Laura had, conveniently, chosen the top of a nearby skyscraper as her starting position, a tower that had the twin boons of being A: the tallest building in the city, and B: the only skyscraper in town other than the Games' headquarters. It was well out of the way, but with a good enough vantage point to draw a bead on most of the contestants, with the possible exception of Lindsay. At least for now. Lindsay would probably be a larger target within the hour. The chill winds that blew across Laura's elevated position bit at her hands as she suddenly cursed herself for not wearing more suitable clothes for the occasion. She would need to acclimate to this height before she could be a reliable shot. As it were, she would just need to take this time to prepare more.
"Okay, Jeeves," said Laura to her gun's AI, "Lay it on me. What kind of skill trees did the nerds in R&D give me?"
There was a brief pause.
"Broadly or in specifics, ma'am?" asked the AI.
"Broad's good for now."
"As I said, each skill tree will alter your beam's powers, trajectory, and properties. Each skill tree will largely work towards a specific goal."
"First," continued Jeeves, "Is what your engineers called--" the AI's tone grew disdainful "--the Zombie Apocalypse Maker . It's hardly accurate, however. Those dazzled by your beauty aren't zombies, they simply have good taste--"
"Lay off the flattery, Jeeves," said Laura, "You're not gonna get me in the sack that way."
"Ma'am, I would never--"
"It was a joke, Jeeves. Keep going."
"Oh. Of course. The Z.A.M. is designed with numbers in mind, at the expense of defense and control. At lower levels, you'll receive a buckshot-esque upgrade, capable of hitting multiple targets at close to medium range, as well as heightened deference from groups of those affected by your power. At its highest level, you can effectively carpet-bomb a city block with your power, leading them to worship you as a goddess."
"I like the sound of that," said Laura. "What's the downside?"
"This skill tree downplays the sniper aspect of your gun, ma'am. Furthermore, your engineers are unsure as to whether worship and obedience are actually the same thing."
"Ah."
"If I may continue, ma'am. The second skill tree is what your engineers called the Godmaker. If I may be so bold, I would like to comment on the research and development's lack of decorum--"
"We've been over this, Jeeves. Decorum can slide when you have a PhD in magitech."
"Very well, Ma'am. The Godmaker focuses on the manipulation and empowerment of specific targets. At lower levels, it lends in accuracy and can implant specific thoughts into targets' heads. At level 2, it grants the ability to endow targets with minor supernatural abilities, though those powers are of limited use until middling levels. At its highest level, you can effectively turn a target into a mid-level contestant. The downside of this power is its lengthened cooldown period; you would be more reliant upon those who have been affected by your power."
"Hm," grunted Laura. "Promising, but I dunno. What's the last one?"
There was a pause. "It's called..." said Jeeves, very clearly struggling, "The 'Fucking Cheap-ass Gun,' ma'am."
Laura grinned. "Go on."
"It predominately offers changes to the accuracy and adaptability of the gun. At lower levels you gain targeting reticules and heads-up-display information feeds. At higher levels, you gain middling levels of control, increased range, and homing shots."
Laura raised her eyebrows. "What's the catch?"
"I do mean 'middling,' ma'am. Contestants have resistance to your powers in this tree, and the people you affect will still be mere mortals."
"Alright, then," said Laura. She stood up and looked out over the horizon. "I think I can feel my fingers again. Let's do this."
Laura decided to...
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
More by this author