Perspective: Neutral
Robert put a firm hand on Scotty's shoulder, stopping him mid-step. The insult Langston had casually thrown, "Gun Jockey," had clearly hit a nerve. Scotty's face turned a shade darker, his jaw clenched, and his eyes practically burned with fury. To him, it wasn't just a name. It reduced years of training, discipline, and experience to a cheap insult, and Scotty wasn't the type to let that slide.
His right hand flickered with fire as he started forward, clearly ready to give Langston a lesson in manners the old-fashioned way. "Hold it," Robert said firmly, his tone was sharp, leaving no room for back talk. Scotty hesitated, the fire in his fist dimming slightly as Robert stepped between them.
"Dr. Langston, this is Captain Montgomery Scott," Robert said, his tone making his point clear. "You two are on the same side, so how about we start over?" Scotty exhaled sharply but didn't protest.
"Fine," he muttered, though his stance stayed stiff, his shoulders squared. Grudgingly, he extended a hand. Langston barely glanced at it, a flicker of his old disdain for Robert's allies crossing his face before he shifted focus.
"Look at this, Robert," he said, ignoring Scotty altogether as he raised his right arm. The gauntlet that had once been a smaller magitech bracelet now bristled with glowing golden wires, sparking and weaving around it like living tendrils. With a flick of his wrist, Langston released a jolt of lightning, the energy crackled through the wires.
The tendrils began to writhe and spark even more wildly, crackling with raw energy. Langston aimed the glowing menace at a nearby granite column. The wires shot out like octopus tentacles, wrapping tightly around the stone. Sparks danced along the wires as they dug into the hard surface, leaving scorched grooves and cracks in the granite.
The column groaned under the strain, the air around it buzzing with static. Scotty stared, wide-eyed, as the wires retracted. His gaze lingered on the column, his mind racing. It wasn't hard to imagine those wires wrapping around someone's neck, or his own.
Robert crossed his arms, his expression a mix of approval and unease. "That's... impressive," he said carefully. "What is it?"
Langston smirked lightly, flexing his fingers as the wires retracted abruptly into the knuckles of the gauntlet, which still glowed with electrical sparks. "Spell Shrike Gauntlet," he said. "It blocks magic attacks, ties up melee combatants, cuts into them, shocks them, you name it. Took a bit of refining, but it's a nice upgrade, don't you think?" Though Langston and Robert had a rough start, it's clear he now respects Robert enough to seek his approval, even if he still comes off as a jerk to others.
Robert nodded slowly. "It's an amazing piece of work," he admitted. "DAVE mentioned you were doing okay, but you've been gone long enough that I was starting to wonder."
Langston waved the concern off. "Clearing that dungeon was a proper gauntlet, no pun intended. Had to outwit some clever kobolds, wrestle with a pack of Kobrutes, and fend off fairy knights whose spells felt like getting stung by hornets, on fire. The traps? Don't get me started."
"It was like someone designed the place just to kill me, specifically," Langston continued. "Took everything I had, and then some, to get through it." Langston suddenly spun toward DAVE, "What the hell was that final boss?"
DAVE spoke up, happy, "Did you like it? I designed it off a schematic I received from Master Robert, though he didn't expect you to face it alone!" Langston scowled, "Three days, DAVE. THREE. Why the hell would you put a hydra like that as your boss monster, and the regrowing of extra heads, really." DAVE synthesized a laugh in honor of his complaint.
"I was both disappointed and impressed you did beat it alone," DAVE said. "It really made you use your brain though, I heard you ask for 'More intelligence Moira, as high as I can get it.' Then you walked all the way back to the mining area, and took all the metal you could find to upgrade your gauntlet. What's that magic that lets you build like that?"
Still scowling, but appreciating the praise, Langston replied, "Technomancy. It's a set of skills that lets me manipulate metal and other minerals into things I need with just a bit of electricity and willpower... It's actually the best thing that's ever happened to me." DAVE continued glazing Langston, "It was truly brilliant. I learned that the hydra can't regrow any heads if it doesn't have any heads at all, a bit of a design flaw, but you found its weakness and then cauterized every head at the same time with those insane wires. I need you to install some of those on me." Langston's mood lifted at the appropriate amount of praise for his abilities.
Robert frowned, concerned, "Wait, you cleared the dungeon? I asked you to train in it, not conquer the whole thing, and definitely not alone."
Langston blinked, clearly surprised. "You weren't clear about that. Besides, I finished it. Took over a week, but it's done. Used all the M Power I got to boost my stats. Lightning and wind are stronger than ever. Physical and mental stats too. Didn't waste any on charisma, though. Pointless stat."
