Game Changer (Reality Benders Book #3) LitRPG Series

by Michael Atamanov

  When Gerd Ost complimented my bravery, I didn’t tell him what I was thinking or feeling. I just said I trusted the pilot, so I wasn’t concerned.

  “Well reasoned,” the Shocktroop rumbled in satisfaction. “My division has the best of the best, and their skill is beyond doubt. What’s more, Kung Waid Shishish would skin us each thrice if we didn’t bring you to him in one piece. Alright, we’re there! From here, go straight down the corridor. In the farthest room, there will be a small test of your luck! Try not to disappoint our fearsome boss!”

  * * *

  AFTER MINN-O AND I got a bit further from the antigrav and Geckho I found the chance to thank her for her courage, which bordered on self-sacrifice. But the Princess clearly did not understand the reason for my gratitude. By the harsh laws of her world, a wayedda was expected to follow her spouse into war or exile, and even up the gallows. And that, by the way, was one of the main differences between a “junior, traveling wife” and a “senior” one. A senior wife was considered the keeper of the domestic hearth and child-raiser, who generally stayed out of dangerous ventures.

  “Not in my world. Wives, as a rule, never follow their husbands into war. Exceptions are very rare. Same goes for exile. There were of course the Decembrists’ wives, who followed their husbands to Siberia...” here I was forced to make a pause, because my companion had clearly lost the thread. So I quickly summarized that historic episode. “Two hundred years ago, there was a rebellion of a large group of aristocrats against... how to explain... one of the Corulers of my world, the head of the largest directory. The uprising was harshly suppressed, five of the leaders were executed, and around four hundred thousand were deprived of title and exiled to far-away lands.”

  “That’s what they call ‘harsh’ in you world???” Minn-O couldn’t hold back and laughed uncontrollably. “Gerd Gnat, a year ago while suppressing of a hunger riot in the Ninth Directory, my grandfather ordered the execution of more than six million rebels just so there wouldn’t be so many mouths to feed. And Thumor-Anhu is not an outlier. Every Coruler has conducted themselves that way since time immemorial! And as for threatening the life of the Coruler, anyone crazy enough to try something like that would be executed as harshly as possible along with three generations of their family... Yikes! Gnat look!!!”

  Her last sentence was about a colossal hall now visible through an oval window. In it there were rows of thousands of Geckho soldiers in exoskeleton armor. I abruptly forgot my acrid commentary on Minn-O’s severe world and her grandfather’s harshness. I was struck by this amazing spectacle.

  There were many ideally even rows of stock-still soldiers, primarily in identical black and silver armor suits just like I had bought for Eduard. Mixed into the main mass of infantry, I could clearly make out commanders in more advanced and expensive orange shock armor, and also... My jaw dropped in astonishment when I saw the very depths of the room... There was a group of thirty titanic figures armed to the teeth, each the size of a nine-story-building!

  Eagle Eye skill increased to level sixty-two!

  Greiss Ukhkh-Tor. Heavy Geckho Shock Mech.

  Now that’s power!!! Yes, there were sufficient forces here to capture not only a space station, but a whole planet the size of my Earth! Humanity, even all together, didn’t stand a chance against such an army... And this probably wasn’t even close to our suzerains’ total forces because, while Kung Waid Shishish was an influential “leader of many divisions,” responsible for a certain sector of the galaxy, he was just one of many such Geckho commanders.

  Sure, I knew the Geckho were a great and powerful space race, but it was one thing to understand that based on abstract data, and it was quite another to see that with my own eyes. I walked in thoughtful silence to the next room, where Kung Waid Shishish had apparently set up some kind of test.

