Dynamis | Chapter 33 - Synchronize

Conjoining two Dynamic Frames was a nerve-wracking process that Karl wanted no part of. Each of the instructors insisted he, Lilibelle, and Daidari were prepared for such a maneuver, but the very idea of lashing a long cable between two enormous machines sounded like a fine way to commit suicide.

Jark clapped Karl’s shoulder. “You’re going to be fine! You’ll see!”

Admittedly, if it weren’t for Jark’s encouraging words, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to go through with it. Lilibelle would no doubt berate him. Perhaps Daidari would as well. But Daidari had been acting… strangely as of late, so he cared not to guess at her reaction.

While the engineers and mechanics set to work on getting the two Frames connected, Karl sought peace of mind in a daydream regarding Cever. He’d never been to a metropolis, so he tried to imagine how a city built primarily underground functioned. Few sanctuaries could offer genuine protection from the Fiends, but any time the topic was broached, Cever was usually mentioned.

It would be nice to go somewhere and not have to worry about dying for a change.

Many regarded Cever as one of the select few places a civilian could live a proper life without worry of Fiend invasions. A person could start a business or a family, own a home, get a decent job, and best of all, they didn’t have to worry about fighting. Because of that, it sounded like a place straight out of fiction. It was hard to imagine any place in the world that wasn’t overrun by the villainous Fiends.

If not for the books and electronic records that detailed the world before his time, he’d have thought the person crazy. But such records detailed cities far more gargantuan and beautiful than even Cever. Back then, food was plentiful and no one had to worry whether or not the water they were drinking was clean or if the next time they went outside they would die. They weren’t surrounded by the Dynamic Frames, born with a gun in their hands, or taught how to survive in the wild. 

He wondered if he would see a world like that in his lifetime. The fights were only growing worse with each coming day, and with the Sovereigns behind the Fiends, it was anyone’s guess if or when this fight would ever end. Until then, Cever would have to fill the void. Perhaps visiting Cever would give him some idea of what things used to be like.

Back when there was peace on Nesharis.

“—ear me? Karl?” Jark snapped his fingers.

Karl started. “S-Sorry. I was lost in my head for a bit.”

Jark smiled wide. “You do that a lot.”

Karl’s cheeks burned. “I have a lot on my mind.”

“You say that a lot too.”

Rolling his eyes, Karl sighed. “Can we talk about something else?”

“Sure, buddy!” He pointed up at the cable that two of the mechanics were busy connecting between the two Frames. “See that big old cable?”

“Yeah.”

“That monster’s going to be what prevents you from killing yourself. At least in the beginning,” he laughed. “Then you’ll be de-coupled and you’ll be flying on your own! But you’ll be fine. You got this!”

If I could just have a modicum of your optimism, that would be great.

From what he’d been told, when two Dynamic Frames were coupled, one was labeled master and the other servant. When coupled, the cable would allow the master Frame to control the servant Frame remotely, mirroring any of the maneuvers made by the master. However, due to the immense load placed on the master Frame and its conductors, the units were restricted to basic movements. Once the master Frame was confident that the servant Frame could take over, the cable would be detached and the conductors would be on their own.

Flying together with Lilibelle…

“Hey!”

Karl flinched, then turned to his right to see Lilibelle with her arms crossed and a disgusted expression on her face.

“You better not hold me back this time, white bread,” Lilibelle spat. Her eyes held the fire they usually did, but whereas before they were a pair of blazing infernos, now they appeared as mere embers. “I’ve had enough of your incessant whining and coddling.”

Karl turned away, nearly sputtering a laugh. Some things just never changed.

“Grr! Look at me when I’m talking to you!” she cried, stamping her foot. Karl turned back around, marveling at her red cheeks and gritted teeth. The black-and-red neurosuit complemented her feminine figure, but even as wild as his hormones had been as of late, he found he couldn’t look away from her face. He smiled. “W-What are you smiling at? You think this is funny?”

Karl cleared his throat and nodded. “Without a doubt.”

Lilibelle worked her jaw, balled her hands at her sides, then closed the distance between them in four swift strides and pressed her pointer finger against his chest. “Y-You better cut the crap! This is a serious operation! If I die because of you—”

“Lili, come on. You know me better than that by now,” Karl said.

“Uh.” Her finger curled back as if she’d been stung.

“I would never let our relationship”—he stopped himself, searching for a different word, then came up short and kept going—“errr, I would never let whatever this is,” he said, gesturing the minute distance between them, “get in the way of our survival. I promise.”

