Julia was sat at the bar, staring at her phone so hard one could be forgiven for thinking a hole would spontaneously appear in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her appearance was more bedraggled than usual; her braids frayed and only the lightest dusting of make-up gracing her features. She was still dressed though; knee-high boots, thick tights, a dark blue floral dress and a leather waistcoat donning her person. An observant person would easily notice that these were the same clothes as the day before, a fact further punctuated by the five cups of coffee laid out across the counter top and the heavy bags that had formed under her eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Julia had yet to sleep so she could be forgiven for failing to notice the elderly gentleman emerging from the back rooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHow curious, it\u2019s not often you see people using a phone separate from their digibook these days\u2026\u201d The Major innocently noted after watching Julia for a few moments. The innocence of the statement failed to prevent her from jumping from her seat in shock, her knee banging on the counter causing her to swear loudly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh! I am sorry my dear-\u201d The old man began just for Julia to smile as sweetly as she could at him despite the throbbing pain coming from what no doubt would be a bruise in a few hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s fine, really. What are you doing up at this hour?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI could ask you the same thing! The bar closed over two hours ago! You should be getting some well deserved shut-eye!\u201d he lambasted, hands on his hips and moustache bristling, \u201cwhat is the matter? Did you receive some bad news or-\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh! No! I\u2019m just waiting to hear from some friends,\u201d she laughed as she moved to grab the phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNot expecting bad news I hope? You seemed quite tense-\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m just seeing if they have any plans,\u201d the phone was stashed into a pocket, a strained smile on Julia\u2019s face, \u201ccan I get you anything?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI just couldn\u2019t sleep. Old military habits die hard. I rarely sleep past 6 these days\u2026\u201d he chuckled. He seemed oblivious to the awkwardness in the air as he found somewhere to sit. Julia began to work around him; grabbing a broom and beginning to sweep up. The Major watched her for a few minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIs it just you that works here now? I haven\u2019t seen the fellow from when we first arrived\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe\u2019s…around. I\u2019m just kinda…holding the fort for a while,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHave you worked here long? Forgive me but I spied some of the paperwork out back and haven\u2019t seen your name on any of it\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI..erm…haven\u2019t been here long, no. It was a very\u2026 short notice job posting\u2026\u201d this caused The Major to give her a very quizzical look but Julia was given a reprieve by way of a crashing sound coming from the backrooms followed by hushed whispers. Either the bar was being broken into by a pair of incompetent burglars or the other renters had returned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI can\u2019t believe Gratin had the key\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHey, it made sense at the time!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe doesn\u2019t even have pockets!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah and yours were full of guns and ammo, what do you expect?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bickering was cut short by the sound of a gasp from behind them, Doug and Kate turning to see Julia and The Major standing in the threshold of the bar having come to inspect the noise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat in the bloody hell happened to you two!\u201d The Major\u2019s cries caused the mercs to survey themselves. They had attempted to wash the blood off but Doug had been covered in so much gore at that point that all they had managed to do was smear it further into his clothes. His left side was noticeably missing an appendage, his stump wrapped up in some scraps of cloth taken from a Genetix employee\u2019s corpse in a bid to protect it from the freezing temperatures outside. Kate\u2019s clothes were ripped, singed and stained, the red head having to hold the front of her coat together in an attempt to protect her chest from the elements. Her hair was matted and wild and both mercenaries looked like they were one strong breeze away from collapsing in exhaustion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cErr…we didn\u2019t think you\u2019d be up\u2026\u201d Doug said as if this answered any of the concerns the other two clearly had. The Major seemed lost for words. Julia, however, sighed heavily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ll get the kettle on\u2026\u201d the simplicity of this statement sent Doug back 18 years to when he was a teenager attempting to sneak past his mother after scrapping with the other boys. He half expected Julia to follow up with \u201cproud of yourself, are you?\u201d or even \u201cat least tell me that the other kid looks worse than you do?