Sk[b][u]y[/u][/b]e’s leg arm[b][u]o[/u][/b]r clanked softly together as she walked briskly down the stone corridor, her helmet t[b][u]u[/u][/b]cked under her arm and her hybrid weapon hooked over her [b][u]s[/u][/b]houlder as it al[b][u]w[/u][/b]ays s[b][u]e[/u][/b]emed to be. She looked down [b][u]at[/u][/b] [b][u]her[/u][/b] vambraces [b][u]and[/u][/b] gr[b][u]i[/u][/b]nned excitedly. Though they were, like the rest of her [b][u]a[/u][/b]rmor, of a s[b][u]i[/u][/b]mple desig[b][u]n[/u][/b], [b][u]t[/u][/b]hey held [b][u]t[/u][/b]echnology th[b][u]a[/u][/b]t would give her the abi[b][u]l[/u][/b]ity to cloa[b][u]k[/u][/b] out of s[b][u]i[/u][/b]ght for a short period of time. She believed that all of her experime[b][u]n[/u][/b]ts had finally led to success, and she was on her way out of the la[b][u]bo[/u][/b]ratory to test her work in the daylight. Then she passed by an open doorway and pa[b][u]u[/u][/b]sed her s[b][u]t[/u][/b]ride. The sliding doors weren’t norm[b][u]a[/u][/b]lly left open, espe[b][u]c[/u][/b]ially to that particular r[b][u]oo[/u][/b]m, and when she [b][u]g[/u][/b]lanced back she found her brother hunched over h[b][u]i[/u][/b]s usual desk. The brunette bit her lower lip as concern quickl[b][u]y[/u][/b] replaced her curi[b][u]o[/u][/b]sity. It had been nearly five years since the two siblings had last spoken in the same tight-knit way they [b][u]u[/u][/b]sed to. Once Errol st[b][u]a[/u][/b]rted working on his project, a rift had grown [b][u]b[/u][/b]etween them, and desp[b][u]i[/u][/b]te Skye’s efforts conversation became very limited. He distanced himself more over time, and she eventually stopped tryin[b][u]g[/u][/b]. She believed for the longest time that her brother simply needed to organize his thoughts on his own, but it had gone on far too long. What would [b][u]L[/u][/b]yle s[b][u]a[/u][/b]y if he saw his childre[b][u]n[/u][/b] ignoring one another as they were? With that question in her min[b][u]d[/u][/b], Skye sl[b][u]i[/u][/b]pped into the room. It w[b][u]a[/u][/b]sn’t as large as some of the other chambers of the laboratory, nor was [b][u]i[/u][/b]t as full. The most i[b][u]nt[/u][/b]eres[b][u]t[/u][/b]ing object within w[b][u]a[/u][/b]s a [b][u]l[/u][/b]arge, run-down machine on the far side which appeared to be connected to a pair of platforms of steel and glass tuc[b][u]k[/u][/b]ed [b][u]in[/u][/b]to alcoves on either side of it. She contemplated its unknown purpose a little longer, when Errol’s voice sounded from where he stood. “Sneaking up on me again?” Skye whipped around, mind racing as she suddenly dou[b][u]b[/u][/b]ted her decision. “I, uh, s[b][u]o[/u][/b]rry! Now is probably not a good time. I can come back later.” “No, I’m glad yo[b][u]u[/u][/b]’re here.” He [b][u]t[/u][/b]urned to fa[b][u]c[/u][/b]e her, and her fears were unexpectedly met with his smile. H[b][u]o[/u][/b]wever, dark circles sat beneath his eyes, c[b][u]o[/u][/b]ntrasted by skin that was more pa[b][u]l[/u][/b]e than what was natural for him. It was a wonder that he had even taken the time to keep his [b][u]j[/u][/b]aw cleanly [b][u]s[/u][/b]haved. He looked at her up and down. “You’ve been busy.” “Oh, um… you m[b][u]e[/u][/b]an the armor? I just want[b][u]e[/u][/b]d to try something new.” She sighed. “Errol, about why I ca[b][u]me[/u][/b] here. I’m worried [b][u]a[/u][/b]bou[b][u]t[/u][/b] you. I—” He furrowed his brow and in[b][u]t[/u][/b]errupted [b][u]he[/u][/b]r with a scoff. “Worried? Why should you be worried?” “We’ve h[b][u]a[/u][/b]rdly spoken for a really long t[b][u]i[/u][/b]me, and I miss when we used to talk. Are you all [b][u]r[/u][/b]ight?” “Aye, of course I’m all right! They’re finally done!” He held out a [b][u]p[/u][/b]air [b][u]o[/u][/b]f gloves. Skye sta[b][u]r[/u][/b]ed a[b][u]t[/u][/b] them bl[b][u]a[/u][/b]nkly. “So you’ve… finished prac[b][u]t[/u][/b]icing your sewing technique?” He chuck[b][u]le[/u][/b]d [b][u]a[/u][/b]nd [b][u]s[/u][/b]hook his head. “No. Well, [b][u]t[/u][/b]ha[b][u]t[/u][/b] too, just [b][u]w[/u][/b]atch! You’ll love this!” [b][u]E[/u][/b]rrol slipped the gloves o[b][u]n[/u][/b], revealing the silvery disks fas[b][u]t[/u][/b]ened to their backs in the bright lights overhead. He held up his hands waist-high, and the disks glowed crimson. A low humming soon followed, and Sk[b][u]y[/u][/b]e became aware of the deep [b][u]l[/u][/b]eather p[b][u]ou[/u][/b]ches that hung from h[b][u]is[/u][/b] bel[b][u]t[/u][/b]. To he[b][u]r[/u][/b] astonishm[b][u]e[/u][/b]nt, from them burst thous[b][u]a[/u][/b]nds of [b][u]t[/u][/b]iny red beads. [b][u]M[/u][/b]or[b][u]e[/u][/b] of the beads than she thought cou[b][u]l[/u][/b]d poss[b][u]i[/u][/b]bly fit in the pouches continued to pour down Errol’s legs. She too[b][u]k[/u][/b] a st[b][u]e[/u][/b]p b[b][u]a[/u][/b]ck as they gathered together and moved as one, mimicking the careful motions of their master’s hands. Even though they rolled slowly and almost idly around the room, something told her that their full [b][u]p[/u][/b]otential had not yet been [b][u]r[/u][/b]evealed. They looked heavy, w[b][u]i[/u][/b]th the power to crush a[b][u]n[/u][/b]d break. The amount of study and skill it must have taken to fabri[b][u]c[/u][/b]at[b][u]e[/u][/b] them took her breath away. “They’re—they’re amazing! What are they?” “[url=https://youtu.be/I3KOywRHKgg]And that’s my sweet brother, Numpsay[/url],” he replied quietly, admiring his own handiwork.