Lilibelle stammered and took a step back. Her lips moved as if she couldn’t quite figure out what to say, then she spun on her heel and looked up at the cable that Jark had pointed at only a minute or two prior.

“W-Well, naturally! Obviously!” she said. “What’s that?”

Karl stifled a laugh. As perturbed as he was by the images he’d seen, some shred of him hoped that maybe, if they happened again, it might bring them closer and he better understand why she acted so… brashly.

“That’s the cable that’ll link our Frames together,” Karl explained.

Lilibelle nodded as if she already knew that.

“Hey! This is your partner, right?” Jark said, pointing at the bottle blonde.

Oh. Right. I don’t think he’s ever met Lilibelle. At least, not officially. Jark had probably seen her plenty of times, but without Karl to affirm her identity or introduce her in a more formal manner, it was likely that her being his partner had flown way over his head. For as smart as Jark was in matters of Dynamic Frames, he came up short in a lot of other categories.

A curious smile tugged at the corner of Karl’s lips as he took a step back to allow room for Jark to approach. “That’s right. This is the hypercritical and overzealous Lilibelle Katsun.”

Lilibelle let out an exasperated sigh. “How dare you! I am not overzealous nor hyper—”

“Lilibelle Katsun! At last!” Jark said, stepping forward to shake her hand. He practically tore it out of her crossed arms and yanked her forward hard enough that Lilibelle had to catch herself from falling. “Whoa, easy there! Got a bit of a clumsy one here! Ha ha!”

Lilibelle growled while Karl swallowed his amusement.

“Name’s Jark Strobar! But you can call me Piston!” He flashed a toothy smile while Lilibelle strained under his grip. 

“G-Great, can you let go of my hand?” Lilibelle said.

“Oh, right! Ha ha! Sorry! I forget my own strength sometimes! Did I hurt you?”

Lilibelle shook her hand, eyes narrowed to half slits. Karl pretended not to notice the glare she shot him. “I’m fine,” she said just loud enough to hear. “Are you the Strobar that I hear Almezer talk about all the time?”

“Gosh, my reputation precedes me!” Jark flushed and rubbed the back of his head. “Sounds like me, though!”

“My, you are a… interesting one, aren’t you?” Lilibelle said.

“Jark and I have been friends pretty much since I first joined Deadeye,” Karl said as he stepped closer. “Sometimes, I hang out with him and some of the other mechanics. Speaking of, where are the others?”

“Ah, they got other matters to tend to. Especially Wrench. She’s been assigned to a new interfacing system.” He put his hands on his hips and spoke fondly of her the same way he would a daughter. “It’s supposed to correct errors at a higher rate when conductors merge their senses. With how many mismatches there are, Deadeye wants to develop new technologies to bridge the gap in compatibility.”

“How do you mean?” Karl asked.

He shrugged. “Couldn’t tell ya. From what Wrench told me, it’s supposed to be all hush hush, so she hasn’t told me much. I guess she’s not allowed to talk about it.”

Even to their own mechanics? That doesn’t sound productive.

“Well,” Lilibelle said, rolling the shoulder that belonged to the hand Jark shook. An audible pop followed and she grimaced. “I’m sure they’re a lovely bunch.”

“The best a guy could ask for!” Jark said with a nod. “Gosh, if it wasn’t for them, I’m not sure I would’ve stuck around.”

“Why is that?”

Whether she asked out of formal obligation or a genuine curiosity, Karl wasn’t sure. Either way, he was happy to see Lilibelle stepping out of the bubble she’d created around herself.

“Well, when I first signed up for Deadeye, I’d gone into this whole thing thinking I’d be some hot shot conductors.” He paused to look up at the Frames. “When the neurolink exam came back, I was heartbroken to find out I was inert. Thankfully, Wrench had been accompanying me during my tests. Her and I hit it off pretty easily at first, and she thought I should try to be a mechanic instead.” He turned his gaze back to Lilibelle. “Turned out I had a knack for fixing and putting these things together, so I stuck around.”

Jark’s story changed a little bit each time he told it. Karl imagined that every version was true, and that the version Jark told in that moment had more to do with how he was feeling at time rather than how it had occurred beat for beat. One thing that remained true, however, was that Wrench was always an integral part of why he’d chosen to stay.

That just makes it all the more frustrating that he can’t see how much she likes him.

“Oh.” Lilibelle hummed as she curled a lock of her hair around her finger. “I’m sorry. You took it a lot better than I would have.”

Jark shrugged. “No one’s promised anything. Just gotta live for the present and hope for the best. Oh, hey! Is that your other partner?”