  Ho-ly crap... There was a meeting underway. Fifteen furry Geckho wearing identical red armor were sitting in a semicircle on small pillows before a larger Geckho in a glimmering pure white suit of armor sprawled out on a throne in a stately manner. And there was no other way to call this gem-encrusted carved armchair. It was the throne to end all thrones. I would have assumed the white-armored individual was the Kung, but it was unmistakably an, albeit large, Geckho female! She was just huge for a lady... for a man too, actually... She didn’t have female markings on her fur or any jewelry, but I had spent enough time in the company of Uline Tar to learn the seemingly insignificant anatomical differences between Geckho genders. The arms were somewhat different proportion to the body, the ears were turned back and the eyes were lemon-yellow unlike the males... Yeah this was definitely a female! What was going on here? Where was Kung Waid Shishish? Or was I confused, and my captain’s famed relative was a woman? It seemed unlikely. Uraz Tukhsh always referred to him with male pronouns...

  Extremely confused, I stopped at the entrance and looked around. I couldn’t read character info about any of the Geckho. However, according to etiquette rules and diplomatic protocol, I was supposed to approach Kung Waid Shishish first, get down on one knee and give a low bow to express my respect for the Master of Earth. But who to approach? Clearly, this was the test Gerd Ost Rekh was referring to.

  The lady on the throne must have been a trap. If I couldn’t tell her apart from the real Kung, I would shame myself in the most serious fashion. I’d never wash off that stain, even in a hundred years. But who of these fifteen was the Kung? I had one guess. One of the warriors was intentionally looking away from me and trying to blend into the crowd. Also, I could play with Danger Sense to find the right move. But I didn’t risk it and just used scanning.

  Scanning skill increased to level eight!

  Everything became clear at once. My suspicion proved correct. A comparatively modest Geckho was shown on the mini-map as:

  Kung Waid Shishish. Geckho. Clan Waideh-Tukhsh. Level-279 Space Commando.

  I didn’t hesitate for more than a second. I took a precise step toward the respected leader of my planet and bowed in a proper greeting. Minn-O did the same and fell down next to me on one knee. But the Kung’s reaction was one of clear dismay. Seemingly, he was hoping to play us jackass outworlders for fools and have a little fun.

  “Hey, no fair! Did someone tell you? No? Ah! You’ve probably seen me on signs! Or was that just your luck?”

  “No, my Kung, luck had nothing to do with it. A blind person could tell a Geckho man from a woman, even one so awe-inspiring and strong. And from there it was easy. Everyone else was clearly afraid they might be confused with the great and legendary Geckho commander. Only Kung Waid Shishish was acting casual and enjoying the game.”

  Yes, I told him a story that had little to do with reality, but it seemed like the right move. After all, flattering one’s superiors a bit never hurt. But Kung Waid Shishish gave a rumble of dismay and raised his voice to a shout:

  “Gnat, do you mean to say I might sour on an advisor just because they could be confused with me?! Do you think me some ghastly despot?”

  My heart ran off on its heels. Seemingly, I was not on the right track... I didn’t manage to think through the potential danger before the end of the military leader’s next sentence threw everything topsy-turvy:

  “Well, you are completely right, Gerd Gnat!!! If you bowed to any of these other Geckho, I would have shot them at once and forbid them from ever appearing before me again. What need do I have for an advisor who can eclipse me with their presence?! Well, Gnat, you’ve confirmed your reputation and earned the right to speak with me.”

  Psionic skill increased to level forty-eight!

  Fame increased to 53.

  Chapter Five. Audience

  THE “CONVERSATION” if that term can be used to describe the stream of trick questions the Kung poured onto me, began with a complaint that I had smuggled his property off the Relict base. Clearly, my fancy Listener suit had gotten under the fearsome military leader’s skin. After all, he had invested significant funds buying the rights
to the ancient race’s base and had nothing to show for it. I had to remind the Geckho leader as delicately as possible, that myself and three other Shiamiru crew members had entered the base ourselves without anyone’s help. I also said we had no idea the rights to base had been sold until the (at that time) Leng showed up, at which point we immediately left the ancient base. I went on to tell him about my contract with Captain Uraz Tukhsh and the absolute legality of my keeping whatever I could carry out.

