Chapter 18

  “Fu-Shen! What do you mean we don't have any water?! I set this place up so that I didn't have to use the city supply!” “A am very sorry to say that when we expanded the tank repair bays that we did connect to the plates water supply. I can of course shut off the connection to the main house and fill the water tanks for 1 point” - Conversation between Kenzie “Sarge the Happy Tanker” Hunt And her Protector AI. The morning after Rafaela became a Samurai.

  -July 16th 2056

  Hal PoV

  Sometime before Rafaela ran in to the Model 7's

  I head out of my office and walk down the hallway flipping through some papers. “Who's Idea was it to have paperwork. Aren't we suppose to try and be a gang or something?” I muttered to myself as King joined me. He just laughed “Oh I remember that was something you expanded upon when we joined your gang.” He said then took on a slightly mocking tone. “Now that we got some properly trained combat veterans we need to keep a better on expenses and whom can do what. So we will start keeping records.” He said then shook his head. “And then we got the fabricators from Evans failed attempt at providing aid to the people working in the factories over in the south east district” I said as we got to the door and pushed it open to head out in to the courtyard.

  “And that's when we could make paper. So we started using it instead of the digital filing system as paper was a lot cheaper. And no spyware.” King said as we were walking towards the armory only to catch something flying away from outside the wall. We stopped and watched the hover-bike “It seems like we weren't forgotten this time around.” I said and King nodded “Likely something to do with our guests. They are complaining about the food and water we provided” He said and I laughed as I kept walking. “Of course they do. We even got better food when.. 'working' For that construction and mining corporation” I said nodding at the guards outside of the armory as they snapped to attention.

  Some time later

  I was heading back out of the armory with King. “The new weapons are good and all. And we still have a rather large stockpile of ammo in this place. But we did lose contact with one of our outposts. And the other has reported heavy combat for the last few hours. Worst thing is. We can't really get to them as things stand at the moment.” He said as we walked towards the wall. Quickly heading up the stairs to the walk way to find Jack standing there watching the streets. “Any news about the outpost?” I asked as I came to a stop beside him. Jack looked over towards us “Not yet. I got a message not to long ago asking about The Street-Rats. She apparently ran in to some of them and is leading them to a place they had set up.” He said and I chuckled. “That hideout they think we don't know about?” I asked and Jack nodded with a grin. “That one. Of course now they have agreed to at least talk to us about it.” He said just as a blinding flash could be seen lighting up the district for half a second or so. All of us looked over towards the area. “I have a feeling something might have gone a bit wrong over there” I said.

  Rafaela PoV

  Just after leaving the hive

  “What?! It can't be that bad it was only a small piece of stone.” I said only to be met by laughter “Oh it was a bit more then that. Only looked small because of distance after all.” Lilyana said before going on. “Apparently it took out the main water purifying stations and damaged the main water line. And that drained in to one of the power generators and battery rooms. Half the plate is out of power and all the plate is out of water.” she said with a small laugh. “Most people that live in that part of the city are.. Well lets say they aren't good people. With some exceptions but they shouldn't be effected. And I need to cut the call as things are heating up again” She said before dropping the call. I blink slowly then tilts my head towards Kevin. “I guess that I will need a lawyer or two in the future. Or more and bigger bombs..” I said and he laughed a bit.

  “Don't worry too much about that. The Family got lawyers that will be happy to help if it comes to that. Besides you did something that will get most people up there to be a bit careful around you.” He said as we crossed the old town below heading towards the other gate. Soon we came a cross one of the larger roads and saw a large number of antithesis of quite a few models rushing in from the buildings and down from the gate to the other side of the wall. Heading towards a walled off area that looked to once have been some kind of storage or unloading area. The entrance had a makeshift barricade set up and people standing on scaffolding walkways behind the wall, shooting over it and behind the barricade some people were reloading what looked like an old machine-gun.

  “Fuck! that's not good” I said and as I spoke I spotted movement in the sky, small black creatures flocking around. My drones broke off and instantly started burning the Model 1's as quickly as they could. Leaning a bit to the side and poking my rifle over the side of the bike before I started shooting in to the mass of antithesis models. The holographic bolts lighting up the sky a bit with each shot as we crossed the wall. Once over the wall Kevin pulled his bike around and fired a set of rockets down on to the road blasting larger number of the antithesis to pieces before his machine-gun pod opened up as well.

  I hand to shift how I was sitting to be able to shoot over the handle-bars of the bike. I kept shooting in to larger group but it didn't last too much longer before the overwhelming numbers started too become just many then the streets were mostly empty. That's when Kevin set us down behind the wall. I could see someone running over too an older man with black hair that had streaks of gray in it. A strong jawline what should have been stern eyes that were currently a bit on the soft side. Stopping in front of us and tossing out a salute as I hopped off raising an eyebrow. “Thank you both for the assist. Those overgrown bush weeds have been coming at us for hours in large groups but that group was quite a bit larger we wouldn't have been able to hold.” He said and Kevin nodded a bit. “Only did our duty as samurai” He responded using that act of his. I shook my head a bit. “I can't let this place fall. Quite sure Hal would be upset if I did.” I responded and the man looked towards me.

