dangerguard

Author Update (Not a Chapter)

Hi everyone,

As some of you might be aware, I've faced a few personal setbacks in the last couple of months. As a result, I'm no longer able to write Andrew's story at the pace it deserves. I will be taking a short break for a month or so to try and get my personal issues back on track, so that I can commit some more time and energy to the story.

I apologize to those of you who were expecting a faster pace of posting. I still want to finish the story, of course, and will continue ...

Interlude: Donna Bartoli

Donna was not particularly fond of morning exercises.

Oh, she understood the need for them. So did the rest of the former Phoenixes. Enemies could attack at any time, and the luxury of a good night’s sleep was not always available to a soldier.

They were proper soldiers now, with ranks, uniforms that didn’t double as combat armour, and proper payroll as well. 

Not only that, they were the first operators to be qualified on the Greyhound-class battle armor. 

Chapter Two Hundred and Eighty: Highly Placed Contacts

I was in the Mumbai lab when the intercom buzzed. “Mr. Belessar, this is Sanika from reception. You have, um, some visitors.”

“Who is it?”

“Sir, it’s some police officers. Shall I ask them to wait?”

I blinked. In my experience, American cops didn’t ‘wait’ to meet you - the Indian police seemed oddly polite. “Tell them I’ll be right up, and maybe get them some coffee?”

“Already done, sir.”

It took me two minutes to walk up to my offic...

Interlude: Droneacharya

For the leader of the League of Reform, frustration was part of daily life.

He only needed to look at a news site. Violence. Corruption. Inefficiency. All simple, solvable problems that were never addressed, because of the all-pervasive miasma that suffused every democratic nation:

Stupidity.

Beggars on the streets, a hundred and thirty years after Independence. Easily solved by offering them free low-cost housing and low-wage employment - both of which were government schem...

Chapter Two Hundred and Seventy-Nine: How to Influence Foreign Governments

I’d hoped to be able to get back to the lab after the speech. Naturally, that did not happen.

A visibly frustrated Kalachakra informed me that the Prime Minister wanted to ‘have a word’. Which meant that, post-speech, I was left kicking my heels in a tent, surrounded by grim-faced security personnel.

<Nanocloud>: They’re not detaining you, are they?

<Belessar>: Not officially. I’m merely awaiting an appointment with the Prime Minister - one I didn’t a...

Chapter Two Hundred and Seventy-Eight: A Masterclass in Public Speaking

The conversation with Indradhanush left me tempted to grab a Greyhound and make another trip to Pune. However, that would have been somewhat rude. I was a guest in this country, after all.

Instead, I busied myself with working on the Superfighter design, and brushed up on my protein synthesis process. The molecules I was making were now starting to look more like actual proteins - someone eating them might not be automatically poisoned. They still tasted horrible, though.

By Satur...

Chapter Two Hundred and Seventy-Seven: The Case of the Missing Prajyot, Part One

“I’ve never seen that girl before,” Porcupine said. “And…. Prajyot wouldn’t have just run off.”

I paused the video. “For what it’s worth, I agree with you. He’s not acting normally. Not a word to his companion, not even a glance, and he just gets in the car - before even she does.”

“You think he might have been Mastered?”

“I think it’s a possibility.”

Porcupine leaned back, staring at the image on screen. “If it helps, that’s not a r...

Chapter Two Hundred and Seventy-Six: Missing People

After Kalachakra and the general had left, I spent a long time thinking. 

The ambush had added another mystery to my ever-growing list. 

Why were the Hierarchy attacking the Earth Defence Bases in particular? What did we have there that could threaten them?

Why did the aliens unleash a timed plague on us? Economic warfare, or something more sinister?

Why would a group of humans attack lifesaving supplies? Greed, politics, or something else?

Why were peo...

Chapter Two Hundred and Seventy-Five: A Question of Priorities

The BAE-Dragonfly office slash lab in Mumbai had meeting rooms, like any normal office. Even if most of what we did here was mad science, inventech, and highly classified military planning, it wouldn’t have felt right without a conference table and flip board. 

Currently, I was seated at one such conference table, sharing a cup of tea with an old friend.

Major-General Brajinder - the officer who’d led the Sixth Division at Tanisport - had dropped in, along with Kalachakra...

Chapter Two Hundred and Seventy-Four: Transport Mission

The Traveler assigned to ship our first lot of octanitrocubane was a short, squat man, who had apparently not been informed of the nature of the cargo. “This calls for hazard pay,” he complained. “I wasn’t told this stuff could explode.”

