Chapter Fourteen - Resonating


    Chapter Fourteen - Resonating


    Enclosed vertical farming will be the only way to farm soon. Not only are land prices constantly on the rise. Things like environmental issues (flooding, droughts, acid rain, corporate warfare, fires), make traditional farming unviable in this half of the 20th century.


    Vertical farms allow full control of the enclosed environment to be achieved, ensuring optimal growth potential, and protecting the profits of the company who operates the farm.


    --Excerpt from the patent for a fully-enclosed agricultural control tower, 1981


    ***


    I snuck up to the side of the garden pillar and waited.


    Most of the aliens, it seemed, were held up on the floors above. I did notice some movement within though. The tops of some of the plants were wiggling around, and I heard metallic crashing as a trolly rattled across the grated floor, the tools on it clattering about.


    Not exactly subtle, I muttered as I started to make my way around the pillar. How many have they breached?


    In this area? This tower, and the one currently to your right.


    I glanced that way, noting that the next tower over was right next to the very edge of the facility. There was a fence there, just the sort of cheap chain link fencing that was topped by a roll of barbed wire. A hole was torn into the side of it. They didnt exactly go all-out with security here, I muttered.


    In defence of the facility, this is a greenhouse. I think the fencing is mostly to keep wild animals away and perhaps deter industrial spies. It is far below the rating required to prevent any level of antithesis entry.


    Yeah, fair enough, I muttered.


    I glanced between the two towers before I made up my mind. Myalis, I need two of those sonic melting grenades. You know the ones. With proximity detonators.


    Myalis replied by having two boxes appear next to me.


    New Purchase: Class I Resonator Mark I-D X2


    Points Reduced to... 1,414


    I pulled the boxes open and tucked one of the grenades in the pocket of my coat while palming the other. I ran over to the hole in the gate, eyeing the world past the facility. There was a small bit of clearing, just scraggly grass that had obviously been trimmed once a season, then a thin forest. The sun was still bright above, but the woods were filled with shifting shadows.


    Kneeling down next to the hole, I placed the grenade down, then fiddled with it for a moment. I set the distance to one metre, then put the timer for activation on thirty seconds. Plenty of time to move out of the way.


    That done, I darted to the nearer of the two towers and found the way the aliens had used to move in.


    They werent exactly subtle. There was a pile of safety glass next to a broken window. I shifted closer, placed down the second resonator, then flicked it on as well.


    That would fuck up any of the antithesis trying to move around. Hopefully that would also lock them in place while I cleared out the other tower.


    If I had to clear out more than two, then the entire thing would take far, far too long.


    I glanced over in the direction Gomorrah had gone in, and couldnt help but notice the thick plumes of black smoke rising into the sky. I switched to the channel we still had open. Hey Gom, you okay?


    Oh, Im fine, she said with a pleased sort of purr that I decided not to question.


    Right, okay, just dont burn the whole place down.


    Target Eliminated!


    Reward... 10 points


    Myalis, resonator, I said.


    New Purchase: Class I Resonator Mark II-G


    Points Reduced to... 1,414


    I picked up the new resonator. It was a chunkier thing, definitely heavier than the usual grenades I had.


    Jogging over to the centre of the room, I placed the bomb on a little counter space with tools and such behind it, then quickly activated it.


    The sound it made was great, a grating, high-pitched whine that had my teeth feeling like they were about to wiggle out of my gums, and I wasnt even the target here.


    A nearby plant, with some long trailing leaves, splattered to the floor as part of it broke apart. So at least it was working.


    I need another, I said.


    Coming.


    I picked up the next then ran up to the floor above. The middle part of the tower had a staircase that turned around a central shaft that had a sort of opened elevator platform. I imagined it was there to bring the plantstock they gathered up and down, as well as whatever fertiliser or tools they needed to work the greenhouse.


    I made it to the second floor, where a couple of model threes were already sniffing their way over to the stairs.


    They couldnt see me, of course, but I ducked behind a counter anyway as I set up the second resonator.


    The next floor up had more aliens, with one of those big model eight worms chowing down on heaps of plant matter with the help of a few model threes.


    I placed another resonator down, then moved on.


    I was getting a good workout by the time I reached the topmost floor. Even with my suit helping, it was good cardio climbing ninety metres worth of stairs. The last five floors didnt have any aliens as far as I could tell, but I put some resonators on them, just in case. The tower was going to be a write-off regardless.


    On the top floor, I called up the elevator, then stood in the middle of it before tapping the button to send it down.


    Alright, I need some of those nanite grenades, I said. Ten of them.


    Myalis provided, and I got to one knee over the box before tossing one out onto the tenth floor.


    Then I headed down, flicking a grenade out onto every floor.


    By the time I reached the ground floor, I figured the aliens above were just starting to feel the sting of those nanites.


    So, of course, thats when I activated the other nine resonators Id left.


    I was grinning to myself as I walked out of the tower, the entire thing screaming with the high-pitched whine of melting aliens.


    ***