, everyone saw the familiar face of Asher underneath.
"Sorry about that. I should've told you all I'd be showing up like this," Asher said with a friendly smile, a stark contrast to the intimidating appearance he was wearing. The two Atlas soldiers exchanged glances before standing down and returning to their original positions.
"I- Is that an exoskeleton?" Pietro asked, leaning in for a closer look at the design of what Asher was wearing, now that he realized this wasn't some stranger.
"It's a full exosuit, actually," Asher corrected, stepping closer to them before continuing.
"It's not the first one I've made, but it's definitely the most compact. It doesn't have an official name yet, but I've been calling it the Vex-MK 1." Like the Insurgent Armor, the entire system used Asher's O.M.N.I. Frame as a base. It also used similar materials to those used in the Insurgent Armor.
However, since it was smaller, much of the Insurgent Armor's protective features were either reduced or removed entirely. Another downside was that the exosuit didn't have any hidden weaponry or additional functions.
On the flip side, without the half-ton weight on the system, the Vex-MK 1 could reach speeds the Insurgent Armor could only dream of. Not only that, but its force output was only slightly weaker.
It was a trade-off: speed and flexibility at the cost of the tank-like defense and heavy protection of the Insurgent Armor. And of course, it still had GAIA integrated directly into the HUD, just like the Insurgent Armor.
"I see, it was a bit intimidating to see you wearing it without knowing who you were. But it is very impressive. You created all of this by yourself?" Pietro asked, his voice a mix of hesitation and admiration. His eyes gleamed, the familiar spark of an engineer trying to mentally deconstruct the design.
I don't think I've ever seen such a compact exosuit before. And there doesn't seem to be any delay or miscommunication between the wearer and the suit. It's hard to believe someone so young could create something like this.
He knew Asher was supposedly a genius—Ironwood had said as much—but now Pietro could truly see where that title came from.
"I suppose it is a bit gloomy. I tried to use lighter colors," Asher commented, glancing at his exosuit with a casual expression before shrugging.
"Anyway, I didn't think it would be very fitting for the heir to the Frostvale Family to be going around, engaging in raids with the Atlas Police and Military, so this is partially a disguise for me, and also to keep me safe," Asher explained.
It was the truth—he didn't want anyone, especially his parents, connecting him to this raid.
As for Penny, Pietro, and the Atlas soldiers, they understood the concept of military confidentiality, so he wasn't worried. As far as most people were concerned, Asher's role within the Atlas Military was buried beneath layers of need-to-know clearance.
"Oh, I see. In that case, do you want me to not call you Asher?" Penny asked, tilting her head.
Asher looked at her, lost in thought for a moment.
"Hmm, I suppose I do need a codename. Alright then, you can just call me Cipher. Simple enough to remember, don't you think?" He wasn't just speaking to Penny, but also to the Atlas soldiers standing nearby. They nodded with disciplined control, while Penny's face lit up with enthusiasm.
"Ooh, my first mission, and there are even codenames! What should mine be?" Penny asked, her eyes bouncing between Asher and Pietro.
"Uh, darling, maybe we should stick with Penny for now. We can think of a codename later," Pietro suggested.
Penny's expression shifted slightly, her enthusiasm dimming.
"Oh, well, okay," Penny said, her disappointment obvious but brief.
With that, they were ready to depart. After Penny gave her final goodbyes to Pietro, who voiced his concern one last time, both Asher and Penny climbed aboard the Small Manta waiting on the landing pad. They took the rear seats, just behind the pilots, who quickly started up the airship.
Penny looked out the window at her father, who waved as the airship began to lift off the ground. She waved back, as if she were going on some kind of field trip, before the airship blasted off from Atlas Academy.
Penny's attention quickly shifted from Atlas Academy as she gazed out at the sprawling city of Atlas below. Asher, seated not too far from her, noticed the wonder in her eyes as she pressed her hands against the glass, her gaze fixed on the city.
"You seem really excited about this," Asher remarked, sparking a conversation. Penny turned around to face him, her knees folded beneath her as she settled into her seat.
"Oh, I am. I... don't get many opportunities to leave the area around my father's lab," Penny explained, her voice softening as she spoke.
"In fact, aside from my father, Mr. Ironwood, Winter, and some of the people who are in charge of watching over me, I think you're the only other person I've ever really talked to. So, this is all very new to me." Asher didn't interrupt; he simply listened as Penny's eyes brightened again.
Her voice regained its energy as she said, "But that doesn't mean you need to worry about me. One of my main functions is combat, so I'm very proficient in that area. I'll make sure you stay safe and sound, guaranteed."
Asher chuckled softly at that.
"I appreciate it. Hopefully, though, we'll be proper partners, rather than you just coming to my rescue the whole time. Agreed?"
Penny blinked for a moment before smiling widely and nodding.
"Agreed!"
Soon, the Small Manta they were in left Atlas and began its descent towards Mantle. Not long after, they flew over a section of the city just outside of Mantle's busy downtown area.
Asher noticed airships from the Atlas Police already flying in the sky. If you looked closely, entire streets had been cordoned off, isolating a part of the city from the rest. This was the same area where the Pale Dawn Initiative—the organization covertly supporting the White Fang—was operating.
As the airship began its descent towards the ground, the tension in the air was palpable.