\u201d which, although not typical of mothers, had been Old Rosie McCracken all over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kate merely eyed Julia suspiciously but otherwise made no objections as she was far too tired to start listing all the ways in which offering tea probably wasn\u2019t how civilians were supposed to handle these kinds of situations no matter how appreciated it would be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo, no, hold on! I\u2019ve been willing to over look many odd circumstances since I met you people but this is toing a line! What happened? And where is Mr Archibald?\u201d The old man was the only one trying to hold onto something that made sense. The atmosphere in the crammed little hall darkened, Kate shutting her eyes and turning away, allowing Doug to pull her into a hug and plant a kiss on her forehead in an attempt to offer comfort. Julia hadn\u2019t taken her eyes off of the pair, absorbing every twitch of body language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMr Morrison\u2026\u201d her voice was stern and steady, Stanley getting the hint. His patrons needed space, not an interrogation right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The barmaid led the group into the back office come staffroom where she set about boiling a kettle. The Mercs paused as they noticed the familiar bulk of the barman laying almost impossibly still on a ratty old sofa just to the left of the entrance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cErr, Jules love? What\u2019s up with him?\u201d Doug asked, getting her attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh, don\u2019t mind him! He\u2019s just dead tired is all!\u201d she punctuated the sentence with a nervous chuckle. The mercs exchanged a glance, Kate stepping away from Doug to check the man\u2019s pulse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…He\u2019s just sleeping\u2026\u201d she announced, clearly surprised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, yeah, that\u2019s what I said?\u201d the barmaid busied herself clearing the small table in the centre of the room and fetching mugs. It was clear the mercs were thankful for the opportunity to sit down. The Major preferred to stand. He was pacing the room, wringing his hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m beginning to suspect it\u2019s time to acknowledge a few things that I have desperately been trying to ignore\u2026\u201d he began, his moustache vibrating with frustration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLook, Major, there\u2019s a reasonable explanation for thi-\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh cut the crap McCracken! I know the signs of a fight when I see them!\u201d The old man snapped. There was deathly silence for a beat, Doug\u2019s eyes wide like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…You knew-?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFrom the beginning, yes! I\u2019m not that doddering an old fool!\u201d the glare Stanley gave Doug made the soldier flinch. It was a look and tone no one in the room had expected from the old man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was hoping it was going to turn out some other McCracken had been accused of terrorism and you really had changed your name and run off with a fine young lady but clearly that was an old fool\u2019s dream!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…I don\u2019t get it,\u201d said Doug, his features knotting together into a frown, \u201cWhy did you help us if you knew we were the Salmanic Terrorists?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The old man deflated, his facial hair drooping as he looked at Doug pityingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBecause Lieutenant Elvito would have wanted me to\u2026\u201d the old man finally sat down, rubbing his face. It took a long moment before he decided to elaborate further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…My last campaign…the battle of Glamonis…that was hardly my finest hour. You shamed me for it and rightly so. Maybe that\u2019s why I decided to pretend your ridiculous attempt at a false identity was convincing\u2026 an old man\u2019s attempt to protect his ego?\u201d he sighed, avoiding Doug\u2019s gaze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDid you know that Gaspar visited me in the medical bay after the incident in the dry dock? The ridiculous boy was worried for me. Me! The idiot that nearly got you boys killed many times during our escapades! He was worried about what might become of me if I was to become a civilian!\u201d The memories caused the old man to chuckle sadly, \u201ceven after I was discharged, he stayed in contact. Sergeant Galvison teased him terribly for it but Gaspar didn\u2019t want me to be alone. He even sent me a knitted jumper and some of his mother\u2019s homemade fudge for Faustmas! He really was the best of us\u2026\u201d a tear began to run down his cheek, the old man wiping it away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut then I heard about Jehoth IV. Still makes my old heart ache. Did you know I went to the funeral? I know you did even though you should have been confined to a hospital bed. I still remember the sight of you; wheelchair bound with a new arm you had only just been fitted with, struggling to adjust to it\u2026\u201d Doug glanced down at his stump. It was impossible to know what was going through his head, his jaw tense and fist clenched. Kate wrapped her arm around his and rested her head on his shoulder, offering him solace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut what Gaspar would have wanted will only take me so far. It\u2019s time you come clean! Prove to me that you and your lady aren\u2019t the criminals the news is painting you to be!