  In order for it not to look like a one-sided and banal attempt at self-justification, I also told the Kung I’d since had the armor refit for a human and added some accessories:

  “Installing a bracelet in this special slot helped activate the ancient device’s electronics. And that caused a spontaneous change in class and other problems of a technical nature. But overall it showed I was on the right path. Like here,” I said, pointing to a ring-shaped cavity in the chest of my Listener suit, “there’s clearly a slot for something else: either a dome-shaped disk or a ring. I seem to remember seeing such disks on the base, but I didn’t take any, because I had already received Leng Waid Shishish’s command to leave the outpost. And I did not dare disobey an order from my overlord. The artifacts my Geckho friends took, and there were definitely some disks among them, were stolen by space pirates.”

  Kung Waid Shishish listened attentively and didn’t have any response. No matter how badly the fearsome Geckho wanted to claim my trophies, he had to admit I was right. The next question was a fully expected one about the Listener class. Carefully choosing my words, I answered that I myself didn’t understand yet:

  “All the information the game has given me so far is in Relict logograms, so for now I have to learn the bonuses and restrictions by trial and error. Although I already know that a Listener is very similar to a Prospector, and that may have been why the change was relatively smooth. The class also prioritizes Perception and Intelligence, and uses Scanning, but not so much for finding ore deposits and anomalies as for finding hidden devices and living creatures. My hitpoints fell, but I got more Magic Points, which are now used on Scanning. Overall, I’m gradually figuring out my new class and I’ll be sure to tell my Kung more as that information becomes available.”

  The hotheaded commander, already having shooed the huge lady off the throne and taken his spot, gave a happy rumble, content with my answer. I already thought the hardest part of the conversation was behind me, when suddenly another accusation was added:

  “Alright, we’ll set aside the topic of the artifacts and your new class. That’s all behind us and has little bearing on the present. But because of your recent poorly considered actions, my Authority fell by two whole points! How am I to understand that, Gnat?! I’ve killed my closest advisors and friends for less, you know!”

  Here I froze with my mouth agape, not able to find an explanation. On the one hand, I couldn’t really cast aspersions on the words of the great commander. But on the other, what did I have to do with the Kung’s fall in Authority??? And so, without questioning the facts or my possible complicity, ask him to clarify when it happened and under what circumstances.

  “Just an ummi ago, three reasonably good soldiers of the Waideh-Tukhsh clan, who I personally selected as bodyguards for my relative Uraz Tukhsh, got smacked around and killed by a noncombat character of a very middling level. The story has spread far and wide here on the base and put Clan Waideh-Tukhsh, and me as its leader, in a very unflattering light. After all, how can you speak of a clan having any true power if warriors selected personally by its head can be taken down by some Cook or Translator of a much lower level?!”

  Danger Sense skill increased to level thirty-nine!

  Near the end of his speech, Waid Shishish was fully roaring and shaking his huge furry head in rage, spraying spittle in every direction. Minn-O was staring at me in alarm, not fully understanding what was happening, just seeing a huge enraged Geckho verbally assaulting her husband. I then, despite the warning message and the Kung’s aggressive demeanor, waved off the problems with exaggerated calm:

  “Ah that... Well the Authority of the honorable Clan Waideh-Tukhsh would have suffered in any case, and I had nothing to do with it. Your Authority fell at the very moment three of your warriors disputed the professionalism of a hand-to-hand combat trainer, selected by a captain of your clan to train his crew. In fact, I suspect that the Authority of Clan Waideh-Tukhsh would have fallen even more if the respected trainer had lost a fight with some two-bit ruffians.”

  “Ruffians??? You forget yourself, Gnat!!! The three who were killed were not some mere ruffians or bandits, they were Waideh-Tukhsh Bodyguards at over level ninety!”

  Danger Sense skill increased to level forty!

  The Kung was about to explode in rage, and the second system message in a row bore witness to that. Nevertheless, I stuck to my guns and portrayed absolute calm. Then I expressed an extremely scornful, almost insulting opinion of the “professional” Bodyguards’ combat skills:

  “They didn’t seem much like honorable Bodyguards to me. They acted boorishly, itching for a fight and damaging the Authority of Clan Waideh-Tukhsh, which I respect immeasurably. Although I don’t know what they were hoping for. Who could stand up against a Morphian warrior with combat experience measured in centuries, whose level is the same as that of the respected Kung, two-hundred seventy-nine?!”