  “Jack told me that you would be showing up. One of our own he said. Call me Tom. Tommy Baxter. “ He said and I nodded before looking around a bit. “Rafaela. And how badly did you get hit I mean wounded and so on?” I asked and he shook his head. “Some lighter wounds on five of ours and seven dead.” He replied in a somber tone “We have quite a bit of medical supplies but we are almost out of ammo.” He said and I did tilt my head a bit to the right one ear resting along the side of my head. “Losses I can't do much about. Other then leaving some turrets.. But I think that I can leave some ammo.. What kind do you need?” I asked he nodded and did look a bit confused. “Not staying?” He asked and I shook my head. “Need to find where they are coming from and stop them there.” I said and he nodded before motioning for us to follow as he started walking over the large old loading area.

  You will be able to supply them with normal class 0 ammo quite easily for quite cheap how many points do you want to spend? It will be 10 points for every 500 rounds of normal pistol or rifle rounds. Oh you got a few points from that too.

  Enemies Eliminated

  37 x Model 1 = 37 points

  54 x Model 3 = 540 points

  23 x Model 4 = 345 poi

  7 x Model 5 = 140 points

  New total:4919 points, 1 token

  As I walk over I look around. The area is a large open cement covered area with four large loading docks up a head the building itself was an old warehouse of some kind with a wall going around it. The gates in to the actual warehouse were open. And within was one large room with two internal buildings of two floors on each side. They had at some point added movable buildings in towards the back wall as well. We moved up the stairs to the side of the loading docks before walking inside. “This way for our armor.” He said the inside of the building quite well lit “Got your own power and such?” I asked and Tommy nodded. “We do have some old generators that we keep running when needed but just like the other place and the pit we have managed to get this place on to the power grid.” He said and my ears moved a bit taking in the sounds of the building.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Turning and walking in to a room with were half of it was behind a cage with only a few boxes left in it he motioned. “Here is our ammunition storage. As you can see we don't have much left.” He said and I nodded “So what kind of ammo do you use here?” I asked and he looked at me. “Mostly 12 gauge shotgun shells and old 5.56 rounds with some .45” He said and I nodded before speaking to Fen. “Get a mix of those for lets say 500 points”

  New purchase

  Class 0 standard ammo varied calibers (10000 rounds) – 500 points

  New total: 4419 points. 1 token

  With a small pop new boxes appeared within the room then I nodded a bit. “That should help you for sometime. Hopefully it will be enough I will leave a few turrets outside the wall as well” I said and Tommy nodded before offering an other salute. “We will make sure to hold this place as long as we can.” He said and I look at him. “An other former mercenary?” I asked and he nodded. “Most of us in this outpost are former PMC's from one group or an other. The gang on the other side of the wall. Isn't one of the friendlier ones after all” He said and I nodded. “Can you tell me about them?” I asked.

  “I can they call themselves the coyote pack” He said before shaking his head. “A quite dumb name really but they are a bit on unfriendly side and like to pick on people in large groups. So I do guess the name fits. Just north of them is the and I can't believe they named themselves this The Scorpions hand. They are aggressive and we are quite happy that there is at least one group between us” I nodded. “And nothing but antithesis have been coming through here?” I asked and he nodded. “No people have tried to cross since this started. I then sighed a bit. “Guess that I will find out myself when we cross and check for that other hive.” I said and he nodded “I will go and make sure my people here go and get ammo now that it is somewhat calm.” He said before running off. I looked over to Kevin and he nodded. “We are still on the clock. What two and a half hours until you crash?” He asked with some amusement. And I frowned with a nod. “That's about right. Lets go” I said heading towards the entrance to the outpost.

  Once outside the gates I looked up and down the street before turning to Kevin. “Think that a few turrets would help? Here or should I save my points for other things?” I asked raising an eyebrow. He took a look at the wall then the open area in front of the wall. “A few cheep turrets wouldn't hurt you. And likely pay for themselves in the long run.” He said I nodded and started walking “Fen three turrets spread them out a bit as I walk.

  Sure thing!

  New purchase:

  3 x Mark-4 Light-fang ground mounted auto-turrets -75 points

  New total: 4344 points, 1 token.

  Turrets appeared as I walked. The first one by the entrance then one half way down facing the rest of the district then the last ending up facing the gate to out of the district leading in to the undercity proper. I stopped and looked along the wall at the placements and nodded. “That looks good to me” I said then Kevin nodded “It does look good. Should we get going?” He said motioning to his bike and I shook my head. “Lets walk across the border. I don't want to risk people shooting at us for flying” I said before starting to walk towards the gate hoping that he followed. “My bike can take it and so should our armor.” He said and I shook my head. “Well I only got armor over my chest arms elbows and knees.” I said before shrugging a bit as I walked. “You need to fix that. I do recommend you getting some better armor.” He said then frowned. “You really do plan to stay down here?” He asked.

