Chapter Thirty-Eight – Fire and Hammer
byChapter Thirty-Eight – Fire and Hammer
“Crowds were the weapon of choice in the early 2020s, and for a while they continued to be so.
Most governments were worried about firing into crowds of protestors. Certainly, it had worked at one time, but usually turned against them. Those that died were martyred and it showed the ruthlessness of the government.
As social media progressed and became an ever-bigger part of humanity, the same governments grew increasingly worried that violent action could be turned against them. After all, politicians sleep in very flammable homes, just like the rest of us.
But then some figured that it really didn’t matter as long as you controlled the narrative, and by the end of the 2020s, the average response to a crowd of dissidents was lead and gas and prisons from which they’d never leave.”
–A History of Protest, Second Edition, 2036
***
I wasn’t going to be stupid about this.
Well, not too stupid. Charging out of some perfectly safe walls to go mess up an antithesis hive basically solo wasn’t the epitome of intelligent choices.
Gomorrah’s little fire, which was still raging on just outside of the walls, was more or less under control, and had probably worked wonders for stalling the antithesis. They were stupid too, but not so stupid as to just jump into a fire for fun.
So, if I was going to go out there… that would mean that I wasn’t in the city if something went… when something went pear-shaped.
Actually, that sounded like a pro, not a con. “Myalis, I need to get in touch with a couple of folk. Can you link me up to Intel-chan and Manic?”
Certainly. Dialling now.
Intel-chan picked up on the call within a half second, and Manic wasn’t too far behind.
“What do you want, Stray?” Manic asked.
“Ohio!”
I grinned. “Hey, we’ve got some good news. Reinforcements are coming.”
“Less points for me,” Manic grumbled right away.
“In two days,” I continued. “So between now and then, we’re all on our own.”
“That’s not ideal,” Intel-chan said. “I bet we’re not getting much help either.”
“Right on the money. I don’t know exactly how much help they’re sending, but I’ll bet my left tit it isn’t enough. So I figured if no one’s going to help us, we can only help ourselves. I’ll be setting down some additional defensive shit down here. Gun emplacements, mortars, that kind of thing. Intel, can you get the militia to set them up where they’ll be the most useful?”
“Can do! You’re not going to give them to the kittens?”
I shook my head. “Nah. These are bigger guns, the militia has more training to use them, and I don’t want to make it look like I’m playing favourites, even if I am. Just make sure they’re not abusing the privilege, because I can and will take their toys away and give them to people who’ll actually use them.”
“That seems fair,” Intel-chan said. “Honestly, the boys will just be happy to have cool samurai tech to play with. It’ll boost their mood.”
“Right, that’s cool. I’m also thinking of giving the militia some meds. Things that’ll keep them wide awake for a nice long while. I think I can buy that kind of thing for cheap. It might keep everyone on their feet until the reinforcements arrive.”
“This is all nice and shit, but why am I on this call?” Manic asked.
“Because while the nice militia folk keep the city cosy and safe for us, we’ll be heading out to exterminate some hives. I don’t mind doing it solo, but having two makes it all a lot safer, and it’s not like there’s a lack of shit to kill.”
Manic took a moment to respond, and I had the impression she was chewing over the decision. “Why not take one of the others?”
“Gomorrah needs a break. Arm-a-Geddon is helping in River Heights. Sprout’s not equipped for this kind of thing,” I said. “And… well, what are you doing?”
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