  The Geckho in the room all gasped at once. The hot-headed commander himself seemed ready to answer very aggressively and even took in some more air to do so but, after my last sentence, he sharply rethought and even visually deflated. Sitting back down in his throne, which he’d jumped up from in the heat of the dispute, Kung Waid Shishish gave an inquisitive nod at the Princess behind me. Seemingly, he thought she was the Morphian. Unfortunately I had to correct my vaunted boss:

  “No, this is my spouse Minn-O, the granddaughter of a Coruler of humanity. She doesn’t understand a word of Geckho, but I thought it was my duty to bring her to my great leader and discoverer of our race, so Minn-O could pledge her fealty to the most-powerful master of our planet. The Morphian didn’t want to come to this comet and committed suicide. Much to my dismay, I had no way of stopping the powerful creature.”

  Minn-O, having heard her name, found her place and gave a graceful bow to the most important Geckho. Kung Waid Shishish greeted my companion in return with a careless nod and a wave of his clawed paw, after which he lost all interest:

  “Too bad... I’d love to speak with a Morphian... Just think of all the ways we could work together...” Waid Shishish cooled down remarkably quickly. There was not a trace remaining of his former aggression and hot-headedness. Now the Geckho before me was a wise military strategist of a great spacefaring race.

  Psionic skill increased to level forty-nine!

  Psionic skill increased to level fifty!

  Mysticism skill increased to level four!

  Now that was interesting! So I wasn’t able to get by without a bit of psionic manipulation after all. And my strange confidence even at the most worrying moments was explained by, among other things, the fact that I was somewhat influencing his behavior. By the way, I barely had any mana left, just 83 of 615 Magic Points...

  “Gerd Gnat, tell me everything you know about the Morphian’s assassination of Leng Amiru U-Mayaoo and the beginning of the war between the Miyelonians and Meleyephatians,” the Kung asked in a calm tone, leaving all his grievances in the past.

  I breathed a sigh of relief and told the Geckho leader exactly what I’d told Tini earlier. Kung Waid Shishish listened carefully and, when I’d finished the story, spent some time in contemplative silence. Finally, the huge Geckho shuddered:

  “That is a different story than the one the Great Miyelonian Priestess told me. But yours is more plausible. The Miyelonians have been sitting on the sidelines for a long time, gathering forces and preparing to expand their presence in the galaxy. And when the Union of Miyelonian Prides thought it was ready for war, all th
at remained was for them to think up a reason to start one. By the way, Leng Amiru U-Mayaoo had a lot of praise for you, calling you a clever and helpful Human.”

  Fame increased to 54.

  Kung Waid Shishish kept silent and spent a long time boring into me with his attentive black eyes, thinking deeply. Then he continued:

  “I don’t really know what you did to make such an impression on the Miyelonian Priestess, but I have to admit I don’t much like adventuresome chaps who intrude where they’re not invited and don’t have respect for common order. Although I will agree with Leng Amiru that such troublemakers sometimes are useful. But mostly they bring harm. But one of my subjects considers you a good luck charm. He thinks the whole operation is doomed without you. And as that’s so, what are you doing nested up in the little Shiamiru? Get your friends and go to Grokh-Uvachch, the largest and most fearsome ship at the military base. It is the powerful Ashdeh-Wayn Clan’s contribution to our common cause.” With these words the severe military leader pointed at the giant Geckho lady in glimmering white armor and her marker on the mini-map told me who she was:

  Leng Amothy Yore. Geckho. Clan Ashdeh-Wayn. Level-221 Starship Pilot.

  He must have been talking about that gigantic battleship floating in space near the comet. Of course, it would be interesting to spend some time on it and see a real Geckho military starship in person. However, before the military leader finished his sentence, I already knew it was another trap. Kung Waid Shishish spoke so often with his relative Uraz Tukhsh that he’d even heard of his “good luck charm,” so he had to know I had a contract for one more voyage. Was I being tempted into breaking it? I had to imagine that there were serious fines and sanctions for that, the most obvious of which would be confiscation of everything of any value. Nope, no thanks!