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"I see," said Hector, though he was mostly just saying that to be polite. "By the way, uh..." He offered the Amir back to Abbas. "Er, I know this was a gift and all, but if you want it back, then please, take it. I, ah... I actually have a collection of about three hundred more of these sitting in an armory at the top of the Entry Tower." Plus a few more in the hands of Rainlords on the other side of the world, but that wasn't worth mentioning, Hector felt.

Abbas looked positively disgusted at that information. "Three hund--?" He shook his head. "Do you have any idea how long it took Haqq and I to develop this prototype?"

Hector just kind of pressed his lips together flatly. He suddenly recalled Garovel mentioning something about how big of a deal it was that he could create so many replicas of this shield, about how it could gain him quite a bit of influence and attention in the world that he wasn't yet prepared for.

So much crazy shit had happened since that conversation, though. Thinking back on it now felt almost quaint, somehow.

Lord Abbas sighed and took the shield. "Thank you, I suppose. In any event, my armor should be able to repair itself rather quickly once the nanomachines are expunged from it. I suspect it will take at least four more days to remove enough of them to restore the primary systems. For all systems, however, we might require an entire week. Or more, perhaps."

Hector scratched his upper lip. "How much could you get done in one day?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because I would like you to come to Lorent with me."

"As I said, the armor takes priority over everything else, right now."

"I have a Fusion Forge there."

Abbas fell silent. And just stared at him.