Volatile-I

They need something to fear

Ping.

A bullet ricocheted through Iskandr-3's workshop. A second later came the hiss of a ruptured vent.

"Gnosis!"

His midnight-blue Ghost rotated toward the ceiling.

"A please, perhaps?"

Gnosis drifted toward the rafters while Iskandr slammed both hands onto the workbench.

"I am so close."

"You have been 'so close' for four days."

"Three."

"Four."

Holographic diagrams hovered above the table: Thorn, Rose, Graviton Lance, Black Armory schematics layered over corrupted weapon telemetry.

"You saw Henriette's designs," Gnosis said. "Those rounds were barely weapons. The forges are gone. Again."

"I know."

"Then stop."

Iskandr stared at the projections.

"The ammunition is wrong. The resonance keeps feeding back into itself."

Gnosis descended.

"And besides destroying Ada's workshop, what exactly are you trying to accomplish?"

Iskandr stopped.

"I need people to believe they have a chance."

"The Black Armory already gives them that."

"Not enough."

"Not enough for what?"

Iskandr hesitated. Then, quietly:

"Not enough for who is coming."

Gnosis drifted lower.

"You mean him."

No answer.

"The Vanguard doesn't believe you."

"Why would they?" Iskandr said. "I wouldn't, in their position."

"Then why keep doing this?"

Iskandr turned away from the bench. His helmet rested beneath the overhead lights, its horns stretching long shadows across the wall. For a moment, he heard laughter. Old laughter. Still waiting somewhere in the back of his mind.

"They need something to fight the fear," Iskandr said. "Not just a weapon. Hope. Something that tells them they have a chance."

Gnosis was quiet.

"Even if it costs you your sanity?"

Iskandr looked at the shadows.

"I fear that price may already have been paid."

Silence settled over the workshop. Iskandr shut down the holograms.

"Maybe you're right."

Gnosis brightened. "Finally. I'd like to see the sun again."

Iskandr laughed. "Send Ada-1 a message."

"What shall I tell her?"

"Meet me at the bar."

Gnosis paused. "...Work related?"

"Eventually."

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