\u201d The mercs exchanged a glance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…We can certainly tell you our stories but I don\u2019t know how we can prove anything to you\u2026\u201d Kate began. Doug started patting his pockets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…Actually, Love, there is something I forgot to mention during all the excitement\u2026\u201d he produced a memory stick from his inside pocket and held it up for all to see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat-\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s what Salmanic were after at Genetix, or at least part of it. By the sounds of it, those mutant sisters had been spying on damn near everyone and was compiling blackmail material. If Salmanic were that determined to get a hold of this stuff, maybe it\u2019s got some stuff about the Power Plant on it?\u201d Kate\u2019s whole demeanour shifted, her eyes lighting up as she took the stick off of him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh Doug, I could kiss you!\u201d she exclaimed. Doug grinned then lent towards her, his eyes closing as he puckered his lips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A moment later he cracked one eye open to find Kate and Julia were now crowding around a little computer in the corner of the room, both women eagerly waiting for it to load. Doug cleared his throat, suddenly feeling very small. Luckily for him, no one seemed to notice. Even the Major had moved to look at what was on the stick, a cup of tea in hand. Doug grabbed one of the mugs Julia had left on the table and moved to join the others, taking a gulp to disguise any embarrassment lingering on his face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The computer was slow \u2013 clearly old enough to have been replaced five times over \u2013 but the girls managed to get it working with minimal thumps and curses directed at the ageing casing. Kate sat in the chair directly in front of the thing, Julia leaning over her left shoulder where she could easily reach over to input the login credentials. The computer rejected her first two attempts logging in, the barmaid having to dig a browning old notebook out of a draw to check she had the right password.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Soon the screen was lit up with a menu detailing the various folders of information the Salmanic Troopers had ripped from the Genetix mainframe. There were a lot of them, Kate slowly scrolling down the list<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou weren\u2019t kidding about this,\u201d Kate muttered, her voice full of awe, \u201cthere\u2019s decades worth of data here\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Royal Court of Draguna Locar, Aquarius Springs, Elactinide Inc, The Zhenyan parliament, even the PSF. There\u2019s stuff here on all the major players on Lusinia!\u201d Julia exclaimed. Kate continued scrolling, her face a mask of thought, until she found the Salmanic file. She tapped it open, her eyes narrowing at what she found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI say, that doesn\u2019t seem right,\u201d this came from the Major who had taken a position to Kate\u2019s right, \u201cthese file names are all scrambled!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The names of the files contained such fruitful fields as \u201c$$xxrtu^*p\u201d and \u201chfcdkufhdckvls7%\u201d. It was as if the writers\u2019 cat had decided to take a stroll across the keyboard the moment it came time to save their work. Kate leant back in her chair, rubbing her face in frustration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe files are all encrypted. Should have known better than to think our luck was turning\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh don\u2019t give up yet!\u201d Julia lambasted, \u201cmaybe we can unencrypt them?\u201d the barmaid reached across to start manipulating the screen, pulling up what information on the files she could.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…Oh, wow, this looks way more complicated than I was expecting\u2026\u201d she mumbled. Kate removed her hands from her face so that she could peak at what Julia was doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI only have the bare minimum of training in this sort of thing so I\u2019m pretty sure it\u2019s beyond me to untangle this. Somehow I\u2019m guessing they don\u2019t cover computer encryption in barmaid school,\u201d the redhead observed. Julia was far from ready to give up. She closed the additional windows she had opened up and began scrolling through the contents of the Salmanic file.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere must be something we\u2019re missing- ah! Here we go,\u201d she stopped scrolling as a few files that were genuinely comprehensible came into view, \u201clooks like they never got around to encrypting the older files. Only the stuff made in the last fifteen years or so seem to be scrambled!\u201d she opened one such file, the barmaid positively beaming from her victory over the data. What appeared was an old exchange of messages between the sisters and Victor Salmanic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kate was staring blankly at the screen, the conversation continuing around her as she stared at the exchange. The Major and Julia failed to notice, unaware of the context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMythril blends? Breeches? What on earth? Was Victor Salmanic dabbling in magic?