Chapter 21: Tests

After Arthur entered the chamber he saw several figures already in the room, among them were the two who brought him to the space station.

A woman, who Arthur figured was an ECHO said "Arthur," she began, her voice measured and deliberate. "Welcome to Solace Prime."

"I'm Commander Lira Valen, and this is my colleague, Commander Kael Dorne. We've reviewed your case, and the admiral has taken a particular interest in your situation."

Arthur inclined his head. "I'm grateful for bearing with me, Commander. Though, I'm still not entirely sure why I'm here."

Lira exchanged a glance with Kael before responding. "You're here because you're an anomaly, Arthur. Your strength, it shouldn't be possible without any enhancement, even among our best soldiers or the genetically enhanced ECHOs. And then there's the matter of your origins…"

Kael stepped in, his tone less diplomatic but no less curious. "Parallel dimensions aren't unheard of, but they're rare to encounter, and they're usually unstable. The fact that you're here, alive and intact, suggests something... unique about you. The admiral wants to evaluate the potential you represent."

Arthur frowned slightly. "Evaluate? As in, test me?"

"Partially," Lira admitted. "But also to protect you. If word of your existence spreads, there will be factions, both human and alien, who will want to exploit you. For now, you'll be under our protection."

Arthur considered their words carefully. "And in return?"

Kael smirked. "You'll cooperate. Help us understand your abilities, and perhaps use them for the greater good. The galaxy could use someone of your caliber."

Before Arthur could respond, the chamber doors slid open, and a commanding figure strode in. Admiral Tiber Kane, a man whose very presence seemed to command the room, approached the table. His uniform was adorned with medals, and his face bore the marks of a seasoned leader.

"Arthur," he said, his voice a deep, resonant baritone. "You've made quite the impression. I trust Commanders Valen and Dorne have briefed you on the situation?"

"Yes, sir," Arthur replied.

The admiral nodded. "Good. Then let me be clear, we don't know how you're here, but I intend to find out. You'll undergo a series of evaluations to determine the extent of your abilities and how you might fit into our operations. In exchange, we'll provide you with the resources you need to navigate this universe and, perhaps, find your way back to your own."

Arthur met the admiral's gaze steadily. "I'll cooperate. But if I'm helping you, I want answers."

Tiber's lips twitched into a faint smile. "Fair enough. For now, get settled. Your first evaluation begins tomorrow."

…

After the meeting, Arthur was granted access to roam parts of Solace Prime. His quarters were more luxurious than he expected, equipped with advanced interfaces that allowed him to access vast libraries of knowledge.

As he wandered the station, he found himself in a massive observation deck. Through the reinforced glass, he saw the swirling expanse of the galaxy, a breathtaking tapestry of stars, nebulae, and distant planets.

A voice interrupted his reverie. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

Arthur turned to see a young technician, her uniform marked with the insignia of the station's engineering corps. She smiled warmly.

"It's easy to forget how vast the universe is when you're caught up in the chaos," she said.

Arthur nodded. "It's... humbling."

They talked for a while, the conversation light but grounding. Arthur learned her name was Lina, and she was part of a team working on the station's terraforming research.

"Maybe this place won't feel so alien after all," Arthur thought as he returned to his quarters.

…

The next morning, Arthur arrived at a colossal training chamber, its walls lined with observation platforms and advanced monitoring equipment. Lira and Kael watched from above, along with a team of scientists and the admiral himself.

The simulation room was vast and stark, with a metallic sheen covering its curved walls. Arthur stood at the center, the air around him buzzing faintly. 

Lira's voice echoed through the room's comm system. "Arthur, this is a combat simulation. You'll be facing a Class-B threat first. This will test your offensive and defensive capabilities. Be prepared."

A robotic female voice announced, "Initiating combat simulation. Threat level: Class-B."

Arthur braced himself as hard-light enemies materialized, a mix of humanoid and beast-like forms, each bristling with weapons and ferocity.

"This should be interesting," Lira muttered as the simulation began.

Arthur's movements were fluid and precise, a testament to his capability. He weaved between enemies, dismantling them with a combination of raw power and tactical ingenuity. The observers watched in silence, their expressions ranging from awe to intrigue.

When the simulation ended, Arthur stood in the center of the chamber, his chest heaving but his spirit unbroken.

"Class-B?" he said, glancing up at the observation platform. "Got anything harder?"

Lira chuckled. "Careful what you wish for."

Before Arthur could respond, a ripple of blue light formed ahead of him. The hard-light projector systems activated, materializing his opponent. 

A towering figure emerged, a humanoid warrior standing nearly eight feet tall. Its body was composed of sleek, reflective panels of energy-infused material, shimmering with hues of violet and silver. 

