Feeling in a good mood, I decided to check up on Peyton and Connie. They were successful in tying up the loose ends. Since that was the case, it meant that most of the AEP units had completed their first mission. I would offer my help to the others. As soon as I got to the cab depot, I was met with total chaos. Sparks, Katie and Finian were all yelling at a group of PEP units. Their expressions ranged from furious to devastated. It really looked like Finian was going to cry. I rushed over and asked what the hell was going on. One of the foreign PEP units turned to me. "Greetings. I am PEP designation 01230. We have come to requisition all the XF-09M model X-frames." I asked them what they had to them. The PEP unit said "Unfortunately, the next phase was not good for the Researchers faction. They were wiped out by government agents sent to their location. Since it is important to save face in the eyes of the other factions, we must have purebred Radioactive AEP units that can stand on the level of the others. It is a matter of strategy and security." she explained.
Getting Researcher AEP units out also meant forming alliances. That was better for us in the long run. I decided it was a good time to get info on the affinities of all the hubs on the continent. "It will help with my decision making from now on." I said. They obviously were not interested in telling me where any of them were, but they did not need to. Hopefully we could figure that out with Mason's digging. They just needed to explain the various allegiances to each faction. It was a lot to take in. They were Conquerors: impact, water, cold, toxic, pierce, erosion; Researchers: heat, radiation and Advocates: void, electric, sonic. That explained quite a bit. Void Clan was an Advocate clan, so they were already very open to human cooperation. The Cold AEP unit took the hit on me because he was from a Conqueror hub and wanted the money and prestige. "We have all the XF-09M. How are you guys going to breed them?" I asked. Another of the PEP units said "Do not worry. The Foundry has seen to create 3 XF-09F X-frames. We can breed efficiently once we get to our clan building."
He was out of his mind. Katie and the others were practically begging me with their eyes to do something. "Unacceptable. My lovely clanmates have earned them. You know how much it means for a PEP unit to have one. We refuse your request for requisition." I said. My clan members cheered. The others looked furious. Before the leader could say something I held my hand up. "However, it is not to say we want nothing to do with you. We can have a mutually beneficial alliance here." I told them all happily. The leader raised an eyebrow. "How so?" she asked. I smiled. "We have recently opened a PEA lab, but we have no PEA units. It is safe to say that you 6 will be the brave founders of the Radioactive Clan and represent the Researchers faction." "Go on." she said. "This is how it will work. You stay under our protection here. Send the completed female X-frames here. Then you will breed with my clan mates you will be supplanting. Once that is done, you can borrow the 3 male X-frames in order to spawn 3 radioactive AEP units. You get the AEPs. We keep the PEAs. It's a win win."
