Within Xouliv, the Nypherians had begun constructing new weapons for front line troops. Everything within the station itself is always busy and always active. “With growing tensions within the Galaxy, we’re at a position that even if we’re considered one of the most dangerous powers. We still must perfect our craft of war. How goes the new weapons project?” Lieutenant General Savarax asked as he opened the 4-D model of the new plasma rifle. Captain Aersilix had been on the other side of the room when she had heard that question, she only acknowledged it by only glancing in his direction, “Yes, the new plasma weaponry is moving along on schedule. I have Lieutenant Junior Grade Raylene Akeim working on the data as we speak.” She replied as she went back to work. Savarax now looked at Aersilix, “The daughter of the Rear Admiral? Huh, I thought she would be with her mother heading to Xarn” Aersilix only shook, “No, we need her to perfect the numbers and data. Remember, she has been perfected to do these kinds of tasks.”
               
          A 4-D model of the gun appeared on the screen. Both officers now looked at the weapon. The weapon is shown and the stats of the upcoming weapon are listed below the model. “Plasmic Electric weaponry. A new weapon we will be introducing within the upcoming month. This will replace AO1 unit’s main weaponry. We’re also working on other weaponry replacements for each other ground unit.” Raylene said as she walked into the room.

Through the days that followed, the body of the gun had been based off the older version of the AO1 special forces weapon. However, the difference is the energy source. Instead of the plasma glowing green, the energy pod in front of the trigger guard, is glowing blue. The source had been altered and enhanced. The first test of the weapon began with a machine holding the weapon and simply pulling the trigger. The device wasn’t an AI, just a large device that held the gun in place. The mechanism would tug on the trigger. “Clear the firing range, test fire commences.” Raylene said through the coms of the testing room. A few other warrant officers and officers were watching the test fire. They were all interested in the new energy source for the weapon.

The weapon rest within the machines “grips”. Down the firing range, stood an armored dummy. The machine fired the weapon and a blue energy bolt flew down the range, striking the chest. In a ball of blue fire, it exploded. Bolts of green electricity shot around the dummy, leaving burned marks. The plasma bolt itself left a large melted hole. The warrant officers and officer clapped. Raylene felt joy within her chest but she wanted to tweak the power of the rifle even more. Instead of exploding on contact, what if the energy bolt went through the dummy and still causing the wound to melt from the heat. She knew that she had a long ways in making sure the gun worked properly.

She walked back and forward and hadn’t touched her work in a long time. She had felt like she is missing a lot of information and have basic energy based weapons are obsolete. The idea of combining ballistics and other compounds had been something she had thought about. She got up and walked over to the computers and got to work. “Three or maybe four types of ammunition, though that would mean the Nypherians would have to redo the entire weapons systems” she said laying back into her chair. She glanced at the computer running diagnostics for the new ammunition. She also looked over at the computer that had also begun remodeling the weapon she and worked on earlier.

“What are you doing?” a stern voice said behind her. Raylene sat up as she glanced over her shoulder. Her mother stood in the doorway. Raylene sighed and pointed to the scrapped energy weapon that she is now reformatting. Raylene watched as her mother walked over and looked at the weapon being changed and reformatted. “This will take weeks and delay things. What are you thinking!?” Raylene looked plainly at her mother, “Energy based weapons are obsolete. We’re going to make hybrid weapons with the new metal we have discovered and created. This will give us the edge.”

“The Synthetic M1014 round, this comes in many sizes. We can use these round in the weapons our soldiers use and within the ground vehicles. These range from 5.56x49mm to our new rail cannon composite rigid 350mm rounds for our tanks.” Raylene said to her mother. Melz Akiem only looked at her daughter and then to the new modified ammo and weapons that had been created.  Raylene stood up from her chair and grabbed the magazine that had been loaded with the new Synthetic 5.56x49 mm rounds. The weapon, a newly modified basic Nypherian rifle. “Ammo? Are we really going back to the old ways?” Melz Akiem said in disappointment. Raylene ignored her and rather show her the recent technology. Taking the rifle and locking in the magazine, pulling back on the slide. On the far end had been one of the Droid that was to be decommissioned.