A four-way junction, its traffic cut off by the joint operation, had been turned into the central command area. It was just down the street from the Pale Dawn Initiative's company building, which had been surrounded, leaving no room for anyone to escape.
On the ground, a mix of officers and soldiers cleared the area as the Small Manta descended to land. The airship kicked up debris as its landing gear extended, and the entire ship bounced slightly on its suspension when it touched down.
"We've landed," one of the Atlas soldiers, acting as the pilot, called out.
"Right," Asher replied with a nod, then turned to Penny.
"Remember the codename, okay?" He said, raising a finger to his lips with a slight smile.
"Don't worry, I won't forget," Penny responded, her tone reassuring.
"Alright, then let's go." Asher raised the front mask section of his helmet, which he had taken off earlier, back into place. With a soft click followed by a hiss, the mask locked into position, seamlessly integrating with the helmet. Asher watched as his HUD came fully online, the data flickering across his vision as he stood up.
GAIA immediately began monitoring the surroundings, data popping up in small cues as the cockpit slid open, allowing them to exit.
Asher was the first to step out, the weight of the exosuit making a heavy thud as his boots hit the ground. He heard a similar sound of Penny hopping down behind him. The Atlas soldiers followed suit, positioning themselves on either side of the pair as they made their way through the command center toward the Command Post Tent.
Barricades had been set up, forming a security perimeter near the front of the command center, ready for emergency response. The entire area was alive with activity, people rushing back and forth. Many of the soldiers and officers paused to glance at Asher, but more so at Penny, who looked out of place.
She couldn't have been more than a ginger-haired sixteen-year-old girl, still wearing that same blouse and skirt Asher had seen her in when they first met. She didn't look like she belonged here, by any stretch of the imagination.
As they approached the tent, two men stationed outside held out their hands, stepping forward to block their path.
One of them spoke, "Hold it. Only authorized personnel can go beyond this point."
"Oh, no worries, we're fully authorized by the General," Penny replied cheerfully, causing the two men to exchange confused glances. At that moment, the two Atlas soldiers accompanying Asher and Penny stepped forward.
"These two were sent here under General Ironwood's orders. Your superiors should have been notified ahead of time."
The two men glanced at each other again, still unsure, but the one who had stopped them said, "Wait here a moment."
He turned and entered the Command Post Tent. They barely had to wait a minute before he returned, opened the tent, and gestured for them to enter.
Asher led the way, stepping into the tent. At the center stood an operations table powered by hard-light, displaying a holographic projection of the Pale Dawn Initiative building and the surrounding units. Folding chairs were scattered around, but everyone at the table stood.
To the sides of the tent, radio systems buzzed, and a whiteboard displayed mission strategies and the current state of the operation, with a simple light hanging from the apex of the tent's roof.
Inside, there were four people: three men and one woman. Most of them Asher didn't recognize, except for one.
I wasn't expecting to see him here.
Asher's eyes flicked to Chief Cornel, the Police Chief who had originally held Indigo and her group in custody and had done a favor for his father in keeping them there. Of course, Cornel wouldn't recognize him with his face covered.
"You two are the ones sent by the General," one of the men at the table said. He seemed to be a police chief as well, from a different section of Mantle, of course. He looked Asher up and down before his gaze shifted to Penny, his eyes narrowing at her attire and how young she appeared to be.
"We were sent to assist with the raid," Asher replied, gesturing to the two Atlas soldiers behind them. The soldiers recognized the signal and moved to their positions by the entrance, standing guard.
Seeing that the soldiers were listening to him, the skeptical looks from the others in the room softened, just a little.
It was a good choice to wear the mask when I came in here. My age, combined with Penny's appearance, would have raised too many questions in the chain of command, regardless of what the General said. With the mask on, they can't pinpoint my age or my voice, and that should make things a bit easier. Though my height is still a bit of an issue.
"I am Lieutenant Colonel Saff Flore," the woman said, her voice clear and authoritative.
"The General told us he'd be sending us assistance, but you two are... different from what we expected." She was dressed in the familiar Atlas Military colors—white, blue, and red—woven into her uniform.
It was a sleeveless, high-collared tunic with blue lining and shoulder guards, complete with coat tails. Beneath that, she wore navy-blue pants, slightly darker on the thighs, matching her boots. An angular red marking on her chest indicated her rank and symbolized the military's role in the operation.
Asher studied her for a moment before responding, "Will our appearance be a problem?"
It was a simple question, one that immediately quieted the room. Everyone exchanged glances, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. They had their doubts, but voicing them would go against the General's orders.
After a beat, Saff shook her head.
"No, of course not. General Ironwood stated that you two would be assisting us and helping command this operation; as such, anything you have to say will be regarded."
Behind the mask, Asher raised an eyebrow in slight surprise.
Did he now? Either he trusts me more than I thought he would, or he's still trying to make a good impression. Either way, he's given me partial authority over this entire operation, which will make things easier, since I won't be under anyone's command.
With that thought, Asher took a step forward toward the table. "
In that case, allow us to introduce ourselves."
He glanced back at Penny, who took the cue and bounced forward, beaming.
"Hello there! My name is Penny Polendina. I'm here to protect him." A wave of confusion washed over the Police Chief and Lieutenant Colonel Saff. However, Asher quickly cut through it, placing his hands on the operations table and leaning in.
"As for me, my identity is classified, so you can simply refer to me as Cipher. Now then, what exactly is the situation?"