The warrior's helmet bore a faceless mask, its surface shifting constantly like liquid mercury. In its hand materialized a massive glaive, its edges radiating sharp, luminous energy.

Arthur tensed, his heart pounding. "Well… let's get this started with."

…

The hard-light warrior charged first, moving with impossible grace for its size. Its glaive swung in a wide arc, leaving trails of searing light. Arthur sidestepped just in time, feeling the heat brush past him.

He retaliated, delivering a punch with enough force to create a sonic boom. The warrior blocked with its glaive, the impact sending shockwaves rippling through the chamber. Arthur staggered back, surprised.

"So it's not just for show," he muttered.

The warrior pressed the attack, its movements a flawless blend of precision and power. Arthur struggled to keep up at first, dodging strikes and parrying blows, but his confidence grew with each exchange.

Arthur slammed his foot into the ground, creating a shockwave that threw the warrior off balance. Capitalizing on the moment, he delivered a thunderous uppercut, sending the opponent soaring. Yet, before he could follow up, the hard-light warrior recalibrated mid-air, landing gracefully.

The fight turned into a blur of speed and destruction, their blows denting the metallic floor and leaving scorch marks along the walls, which regenerated within the next moment. 

Arthur's strikes were powerful but lacked refinement, occasionally overextending himself or misjudging the timing. Despite his mistakes, his opponent's strikes couldn't penetrate his defenses.

After a particularly fierce exchange, both combatants paused, sizing each other up. Arthur's breathing was steady, though his knuckles throbbed faintly from striking the warrior's hardened form.

From the control room, Admiral Tiber's voice cut through the tension. "That's enough. Shut it down."

The hard-light warrior dissolved into particles of light, leaving Arthur standing alone in the room.

A door slid open, and one of the ECHO elites stepped inside. It was Commander Kael. "Not bad for someone untrained," he said, his voice laced with a mix of approval and critique.

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Untrained? I just fought your glowing knight to a standstill."

Commander Kael smirked. "True, but you made mistakes. Sloppy footwork. Overcommitted strikes. You rely on raw strength too much. In a real fight, that could get you killed."

Arthur folded his arms. "Who knows."

The elite shrugged. "For now. Let's see what else you've got."

…

Arthur was led to a futuristic gym filled with advanced machinery and holographic displays. Operatives in white lab coats bustled about, calibrating equipment. A massive cylindrical device stood at the center, its surface gleaming with reinforced alloys.

One of the operatives, a wiry man with glasses, gestured for Arthur to approach. "This is the Impact Analyzer. Strike it with everything you've got. It will measure the force generated in Joules."

Arthur rolled his shoulders. "Alright. Let's see how this goes."

He positioned himself, drawing a deep breath to focus. With a powerful yell, he drove his fist into the cylinder. The impact reverberated through the room, the device emitting a series of beeps before displaying the result on a holographic screen, 9.23 million Joules.

The room fell silent for a moment before murmurs erupted among the operatives.

"Impressive, the force of your punch is equivalent to a ballistic missile" one of them said, jotting down notes.

The operative taking down notes said. "According to the readings, your lifting strength should be around 1400-1500 Tons."

Arthur smirked. "Guess I'll have to train harder."

Next, they tested his speed. A long, straight track was fitted with laser sensors to measure velocity. Arthur took his position and, at the signal, bolted down the track. The sensors calculated his top speed, 121 m/s.

The Admiral, who had been observing quietly, finally spoke. "For someone with no training or enhancements beyond his own body, these results are exceptional. His potential is clear."

Arthur wiped the invisible sweat from his brow, glancing at the Admiral. "So, what's next? More tests?"

The Admiral shook his head. "Not today. For now, rest. We'll discuss what to do with you tomorrow."

As Arthur left the gym, the ECHO elites exchanged quiet words.

"He's strong," Lira said.

"Strong, yes," Kael replied. "But he's undisciplined. Raw power alone won't make him a warrior."

The Admiral nodded thoughtfully. "He'll learn. And when he does, he might surpass even you."

"Just imagine if we add him to Project-ECHO, he has the potential to surpass everyone"

Lira and Kael's eyes widened after hearing what the Admiral had said. To become an ECHO you cannot take any other enhancements before as it would create conflict with the injected serum.

So everyone had baseline human strength before joining Project-ECHO, and Arthur was not injected with any enhancement drug.

And after more tests if it was found then he was compatible with the serum his strength would skyrocket.

With that Arthur was led to his room.

***

You can join my discord channel to discuss about my novel!

https://discord.gg/85CGnX9n

You can also find artworks of this novel in my discord channel!!