Scotty snorted, finally breaking his silence. "Aye, that checks out."
Robert stared at Langston, stunned, "I think you might be the first person to have done that solo. Hamish and I did it together, when we were brand new to all this, and it was rough on us. I have to give credit where it's due. Well done, Dr. Parry."
An actual genuine smile appeared on Langston's face as he gave a half-bow to Robert, "Thanks, Director. So. What have you all been up to? Why is there a military captain here?" Robert realized Langston had no idea what's happened in Edinburgh and the aftermath.
He invited them to grab lunch at Sarah's while he filled Langston in on all that's happened. Over a simple lunch of cheese, bread, sliced cold summer sausages, and a thick spiced mead to wash it down, Robert solemnly shared all the details he had of the Nuckelavee, the casualties and destruction in Edinburgh, and how it's temporarily contained while everyone regroups and helps settle the refugees. Scotty gazed at the table while Robert related all the horrible events.
He had been trying to banish it from his mind, as it was easy to do in a magical place like this. But hearing it again brought everything forward and reminded him that he had a job to do, to contact any surviving military command if possible. To Langston's credit, he remained silent during Robert's tale.
He had no snide remarks to make, no insensitive comments. He spent most of the time with his fingers laced under his chin, fully taking in every word Robert had to say. When Robert finished the tale and its current resolution, Langston turned his eyes to the bustling little market full of refugees shopping for supplies, placing orders for things they need from the town crafters, while others argued with STEVE, trying to haggle the reward for performing tasks.
Langston said simply, "I see." His face was a tense mask of barely controlled anger. His mind was turning over the information at the speed of light, calculating outcomes and considering strategies.
Eventually, he turned hard eyes back to Robert. "All things considered, you did all that could be done." Turning his eyes to Scotty momentarily, "I apologize for my disrespect, Captain Montgomery Scott. You did not deserve it, and there are twenty-four thousand human beings who have proven me wrong."
Scotty nodded slightly at Langston's apology. Langston is an arsehole, on a good day, but Scotty could see he was an honest man who believed in protecting humankind, and waved it off, "It's in the past, let's leave it there. You can refer to me as Scotty, for simplicity." Langston appreciated Scotty's forgiving attitude and not holding it against him, knowing that he would not have been so gracious.
Changing the subject then, Langston had a question burning in his heart, so he asked Robert, "When do we take that fucker out?" referencing the Nuck. Robert met his gaze seriously, "Very soon, my friend. As soon as possible. I need to take care of a few things here, and help these people settle in."
Langston observed the former residents of Edinburgh, surviving something horrible. Having endured some of the most traumatic, nightmarish scenarios any human could see, his respect for these hardy people grew. He felt something, like the Grinch who stole Christmas, his heart grew three sizes that day.
Unable to control the emotion, he abruptly jumped to his feet. "Let me do it. You've got plenty to do here, and I don't do people. Give me a team, and let me figure out a way to bring that piece of shit boogeyman down." Scotty immediately said, "If payback's a female dog then I'm a bastard, I'll go with ya, mate. I got a lot of soldiers over there shootin' down Cu Sith comin' through the portal."
Robert pursed his lips, thinking. In his mind, Langston is still a newbie to magic, but he did just take out DAVE's most carefully laid plans. He's obviously grown as a combatant. His personal reservations about Langston's character aside, he could feel a nudge.
He focused on his fortune stat, and almost started to ask Moira in his mind, but she answered him first, "This is your decision, Magister." She didn't say it sarcastically, but a blunt reminder, he's got to start making the big decisions. But he could feel it in his gut.
His fortune stat was nudging him, and he needed to learn to listen to it more. His gut instinct, his luck, his intuition, he had pushed it as far as it would go, like all of his characteristics. His youth and vitality were with him in full force, he'd grown taller even, hair has started growing back where it was thinning.
He had to trust more than just his outward growth. Finally he said, "Alright, Langston. Pick a team, no one is soloing the Nuck. And I better hear good reports about your interactions with whomever you take. If you need someone charming to do the socializing and requests, let the captain handle that. He's likable."
Langston nodded, not at all offended. "Agreed. If nothing else, I'm self-aware. I just... don't care what people think of me."
Scotty quirked a smile, "The more I get to know you, the more I think I understand you, Doc. You are an arsehole, but... your heart's in the right place. I can respect that." Then Scotty toasted Doctor Langston Parry with his mead, "To Arseholes!" Robert lifted his mug too, "To Arseholes!"
And for the first time in a very long time, Langston laughed.
From the shadows of the bustling market, a cloaked figure watched the trio, their eyes glinting with malice, whispering to herself, "So, Robert, the pretend hero, thinks he can defeat our Nuck...."