Chapter 42: Gravity Chamber

Arthur stood before the towering bulkhead doors of the command center. The buzz of activity beyond was audible even here.

His request to meet Admiral Viktor Thalberg had been granted with surprising speed, perhaps they thought they needed to keep him satisfied as they had something to gain from him, Arthur thought they really knew how to keep one attached to the UFE.

The doors slid open with a soft hiss, revealing the admiral seated at a large oval desk. A holographic map of the station floated above the table, dotted with indicators and data streams. Admiral Thalberg looked up, his eyes fixing on Arthur with a mix of curiosity and scrutiny.

“Arthur,” the admiral greeted, “I assume this meeting is about more than just exchanging pleasantries.”

Arthur stepped forward, giving a respectful nod. “You’re right, Admiral. I have a project in mind, something that could greatly enhance my effectiveness in the field. But to complete it, I need a dedicated space on the station.”

The admiral leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. “Go on.”

Arthur activated his wrist mount datapad’s interface, projecting a holographic blueprint of the gravity chamber’s design into the air. The sleek, half spherical structure rotated slowly, its intricate systems and reinforcements detailed in glowing blue lines.

“This is a gravity chamber,” Arthur began. “It’s a training facility that can simulate extreme gravitational forces. For most, it would be a death trap. But for someone like me who has regenerative power, it’s an invaluable tool to push my body’s limits and enhance my strength.”

Arthur continued “The chamber’s reinforced alloy walls can withstand the internal pressures generated by the gravity field. It will also be located in an isolated section of the station to minimize risk. I’ll run continuous diagnostics to ensure its stability.”

Thalberg’s lips curled into a faint smile and nodded, “You’ve thought this through. I’ll authorize the use of a storage hangar near your lab, I will allow you to use our engineering corps to set up the chamber, that should do the job.”

Relief washed over Arthur, though he maintained his composure. “Thank you, Admiral.”

With the help of the engineering corps the chamber could be set up in less than a day, after that Arthur left the office and went towards his quarters. Tomorrow the first thing he would do is set up the gravity chamber.

…

When he arrived at the common quarter shared with his teammates, the atmosphere was lively. Leo was lounging on one of the couches, tinkering with a small gadget, his brow furrowed in concentration. Elena sat at the far end of the room, polishing her sniper rifle with practiced precision, while Samir was sprawled across a chair, flipping through mission logs on a datapad.

Arthur cleared his throat, drawing their attention.

“Hey, everyone,” he said, stepping fully into the room. His voice carried a casual warmth, but there was a flicker of excitement in his eyes.

Leo looked up, his gadget momentarily forgotten. “Arthur! You’re back earlier than I expected. What’s up?”

Elena set her rifle down carefully, giving him a curious glance. “You’ve got that look again,” she remarked. “The one that says you’ve been up to something.”

Leo grinned, leaning forward in his chair. “Spill it. What’s the big reveal this time?”

Arthur chuckled, reaching towards his arm guard, the spatial storage device that was given to every ECHOs. With a quick mental command, the holographic screen opened, its screen showing the content inside the device as he retrieved several neatly folded garments.

“I’ve been working on something for all of you,” he said, holding up the clothing. Each piece was tailored to its recipient, with sleek designs that balanced functionality and style.

The room went silent for a moment as his teammates processed what they were seeing.

“You made us clothes?” Leo asked, his tone a mix of surprise and appreciation.

Arthur nodded. “Not just normal clothes. These are custom-made suits using advanced materials and nanobots. Durable, lightweight, and optimized for utility, and it can scan different clothes and imitate their designs or you can choose among the ones present in its database.”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Elena raised an eyebrow, inspecting the suit. “You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you? This is amazing, Arthur. I don’t know what to say.”

“‘Thanks’ works,” Arthur replied with a smirk, earning a small chuckle from her.

Samir’s eyes lit up as he held up the jacket, admiring the style and gave a curt reply. “Thank you,”

Leo grinned, slipping on the jacket and doing a mock spin. “Not gonna lie, I feel like a superhero in this. You sure you didn’t sneak some powers into these?”

“Unfortunately, no strength enhancements were added,” Arthur said, chuckling. “But they are built to resist wear and tear.”