  I stopped and turned towards him nodding. “I really don't have anywhere else to go. My family kicked me out. Quite sure they would do their best to get me to work for them.” I said before nodding slowly. “If I move up there and they find out. They will be at me constantly. Using everything they have to get to me.” I said he then shrugged a bit. “You are a Samurai now. Sure you are a new one. So a bit on the weak end. But still enough to cause a fair bit of damage if they tried anything” He said motioning to the plate above. “Already proved that Miss Mass Destruction.” He added.

  I laughed a bit. “I'm gonna get stuck with that one when it comes to you aren't I?” I asked and kept walking down the street towards the gate as Kevin followed his bike taking off and flying above us “Of course you are gonna get stuck with that one.” He said as I sighed “Well I think its best for me to stay down here. Might be able to do some good too.” I said as he stepped up besides me “Well you need now armor. But first you need a secure place to live. But before that a helmet might be good” He said as I glanced at him “I could do something like that. Hey Fen something like a helmet but not sure I want to have something that causes trouble with the hair or ears.” I said

  Oh I can help you there. There are of course normal helmets within your Class I Light Armor catalog. That can be modified in a way that it won't cause trouble. Then there are helmets with in your Moonstalkers Technologies catalog that might work. I would actually recommend one that is from there it uses your hard-light utilities catalog to allow for a shield that covers your head and back. It wouldn't be able to take as much as a proper helmet. But a few attacks from most models before breaking.

  I nod and stop as we cross below the thick wall to get a view of the undercity proper. Before us lay a slight downwards slope leading down a one and half lane street. The buildings running besides it are mostly temporary buildings that have been reinforced to become permanent buildings. Further off in the distances are a few pillars that hold up the plates above, one such pillar was surrounded by market stalls and other now mostly abounded temporary structures. Canals running between the different districts. Some are filled with the same old forgotten river that was found in sealed off district behind us. Others had pipes running within then steam rising from some. To the north we could see a proper shanty town. Half collapsed old buildings surrounded by shacks made from scrap metal and what ever materials they could find when building the places. To the west I could see the top of the same buildings and far to the side a massive pillar that went from the plate. And in front of it I could see a massive factory complex, in front of that were a row of warehouses.

  “That pillar.. That's the main water purifying and collection unit for most of the city isn't it?” I asked and Kevin nodded. “One of them at least there are a few more similar ones just not in massive pillars. That was was built after they figured out that the idea for these kinds of cities didn't work out well. The plate that's above that one can't be dropped.” He said and I nodded.

  “Fen what was that shield you spoke of? I think that I will go for that one.” I said

  Oh this will be great!

  New purchase

  1 x Ghost Queen's Aura Hard-light Shield MK I -150 points

  New total = 4194 points, 1 token.

  Hold out your hand please.

  Blinking a bit at the name. “Fen is that the actual translation of the name or did you change it?” I asked. As a small black box appeared with that hooded grinning figure with its fluffy ears. Opening the box I found something similar to a necklace pulling it out I found that instead the chain was closer to a cord holding a small battery compartment at the back and the amulet had the image of a face hidden in the shadows of a hood. Hair flowing out of it and two glowing pale cyan eyes within.

  “This looks interesting. I must ask considering we are heading in to a more dangerous part of town.. How well does it stop bullets?” I asked.

  Twist the battery compartment looking piece and it will open then just touch them together and it will close up on its on. This one does recharge when ever you get close to an electrical field that can be found around most wires. And I can change the battery if it dies. As for the name thing! It is close to the correct name. I changed it a bit the actual name is. 'The shielding pendant of the ancient ghost queen of the first kingdom.' She is one of the more popular ghosts within the stories of the Moonstalkers. And it will stop most rifle rounds. Even some small cannon shells. But only one of those before shattering. But when t comes to pistol and normal rifle rounds it will stop more then a enough for you to fire back or find cover. This one can be upgraded if you get the class II Moonstalker. And even more so if you also get Class II Hard-light Utilities.

  I twisted the end of the cord and pulled it a part before moving it around my neck then the two ends connected, that caused a small flash of hard-light panels to appear around my head and back in a soft cyan before disappearing. Slowly moving it to rest against my chest. Then it would lock itself against my chest I poked it once it didn't move. “So I take it this is to make sure it doesn't get caught and strangling me?” I asked

  That is one part. The second part is to make sure the hard-light panels don't get moved around. They act just like any standard piece of armor. The later versions can interact with some of the items from Class II Phantom Garments Catalog if you get that one too.

  I nod slowly before looking towards Kevin. He just nodded slowly “Seems you really won't have any trouble finding a theme at least. He then motioned to himself. I got mine by wearing a simple duster and using a revolver. The one that named me was listening to some old song.” He said before smiling. “I was lucky though. It was a fitting name” He said as we started walking down the road.

  The roads were empty with the exception of the trash that had built up along the corners of buildings. Coming to a cross road we looked around my ear flicking a bit as they picked up voices from the west. Kevin motioned that way as well. “Some people arguing that way. We should check it out.” He said