\u201d asked the Major, turning to Doug for clarification. The soldier sighed, put down the mug on the desk and wrapped his arm around Kate\u2019s shoulders as he hugged her from behind. Kate leant into it, clearly grateful for his presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…In a way. Find another file, Jules, if the Sisters were helping old man Victor then there\u2019s bound to be something a hell of a lot more damning on there\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cErr, right, sure\u2026\u201d she complied with the request. The next few files consisted of phone records, spreadsheets of data regarding power outputs, suspiciously vague lists of \u201ccollections\u201d and \u201cdisposals\u201d containing columns of numbers and not much else. Eventually, towards the end of the collection file pathways, were schematics and more incriminating message exchanges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This exchange brought a tension to the atmosphere in the dingy little room, Julia quickly going back to pour over the schematics where as the Major began chewing on his thumb as what he read sunk in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The schematics included a new type of stasis chamber and an aether extractor. The terms had seemed meaningless to Julia and The Major at first but after reading that last collection of messages, the Mercs could see them putting the pieces together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was the final file in the folder, however, that really drove home what it was that Salmanic was doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The final file was a video time-lapse of a Twigarnian mage hooked up to one of the extractors over a course of 36 weeks. The sleeping mage was only 24 years of age when they were placed in the machine but by the time the humans watching the video had finished watching the subject rapidly wither into a heavily emaciated form, the Twigarnian looked closer to being of an age where one could successfully donate them to an ancient history museum. As the video ended, the Major began retching into a nearby bin and Julia was several shades paler than when the video had started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…What happened to the Sisters?\u201d she asked, shaking. It was Kate that answered, her voice quiet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTheir experiments caught up to them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd Salmanic? You said something about them being there?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd where is Mr Archibald?\u201d asked The Major, the old man looking up from his position over the bin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGone. Salmanic took Archie. They\u2019re long gone\u2026 nothing we could do,\u201d Doug answered. Both he and Kate were tense, neither making eye contact with the others. Kate\u2019s fists were balled up so tight on her lap that she was almost drawing blood. Doug was still embracing her, the soldier resting his head atop of hers, breathing her in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey\u2019re not\u2026 They\u2019re not going to add him to their collection of mages?\u201d The Major asked, the thought clearly not sitting well. Doug finally stepped away from Kate, a fierce look dominating his face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNot if we have anything to say about it! We\u2019re heading after them as soon as we find a ship in a good enough state to get us home,\u201d his voice was so firm and steady that it was as if he was daring the universe to prove him wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…Then we better get on with procuring one then,\u201d replied the Major as he straightened up from the bin. Doug was taken aback. Even Kate tore herself away from the computer to gape at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re not coming, Major. It\u2019s going to be extremely dangerous. Just associating with us has put you in the firing line,\u201d Kate began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNonsense. I am Major Stanley Morrison of the Crimson Chests of the 89th<\/sup> fleet and I pledge to you that I will do everything in my power to see you reunited with your dear friend.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMe too!\u201d Julia had also straightened up to her full height, a determined look on her face. The nervous energy had dissipated, the woman in the corner powered by something else entirely. She seemed even more of a stranger than she already was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…You\u2019re coming with us? You? The barmaid?\u201d asked the ever suspicious Kate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re going to need all the help you can get. Salmanic isn\u2019t just some energy company; they\u2019re a Pillar! The biggest one that the other four rally around! Salmanic City isn\u2019t called that because it\u2019s where the head offices are: they own it, the private police force that patrol it and all the other resources contained within whether they know it or not. So yeah, having a barmaid tag along is better than nothing,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut why?