Karl looked past Jark. Lilibelle turned around.

Daidari’s shoes clicked as she sauntered across the strip toward them. Similar to his own neurosuit, hers was a mix of black and blue, though the pigment took on a lighter shade compared to his own. The neurosuit fit snugly around her buxom physique, drawing attention to her feminine features. Her black hair was tied into a ponytail, with a pair of sharp-looking bangs flanking the sides of her face.

She stopped a few steps away and offered a curt bow at the neck.

“Good afternoon,” Daidari said softly. Then she looked up at the mechanics. “Are these the assigned Frames?”

“Right you are!” Jark said as he nearly bowled Lilibelle aside for Daidari’s handshake. Daidari hopped back, landing on the ball of one foot, arms raised for combat. Jark extended his hand. “A bit jumpy, are we?”

“Somewhat,” Daidari said after a pause, then settled her posture. “My apologies. My name is Daidari Ishima. Mister Donovan’s partner.” Her gaze veered toward Lilibelle, then back to Jark. “And I suppose Miss Katsun’s as well.” She extended her hand.

Karl waited eagerly to see what would happen.

“Pleased to meet ya!” Jark snatched her hand and shook.

“Wooeep!” Daidari squealed, clapping her palm over the top of Jark’s hand. Her fingers dug helplessly into Jark’s skin as she tried to pry him away, devolving into a cacophony of whimpers and frustrated huffs. Too bad Jark not only had his eyes closed, but was completely clueless as well. To him, he probably thought she was reciprocating the handshake with both hands. “Ee! Lemme go! Lemme, ee!”

“Oh! Sorry, did it again,” Jark laughed as he let go. “I swear I used less strength this time, too.”

“It’s okay,” Karl said, patting him on the shoulder. “Not everyone can take the heat.”

Daidari glared, but quickly averted her gaze. Karl had never seen her face so red before. Compared to how she usually acted, it was a nice change of pace. Maybe there was a person in there after all.

“U-Unless permitted otherwise,” Daidari said slowly, “do not touch me again.”

“It looked like you reciprocated the handshake to me,” Karl said with a shrug. “Maybe you just need more training.”

The icy-cold glare returned.

“Well, now that you’re all here, let’s get you set up!” Jark waved them over as he stepped away from the Frames toward the elevator. Karl, Lilibelle, and Daidari joined him, and after a short ride up, Jark led them across the balcony toward the two Frames they’d been looking at earlier. “The right one is Firecracker, a DF designed for heat and missile weaponry.” Then he pointed to the left Frame. “That one over there is Saint. She’s one of our faster models, built for maneuverability and melee combat.”

“Which one are we riding in?” Karl asked.

“Saint.”

Lilibelle’s lips spread into a confident smile. “Excellent.”

“Indeed,” Daidari said with a nod.

Ah, right. Both of them enjoy getting close and personal.

In all of their tests and simulations thus far, Lilibelle and Daidari had desired a more intimate approach to combat, so it stood to reason that they’d be provided with a DF that complemented that fighting style. Even so, he was surprised Deadeye furnished such a specialized Frame.

One quick look at it would tell anyone that it was designed for speed. The arms and legs were thin, with stakes erupting from the knees and elbows. The points were a bright yellow, a stark contrast to the vibrant blue stripes that made up most of the body’s paintjob. A pair of missile launchers—lightweight Red Rocket models hitched together at the Frame’s spine—adorned the shoulders, guiding his eye down the back, where two different blade hilts waited. From the looks of it, both blades were energy-based.

One sword for each girl, is that it?

“That’s two out of three. How about my man, Carrying Karl?” Jark said.

Karl was abruptly snapped out of his thoughts at the mention of his moniker. “It looks good,” he said, unsure what to add to the conversation. He was the support of the group, so the weapons and loadout were less of a concern to him than to his partners.

“It looks fantastic,” Lilibelle said just a little too enthusiastically. “Tell me we’re going to shred some wretched Fiend apart.”

“Couldn’t tell ya,” Jark said, shrugging.

“Well, I should certainly hope so,” Daidari said.

“Oh hey! There comes Wrench now!”

Karl turned his head. Wrench stepped out of an elevator on the opposite side of the hangar, Doctor Almezer standing beside her. They shared a few words, then gestured to them and started toward them. There was a slouch in their steps and a hunched arch to their postures. They wore stern expressions, and as they drew closer it became evident that they hadn’t slept much.

“Good afternoon,” Almezer said when he came to a stop.

Wrench stopped beside him and offered a casual wave. “Hey.”

