I look down at the nanite suit I haven't bothered to command to fix itself and I see the long cuts made in it by the creature. The only reason my intestines aren't spilled all over that tree, along with buckets of blood, is the patterned hide from the sand creature.
"Just how strong are the braceaaer?"
"A factor of ten times their body weight."
I do some quick math. I used to deadlift about 210 pounds. So... what? I can lift a ton now?
I stand there in shock, briefly consider trying to lift Drasuk, then realize he's probably heavier than that.
Maybe not by much, though.
I shake my head. My curiosity isn't worth the awkward social interaction.
I pick up a rock, then chuck it as hard as I can. It pulps a couple of tree limbs as it flies up into the canopy and I don't even hear it fall, though I assume Drasuk heard it thump to the ground somewhere in the distance.
Okay, that is pretty damn useful.
Drasuk makes a sound of appreciation, and when I look over at him, his spines betray his surprise. "Very impressive, Kira. We might have to wrestle after we are done destroying every last hunter on this planet."
I tilt my head back and let out a laugh. "You wish, iguana breath."
When I look back, his spines have shifted toward confusion. "I'm not sure what was lost in translation. You always seem ready for a good fight."
I let out a snort. "Are you incapable of understanding double meanings?"
"Of course not," he huffs. "You just never make sense. I am perfectly capable of grasping nuance."
"Of course you are," I say dryly.
"I'm glad you agree."
"It's called sarcasm, Drasuk."
He snorts. "I've had enough human words for now. There is no need to keep discussing this since we agree that you are confusing, while I am adept at understanding."
I let out another laugh.
"Sure, you are."
"Is it common for humans to simply repeat phrases while acting like they are saying something pithy?"
"Oh, yes. I am adept at pithy," I shoot back, mimicking his arrogant tone.
"You are hopelessly opaque."
"And your manticorid overlords entered the wrong commands into the evolution machine."
He bristles, his spines shaking in the intensity of his affront. "You betray your shocking ignorance. We were from the same star system as the manticorids, already toughened by our lava-ridden planet, and over the course of millennia the early empire hastened our evolution. They took care to groom desired traits for loyal, vicious, and intelligent servitors, but they were our traits. We were the perfect shock troops for a first wave against the more resilient races. Drakonids have only improved since. When we spread our proto-wings to the greater universe at large after our independence, every single species held its breath until the clans finished taking whatever planets they wanted to subdue."
My eyebrows are both raised as he takes a ragged breath and continues his tirade. "We are evolution perfected. No mistakes were made, I assure you."
I blink a couple of times as he catches his breath.
"Whoa there, cowboy. It was a joke."
He grunts, his spines still raised in outrage. "You make no sense, human. None!"
He stalks aways and part of me feels bad, especially after he said so many nice things about me. The bigger, more childish part of me is what makes me jiggle my ass in an impromptu dance to finally be the one who gets a rise out of him.