Raylene aimed and fired in bursts. The gunfire is much louder than energy weapons. The Synthetic rounds struck the Droid. Bolts of blue matter splattered upon the Droid and bolts of electricity shot around the Droid. It slumped to the ground, dead. Raylene moved the gun away and placed it back on the table. Melz Akiem stood dumbfounded. “Mom, these rounds can easily handle Synthetics, Cybornetics, and full bodied AI’s. They’re made to get the job done, quick.” Raylene said as she walked back to her chair. “We can use these rounds from our soldiers and ground vehicles. We will have a large advantage over our enemies.”

Soon, all the guns have been modified to use Synthetic Arc M1014 rounds. Orders had soon gone out to fully upgrade every weapon in the Nypherian Empire. Though, the cost of these rounds would be in the trillions. However, the benefit of having hybrid rounds would help them in the long run. Raylene now focused her attention on the Anti Matter M2015 rounds. She sat in her chair, moving to different computers within the round. She went over the data and made sure that thing would go smoothly. The coms network opened up as High Command wanted to check in. “Lt, I wanted to have an update on the Anti Matter rounds and their details.” Basilis is the man Officer in charge of the research division and kept constant tabs on Raylene’s work.

“The rounds are like the Synthetic rounds. However, they use a different version of blended energy. The rounds are made from the new metal we have created recently, yet they’re made with energy coils within the casing and bullets. Once fired, the round goes through a chemical reaction, releasing these high concentrated energy particles that disintegrates organic matter on any species we fire at. The bullets, like I have stated, are made of the new metal we have created. They can punch their way through 1 mm to 8 mm of armor. They however, aren’t made to punch through vehicle armor. They might get through LAV’s or APV’s. Since their armor is thin but they can’t really hurt anything with thicker armor.” She sent the details through a private channel to Basilis.

“Good, continue your work.”

The Anti Matter rounds were her most prized creation, and hardest. Working on the Nypherian ships was what she thought was hard at first. These new rounds, this threw her through a “blender”. She went about trying to perfect the rounds for weeks, trying to get the hybrid rounds just right. The good and bad about her “never give up” attitude is that, she is also never satisfied. Basilis appeared on the Vid-Com next to her. She glanced up and saw who it was, “You know I am listed as “Do not Disturbed” “ she said looking back towards her work. Basilis, with his metal helmet, you could never see what facial expression he had. “I wanted to see how the new round is coming. This is a now breakthrough for our Empire.” Raylene simply waved him off. “Our greatest discovery was finding out there are more than one Void Space. Creating new kinds of ammunition isn’t that big of a deal. True science is something more impressive.”

Basilis said nothing as he agreed with her. “What can the round do? The Anti Matter round, what are the properties?” Raylene looked up and scowled towards Basilis. She wanted to get to work, but with his questions, it didn’t look like she was going to get back to work. “The round as you know, is a hybrid round. It is made of Enhanced Harbenite and fused with a new kind of energy. Once the round is fired, it starts a chemical reaction. The metal and energy mix and turns red. The round still holds the power like it is a basic Enhanced Harbenite round. However, with the energy mixing with the metal, it packs more of a punch. Once the round strikes any organic matter, it slowly disintegrates. A slow and painful death.”

The last bit of her testing seemed to be more focused on perfecting the Zokrium rounds. The new metal they had discovered through process of elimination. The metal is soon going to be replacing the armor of their ships and vehicles. Though, an idea came to her in using this kind of metal as their new bullets. She wanted to create a stronger variation of bullet, a bullet that uses the new metal, and can cut through basic forms of body armor. She grinded away for that seemed like it was years that had went by. She knew that once she had completed the new round, she could begin test firing and revamping every ground trooper weapon. She had sent a message to Basilis to appear over Vid-com, she needed to speak within.
 
Days later, he appeared on Vid-com. “What news do you have for me? I want a status update on the new bullets.” He said impatiently. She could see through his fake façade, it’s obvious at how he wants these bullet on the field ASAP. “I am ready to do tests with the new rounds. I have finished three variations and all have their specific uses. When you have a chance, please come to Xouliv, and bring an audience.” The words and confidence caused Basilis to cross his arms. He disliked arrogance but he admired her tenacity. “Very well, I will be there by tomorrow, 9 am system side.”