Artificial

Bonding

Operator Velox

The doors to the mess hall open, and I look up to see Katya enter, Riot in tow. I wave at them, and they join us at the table after getting plates of food.

"How did you two sleep?" I ask between bites of food.
"We actually didn't sleep much last night," she casually replies before taking a swig of orange juice. She catches my smirk out of the corner of her eye, and she desperately gulps to avoid doing a spit-take.
"Wait, not like that!"
"Uh-huh, suuure," I respond, the comment dripping with sarcasm.
"Unfortunately, she speaks the truth," Riot mumbles through his eggs. "I told her everything I knew about the Augment Class system."
"Oh, okay." I turn to Katya once more. "Did you learn everything you wanted to?"
"Yeah, but Riot couldn't answer one thing."
"What's that?"
"Do AI have Augment Classes?"
"I...don't know either," I admit, then turn to Evo. "What class are you?"
"A.I. don't have classes," he answers with his mouth full, then pauses to swallow. "Just generations."
"Not entirely," Reaver corrects as he sits down at the end of the table. "You don't have a class, but technically, every part of your body is an Augment, with a distinct Class."
Evo looks down at his rugged, powerful frame.
"Can you tell what I have?"
"Can I tell? Dude, I installed them," Reaver answers, mock-insult saturating his words. He composes himself, then recites, "You're running an Eagle-Class head, complete with advanced optical sensors, which is attached to your Titan-Class torso, capable of withstanding a 20mm round with hardly a scratch, and is the basis for your arms, which are a bulkier variant of Marksman-Class that's currently operating under the codename 'Artillery-Class.' All of this is supported by experimental legs that had to be custom-designed to be strong enough to not just carry your weight, but enable you to be agile. The engineering team has affectionately dubbed them 'Hulk-Class.'"
"Wow, you sure hooked up Evo," Reach comments.
"Of course I did, he's basically my kid. Top of the line is the minimum."
"I'd accept nothing less," I comment as I wrap my arms around the warm bulk of Evo's Titan-Class waist. He smiles, and pulls me closer with his free arm.
"Thanks, buddy, I'll pay you back one day," he promises.
"Don't worry about it," Reaver assures, then stops himself. "On second thought, if you meet any fine Baseline girls, send 'em my way."
We all laugh, except for Katya, who asks what Baseline means.
"It means someone has no Augments," Riot answers, and Katya's eyes go wide.
"Why do you like Baselines?"
"Because I'm Baseline."
"You don't have any Augments? At all?"
"Nope."
"Back home they told us Augments were forced on IAF babies as soon as they were born, and if your body rejected them, you died."
"Wow," Reaver concludes, channeling all of our sentiments perfectly. "No. We don't force Augments on babies. Medically necessary Augments are available at any age, and non-necessary Augments are available after Age 18, when the body has finished most of its growing and the person is officially an adult in the IAF. Both require the person's consent. Also, rejections barely happen anymore, but, if they do, we can easily abort the Augmentation and try a new one."
"Wow. Saclar lied to us."
"Indeed," I interject. "But we're gonna stop them."
"Speaking of," Riot adds. "How would Katya go about seeking entrance into Force Recon?"
"I think she would have to go through training, like we did," I answer, and she looks slightly disheartened.
"Maybe not," Reaver corrects, and Katya perks up. "Ask Casey. Getting people into Force Recon is his specialty."