Elena stood, holding her suit against herself as she looked at Arthur. “You didn’t have to do this, you know. But it means a lot. Thank you.”

The moment was quiet for a beat, each of them absorbing the sincerity of Arthur’s gesture.

“Well,” Elena finally said, breaking the silence, “I guess we’re all going to be the best-dressed team on the station now.”

“Damn right,” Leo quipped, striking a dramatic pose.

Arthur smiled, a sense of satisfaction settling over him.

…

The next day, with the admiral’s approval secured, Arthur made his way to the designated hangar near his lab. The space was perfect, large enough to house the chamber and its systems, with ample room for future upgrades.

The area where the chamber would be built was expansive, its cavernous interior humming with activity from the engineering corps. Machines buzzed and automated bots zipped around, carrying components and tools to their assigned locations.

A senior engineer approached Arthur, a stout man with a graying beard and a sharp, no-nonsense demeanor. His uniform bore the name Chief Engineer Rowan Carter, and his sharp eyes took in Arthur with a mixture of curiosity and respect.

“Mr. Arthur,” Carter said, extending a hand. “We got your specifications. Quite the ambitious project you’ve got here. Gravity manipulation at these levels isn’t child’s play.”

Arthur shook his hand, smiling. “It’s not, but I think we’re up to the task. Thanks for lending your team to help with this.”

Carter gestured toward the hangar floor, where his crew was already at work. “Well, let’s get to it. You’ve got some cutting-edge tech here. I’ll admit, I’m curious to see how it all comes together.” Carter said after seeing the gravity generator that Arthur brought with him.

Arthur joined Carter and his team as they began unpacking the components of the gravity generator and the chamber’s reinforced walls. The sleek, metallic parts gleamed under the hangar’s overhead lights, their intricate designs a testament to advanced engineering.

The work progressed swiftly as Carter directed his team. Heavy-duty assembly bots lifted the chamber’s alloy panels into place, their movements precise and fluid. Automated welders sealed the interlocking segments seamlessly, while diagnostic drones hovered nearby, scanning for flaws.

Arthur moved between the workers, his technopathy giving him a unique perspective on the machines’ operations. He monitored their processes in real time, offering adjustments where needed.

“Chief Carter,” Arthur called out, pointing to a section of the chamber’s supports. “That joint there needs additional reinforcement. The gravity field will exert extreme pressure on this point.”

Carter nodded, barking orders to a nearby engineer. “You heard the man! Get an extra brace in there.”

As the team worked, Carter sidled up to Arthur, his tone conversational. “You’re a hands-on type, aren’t you? Most scientists would just sit back and let us do the heavy lifting.”

Arthur smiled. “This project is important to me. I want to make sure every detail is perfect.”

Carter nodded after hearing that and didn’t say anything more.

Hours passed as the chamber took shape. The reinforced alloy walls were completed, forming a seamless half spherical structure. The gravity generator was carefully installed at the center, its core glowing faintly while pulsating with a blue light.

Finally, the team finished integrating the power conduits and safety overrides. Carter stood back, wiping his hands on a cloth as he surveyed their work.

“Looks like we’re ready for a test run,” he said.

Arthur stepped forward, activating the chamber’s control panel. The holographic interface lit up, displaying a range of settings and diagnostics. “I’ll start with five times Earth’s gravity,” he said, configuring the parameters.

The chamber powered up with a low hum that grew in intensity. The ground beneath him seemed to vibrate subtly as the gravity field engaged.

Arthur stepped inside, feeling the increased weight press down on him. His muscles tensed instinctively, adjusting to the load. He turned back to the team, a satisfied smile on his face.

“It works,” he said simply.

Carter let out a low whistle. “I’ll be damned. You’ve got yourself a functioning gravity chamber.”

Arthur chuckled hearing that. The team cheered lightly, proud of their accomplishment.

Arthur nodded, his gratitude evident. “Thanks, Chief Carter. And thank all of you. This wouldn’t have come together so smoothly without your expertise.”

Carter clasped his hands on his back. “Anytime, Mr. Arthur. Just give a call whenever you have similar projects to complete and we will come rushing.”

As the engineers began packing up their tools, Arthur lingered in the chamber for a moment, testing the specifications and safety of the gravity chamber. This was the first step toward pushing his limits, and he wasn’t going to stop here.

***