\u201d this came from the Major, a confused frown across his brow, \u201cinvading a foreign city that you reportedly never visited before is quite the commitment for someone that\u2019s never seen combat before\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…Err…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd you seem to know a lot about Salmanic City for someone who\u2019s never been as well\u2026\u201d Katherine added. All eyes were now fixed on Julia, that nervous energy seeping back into the barmaid\u2019s form. Even Doug was staring at her with renewed interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Julia was saved from having to explain herself when a loud knocking came from the bar\u2019s front door. It boomed around the empty drinking hall, the walls shaking with the force of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI don\u2019t suppose that is simply someone hoping to simply purchase a beverage?\u201d asked The Major, the old man fixated on the noise\u2019s source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe don\u2019t open for another five hours,\u201d Julia muttered. Kate was the only one not focused on the front of the building, the redhead having moved to the one small window in the room and was peaking out through the blinds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere are men in the entrance to the courtyard. I think our exits are covered\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShit, you think someone made us?\u201d Doug asked as he hurried over to the window to see for himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSmall towns like to gossip and our arrival was probably the most interesting thing to happen in a while. Maybe someone recognised our descriptions?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDamn,\u201d Doug glimpsed down at his stump and grunted before drawing his gun and checking the battery pack whilst Kate checked her own ammo reserves. She was down to a couple of clips and some smoke grenades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon\u2019t suppose there are any other exits, Pet?\u201d Doug asked as he ran some calculations in his head and came up short. The men in the courtyard were armed with hunting rifles and shotguns. They also didn\u2019t look anywhere near as tired as the mercenaries felt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere\u2019s one option. Go to your room, I\u2019ll try to stall for as long as I can and meet you at Hans Freight and Storage at the edge of town,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat? How\u2019s going up stairs going to help? We\u2019ll be cornered-\u201d Doug was cut off by the sounds of more heavy knocking and a loud voice calling out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOpen up in there! We know you\u2019re here!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Julia looked Doug dead in the eyes, that strange confidence having come back and was now radiating off of her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTrust me. Go upstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kate rested a hand on his forearm, the redhead clearly making some calculations of her own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShe\u2019s right, come on,\u201d she led the others up the stairs, Doug lingering at the top as Julia disappeared into the bar.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Julia was sat at the bar, staring at her phone so hard one could be forgiven for thinking a hole would spontaneously appear in it. Her appearance was more bedraggled than usual; her braids frayed and only the lightest dusting of make-up gracing her features. She was still dressed though;…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[32,31,123,124,120,112,125,119,9],"class_list":["post-374","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-mercenaries-tale","tag-blaise","tag-doug-mccracken","tag-frozen-bluffs","tag-julia","tag-kate-odonnell","tag-major-stanley-morrison","tag-neon-arachnid","tag-polaris","tag-the-mercs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/374","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=374"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/374\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=374"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=374"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=374"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}G:<\/strong> We recommend upgrading the solution to a 40% mythril blend. It may prevent further breeches in the future.
V.S:<\/strong> We do not have the resources for that. The Federation of Solar System\u2019s embargo is shortening supplies and the only local source is caught behind a jumped up rancher.
G: <\/strong>Is the great Victor Salmanic struggling to deal with one simple horse farmer?
VS:<\/strong> I\u2019ve sent a team to deal with it. We\u2019ll see if they can finish the job.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\nV.S:<\/strong> Burnouts have decreased by 30% since the new extractors were installed with a 5% larger output of aetheric energy.
G:<\/strong> You are very welcome. Your new mythril source has truly been a boon.
V.S:<\/strong> Yes, your new formula for the sedatives has also worked wonders. I still would like a way to extend the mages\u2019 lifespans. Collecting more is becoming more burdensome due to the war and I fear creating breeding stock will lead to too much scrutiny.
G:<\/strong> Yes, we have been musing on this problem for some time. Cloning sees each subsequent copy losing a degree of ability to attract aether unless they are allowed to cultivate the necessary experience. This does not seem particularly cost effective for your needs.
V.S:<\/strong> Not particularly, no.
G:<\/strong> And our experiments so far has seen a trade off between expending the mages\u2019 life span and the rate at which aether is extracted.
V.S:<\/strong> Then maybe it is time we started exploring new avenues?<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n