“You’re getting the same rates as an alien defense mission,” Clegg explained to him patiently. “And nobody’s going to be shooting at you.”

The Traveler sulked. “It’ll take days to complete this.”

“Your rate’s ...

Chapter Two Hundred and Seventy-Three: And New Friends

As usual, Nancy from reception was the one to announce my visitors. “Mr. Belessar, they’re here!” 

“I presume you mean Anne and her classmates?”

“Yes!.... Ahem, I mean, yes, Miss Drake and her classmates are here. Mr. Drake is giving them the safety talk and the PPE.”

“I’ll be down shortly. And I will ask Sally Keaton for that autograph for your nephew.”

I could almost hear the receptionist blush. “Thank you, Mr. Belessar, he’ll really appr...

Side Story: A Recruiter's Perspective

Sergeant Giuseppe Umbro was no stranger to the foolhardy. Enough of them had walked through the door of Recruiting Station No. 27 over the years, wanting to sign up for the good fight.

He’d seen too many come back with shattered limbs and vacant expressions. 

The job of a recruiter was not, as some assumed, to shepherd every willing person into the military. It was to shepherd the right ones. To gently turn away the hotheads, those who couldn’t handle the pr...

Interlude: Prime Minister

“The Cabinet Committee for Security is now in session,” announced the civil servant at the end of the table.

Ramnath Narayanswamy knew he should recall the man’s name. It was hard, though. There were just too many people he had to meet, every single day, all seeking him to fix one thing or the other.

He preferred being out and about, giving speeches, motivating people. That was what he was good at. He’d been an exceptional public speaker, ever since he’d spent months loc...

Image: Belessar and the Lightning Hammer

An image of Belessar with his Lightning Hammer.

Equipment: Nanofibre Weave Combat Armour

Armament: Lightning Hammer Mark One.

(AI Art.)

Specifications: Combat Armour

(Worldbuilding post.)

Belessar has developed several different versions of powered combat armour ever since he slapped together sheets of carbon nanotubes and called it nanofibre weave.

This post covers the specifications of the various types of Integrated Armour systems that Belessar has developed and used. It is for reference purposes only, not a story post.

Powered armour suits require six major components of the same Armour Class:

1. Helmet (head)

2...

Image: Phoenix Company

An image of five Phoenix Company members - Maria Sins, Donna Bartoli, Kristina Sabo, Cassandra Crane and Lavina Carpenter - outside the courthouse after the Battle of the Courthouse Steps.

Equipment: Nanofibre Weave Combat Armour, version 1

Armament: Laser Rifles.

(AI generated.)  

Chapter Two Hundred and Seventy-Two: Old Friends

“Mr. Belessar, it’s Nancy from reception,” the intercom buzzed. “Commodore Pemberley is here to see you.”

“Please send her in,” I replied.

Pemberley looked more relaxed than the last time we’d met. “Belessar. Thanks for coming through with the suits.”

“You’re welcome. And my apologies, I didn’t realize how bad the backlog was.”

“Well, we now have more suits than we’d initially planned for, so that’s a good thing. I’ve been given perm...

The Engineer's Guide to Defeating A Dark Lord: Chapter One

The problem with most tech is energy storage.

Energy governs everything in combat. When tanks are possible, why do armies still use infantry instead of just making half a million of them? Because making a tank costs energy, shipping it to the combat zone costs more energy, getting it to move costs energy, and firing those awfully large cannons costs energy.

Why do aircraft fly at Mach 2 and missiles at Mach 4? Energy. A missile only has to fly for a few seconds, a jet for several ...

Announcement (Not a Story Thread)

Hi folks!

Thank you for sticking with 'The Hero Without a Past' for the last two years. I've had a lot of fun writing this, and I hope you've enjoyed reading it to.

While I intend to continue Andrew's and Anne's story, right until the end, there are some other stories that I have also written - some as exercises, some in response to a writing challenge. I've decided to also include those stories in my Patreon thread, and will be posting them periodically.

I hope you enjoy th...

Interlude: Anne Drake

“Today, we are going to review certain basics,” explained Professor Palamar. “And then apply them to the methods of your unit, to see how they can be improved.”

Anne tried hard to concentrate on the class. She’d done the required reading, especially after last time. That didn’t stop her from being nervous.

Not about the class, but about after. All thanks to a simple message. 

Pick you up at five. Outside school. - Nick.

S...

Chapter Two Hundred and Seventy-One: Air Superiority

“Mr. Belessar?” the buzzer on my table sounded. “It’s Nancy from reception. Your ten o’clock is here.”