“Wrench! They keeping you busy?” Jark laughed.

Wrench narrowed her gaze. “Very much so. What I wouldn’t give to just get the hell outta there and come back down here where things make sense.”

“That bad, huh?” Karl said.

Wrench nodded, smiling, just barely, at Karl. “Just as cute as ever.”

Karl grumbled and averted his gaze.

“Anywho. The three of y’all will be conducting Saint today. I’m sure Piston’s already debriefed ya on this girl, yeah?” Wrench continued once everyone gave her some form of affirmation. “Great. Then that’s one load off of my shoulders. Your seniors should be arriving any moment. Doctor Almezer will be debriefing you on your assignment.”

Karl frowned. Why not Captain Veren or Admiral Chovek?

Almezer took a step forward and put his hands behind his back. An audible pop sounded, followed by a relieved sigh from the man’s lips. “The mission parameters are simple. Your seniors will guide you to a nest of Fiends that has recently emerged. There is a queen there. Eliminate the queen and any other Fiends you come across. During the mission, your seniors will observe, intervening only if necessary. I’m sure you have plenty of questions, so have at it.”

Karl raised his hand first. “How much time will we be given to familiarize ourselves with the DF?”

“Approximately ten minutes before takeoff. However, you will have plenty of time to navigate the controls and get your bearings while the other conductors guide you to your destination. Worry not when I say that you will acclimate just fine.”

“Am I to understand that this is our first mission, then?” Daidari asked.

Almezer nodded. “That’s correct. Much as I dislike it, Admiral Chovek insists that we get you seated and established as soon as possible. Your stats are remarkable, even among the greats, so this is not up for discussion.”

Almezer didn’t sound too pleased about that. Just how much had he told Chovek, or anyone else for that matter, about their unique compatibilities?

“What weaponry is the DF loaded with?” Lilibelle asked.

“Mister Strobar didn’t inform you?”

“I was getting to it!” Jark said with a shake of his head.

Almezer raised one brow and sighed. “It is equipped with two standard-grade cross sabers. Both of them are Storm Gust models—SG5 to be exact. We’ve taken extensive measures to ensure they weigh as close to the same weight as possible. Mounted to the shoulders are a pair of missile launchers provided by Red Rocket Industries. The missiles are lightweight and designed with a delayed detonator and a pointed head, allowing them to puncture solid surfaces. Each bay is loaded with six missiles, so use them sparingly.

“The DF, as I’m sure you’ve surmised, is designed for lightweight combat.” He looked at Lilibelle. “This DF is fast and burns through energy quickly. Please be aware of that when you draw the cross sabers.”

“Why do you look at me when you say that?” Lilibelle asked defensively.

This feels just a little too familiar for my liking.

Almezer cleared his throat. “What the DF lacks in firepower it makes up for in speed and maneuverability. It’s packed with a powerful generator, a mid-grade radiator, and exceptional thrusting power. Even with the high energy output from the generator, this DF will burn through your reserves quickly, so try to maneuver in bursts. Prolonged bursts of energy are not advised. Please keep that in mind.”

“Yes, sir,” Karl and his partners responded in unison.

“Good. With that out of the way, your options for ranged combat are limited. The premise is simple.” He turned toward the DF and gestured to it with a wave of his arm. “Confuse and startle your opponent with missiles. Close in with your sabers for a devastating blow. Outmaneuver and outspeed your target as necessary.”

Karl had hoped for a more all-rounder Frame. One with a rifle, a short-burst energy blade, maybe a few other utilities to complement a wide arrange of combat styles. Instead, it felt like they were throwing them to the wolves.

Lilibelle and Daidari are probably pleased to have a pair of melee weapons, but…

“That’s all we have?” Lilibelle said with obvious surprise.

“That’s it,” Almezer said.

“Sir, with all due respect, that leaves us with only one option for combat,” Daidari argued.

Almezer nodded. “That is correct.”

Lilibelle scoffed. “Talk about a misread. So they see us engage in melee combat, then think that’s all we want to do?”

Almezer shrugged. “I do not know. It might be a good idea to ask your seniors when they arrive.”

“Who is going with us?” Karl asked.

The elevator dinged beside them. “Ah, that must be them now,” Almezer said.

Two people dressed in neurosuits stepped out of the elevator. The male bore black hair and sharp brown eyes. He had a lean build and stood almost a head taller than Karl. The female was exceptionally petite, with short silver hair and a mechanical eye in her left eye socket.

“Sean Haron and Kalki Ashvinau will be your chaperones.”