Chapter Fifty-Five - The Calm Before


    Chapter Fifty-Five - The Calm Before


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    ***


    Im going to split off for a moment, Emoscythe said. She extended a hand my way for a shake. It was nice meeting you properly. If you ever need image help, give me a call. If youre looking for a reason to live, then maybe call someone else.


    Uh, yeah, sure, I said. I took her hand in mine and shook, careful not to squish her with my armour. My gauntlets basically eclipsed her hands in armoured steel and I worried Id hear a crunch. Nothing of the sort happened though.


    She was a more experienced samurai. Maybe her arms were all cybernetic. Or maybe she was a remote-controlled meat puppet the entire time. It was impossible to tell without asking, and asking felt like a faux-pas. It was like asking a girl if she was wearing a wig


    Keep an ear open for updates from the Family. Knowing Laserjack, hes going to want everyone in particular spots until the walls entirely closed up. Your choice whether you listen or not, Emoscythe said. She waved me goodbye, then headed out. A couple of PMCs jogged over to her and started trailing after her like dogs after someone with a bagful of treats.


    I watched her go for a moment before turning around and facing the suburbs the aliens were gleefully taking over. How long until the next wave? I asked.


    It was meant for Myalis, but the Bear-PMC next to me took it to mean I was asking him. We predict that the next wave will be ready within the hour. Were expecting a much bigger one tonight.


    Right, theyll have all day to replenish themselves, especially if were here defending the city and not fucking over their hives. I looked up and down the length of the defences. The edges were going to pinch in eventually.


    The crews working on the wall were laying down another section of it. Ten fewer metres of space that the aliens could easily cross. I imagined that they were doing the same on the far end.


    How quickly are they adding wall segments in? I asked.


    About one every twenty to thirty minutes, he said. They have to slow down whenever enough xenos approach the wall.


    I nodded along. How long do we have left then? Assuming that no aliens bother us?


    One point two kilometres left, maam, he said. Segments are ten metres each.


    I cursed silently. More math. I worked it out though. Sixty hours if they only did one side. Half that if they came in from both sides. Hows it going to take so damned long? Weve covered the rest of the city in a day and a half.


    Ah, I think for the rest of the city they had a lot more than two crews working at once.


    Well, fuck, I said.


    I walked over to my spot of the gap, then continued on to the far end to get an idea of how big a spot they wanted me to cover. It wasnt a small gap. I had maybe fifty metres to cover. Three groups were gathered up, with barricades pushing up against the edge of the no-mans land.


    Two were unfamiliar mercenary groups, the third, in the middle of the other two, was a group of militia. The District Ninety-Two Gunners. They were stacking sandbags still, with a few guys plopped down behind a pair of big machine guns.


    Every one of the civilians was wearing leather jackets with cheap bullet-proof vests under. Half of them were ruining their mohawks with ear protection which clashed with all of the neon cyberware they had.


    Were they a militia or a street-gang that had mobilised?


    I decided that I didnt care.


    I planted a boot on the edge of a barricade, then pulled myself up and over. While I was up there, I glanced at the city where the aliens would be coming from. We had a bit of room between us and the wall of rubble. It wasnt piled so high that I couldnt see past it, standing as I was atop the barricade.


    Turning, I noted that both PMC outfits had set up some towers to get a better view. Dull green things that looked like those scaffolds construction workers set up next to homes sometimes, only with more armour plating on the upper half and a proper roof and mounts for guns.


    Alright, I muttered. Myalis, I think were going to mine the shit out of no-mans land. Im thinking stuff that wont be lethal if it flies back in our faces. Resonators are my go-to option here. Maybe we can get some of those acid bombs up in the air? Spray down anything that tries to run at us.


    Did you want to place the mines yourself?


    I considered it. That would be time consuming. I could probably order some of the PMCs or militia-types to do it, but... No, too risky. Can I get a couple of cat mechas to do it?


    Certainly. Adding that kind of mechanism to your drones is entirely possible.


    Right, lets do that then. Im sure you can figure out a good grid system for the mines. Maybe we can mix in a few others. Im thinking garrots right after the rubble wall over there. Turn any fucks that get past the wall into mince-meat the moment theyre over. Some of those zero-kelvin bombs too, in case something big bursts past the wall.


    Noted. Do you want me to preload the mine-layer drones with that kind of ordonance?


    Please and thank-you, I said.


    Myalis summoned a trio of cat drones for me. They were a bit smaller than usual, with a back-mounted arm and backpacks that were clearly full of explosive goodies.


    The cats ran off into the no-mans land and as one, started digging with their front paws like giant kitties in a litter box.


    Right, Im going to go meet this unnamed samurai. Maybe say hi to Gomorrah before the fun starts. Dont need her burning my mines out by accident.


    ***