“Send them in, please, Nancy,” I replied, adjusting my armour. It wasn’t often that I suited up in the office, but meeting with other ultras - any ultras - always called for a certain degree of precautions.

Dyzer slash Grumman had been a wake-up call. 

The two ultras who came to my room were associated with much more pleasant memories. Both wore armou...

Interlude: Anne Drake

“You talking to Nick yet?” Sally asked.

Anne swallowed. “I haven’t had a chance yet. He hasn’t come to school since he got back from America.”

“There’s these things called phones. I know both of you have them.”

“I can’t just call him.”

“Suit yourself. He’s back in class today, though, so you might want to figure out what you’re going to say?”

“I’ll have to apologize, I just don’t know how.”

“It’s rea...

Chapter Two Hundred and Seventy: A Day on the Factory Floor

The Nanofibre Weave Fabricators were running full-tilt when I reached the factory the next morning. 

Every few seconds, a Fabricator spat out a sheet of fullersteel, to be wheeled away to storage. With the stores almost depleted after my ‘appropriating’ them for the suits, there was plenty to be made up. 

Forklifts ran across the floor, with pallets of nanofibre weave being shifted into storage. For suits, reactors, and anything else that might call for the third str...

Interlude: Anne Drake

The halls of Sandhurst Military Academy had become a somewhat familiar sight for Anne over the past few weeks. After the weekly sessions on Military History and Economics, she’d begun to gain some familiarity with the premises.

The Academy students wore a mix of uniforms, mostly the greens, whites and blues of the British forces, but there were a smattering of exotic outfits too. She’d seen plenty of khakis, blacks, and midnight blues, and at least one cadet in a bright yellow unifo...

Chapter Two Hundred and Sixty-Nine: Questions, Reactors, Subassemblies, and Taxes

Once the legion of officials had left, Gideon called me, Armand, Elizabeth Giles and William Clegg into the conference room.

“Elizabeth and I had quite the discussion with our friends from Her Majesty’s most Brittanic government,” Gideon announced. “One that was filled with varying acts of anger, threats, tears, and various episodes of begging and pleading. Some of it even involved us.”

“What does that mean?” rumbled Clegg.

“It means the various departments a...

Chapter Two Hundred and Sixty-Eight: Nearly Optimum Production

A week after kicking Heath out of my office, Pemberley came to visit.

She looked less than happy as she was shown into my office by Nancy, who kept giving her the stink-eye. “Belessar.”

“Commodore.”

“I’ve been hearing things.”

“I’d recommend an ENT, unless you want a quick dose of Cure.”

Pemberley rolled her eyes. “Sarcasm doesn’t befit you. Let’s cut to the chase, shall we? BAE-Dragonfly’s been pulling back from their supply commitmen...

Interlude: Molly Pemberley

The September breeze ruffled the grass at the cemetery.

She’d been here before. More than once, unfortunately; war was a fickle thing, its toll seen in places such as these. 

At least it was peaceful. 

Nicholas stood beside her, staring at the headstone. “Is that… him?”

She nodded. “That’s him. Or rather, where he rests. It’s … not who he was.”

“How so?”

“This is a quiet place. Peaceful.” She smiled. “I wouldn’t call ...

Chapter Two Hundred and Sixty-Seven: Problems at Work

Farnborough was larger than I remembered it. 

In my month of absence, the factory had undergone another expansion. More warehouses, more staff, more and more rolls of fullersteel and nanofibre weave coming off the production lines and being set apart for fabrication. 

During the past month, the firm had been stockpiling as much fullersteel as they could, ready to be shipped for new applications. Although with me gone in Mumbai, there was a steadily growing backlog of ord...

Chapter Two Hundred and Sixty-Six: Problems at School

<Nanocloud>: Andrew? You awake?

I groggily shook off the chains of sleep. It was…. three-thirty in the morning? Meaning ten o’clock in London. 

Anne didn’t usually call so late.

<Belessar>: I am now. What’s up?

<Nanocloud>: Need to talk. I had a bit of a screw-up.

<Belessar>: Are you all right? Anyone hurt?

<Nanocloud>: … Not physically.

<Belessar>: What happened?

<Nanocloud>: I accidental...

Interlude: The League of Reform

It only took Droneacharya a moment to spot the distortion by the wall.

Smiling, he walked over to the chair at the head of the table, keeping his back to the distortion. He sat down slowly, savouring the seconds as the distortion gradually - slowly - moved forward, feet lighter than a cat’s tread. He waited for it to stealthily crawl behind him, almost ready to strike, before he spoke.

“Good to see you, Yamini.”

Behind his back, the shifter shimmered into visibility. �...