Chapter Thirty-Six – A Matter of Trust

Chapter Thirty-Six – A Matter of Trust

“There are people, real weirdos, who are actual fans of the Antithesis. They make costumes and symbols, they argue over facts about them online. They’ve got bug-sonas.

We’re happy to leave them to their own beliefs, most of the time. They’re rather harmless.”

–Sergeant O’malley, New New York NNYPD, a week before the pro-Antithesis bombing campaign that took his life. January 2049

***

“I’m really starting to hate stairs,” I said.

Then kill enough Antithesis and save enough people that you can afford a flight system.

I rolled my eye. “Is that your solution to everything?” I asked.

Of course not. It’s a solution to most things.

“Uh-huh,” I said. “What’s the retirement plan for Samurai anyway?”

A Vanguard can stop assisting against the Antithesis at any time, though you’d need to survive with your monthly allowance of points, which is a negligible amount.

I hummed as I started taking the steps two at a time. The faster I could get to the roof, the faster Lucy and the Kittens would be out of here. And then… and then I’d figure something out.

“I’ve got two questions,” I said.

I’m always listening.

“Creepy. First, should I be getting something. I don’t know, armour or better gear. And second, the AA installation, will I need anything for it?”

It’s quite possible that you’ll need some sort of interfacing tool to connect to a Vanguard-designed system. As for your equipment. Yes. Yes you definitely need better equipment. So far every tool you’ve purchased has been, in a word, lacklustre and of low quality. A proper handgun would cost hundreds of points, armour the same. The issue is that your point total is quite low. Spending it all now on mediocre equipment would make obtaining better equipment later difficult.

I scratched at my chin as I reached the top of the stairwell. “I get what you’re saying, yeah. But I don’t mind taking things slow if it means living.” Actually, I did kind of mind. I’d grown to hate the subpar crap we were always given at the orphanage, I wanted some of the nicer things right off the bat, but I also wanted to live.

Setting aside my preferences to not get gored was totally alright in my book.

Then again, not picking a fight was the best way to win a fight, in my experience.

“I need stealth shit,” I said. “And something to compensate for my terrible aim.”

Purchasing stealth equipment is an excellent idea! Although I’m afraid that most of it will be beyond you for the moment. Basic Stealth Systems Class I costs one hundred points. From there you could purchase something like a Stealth Overcoat, which would serve as a decent disguise, for fifty points.

“Alright,” I said. “But that doesn’t help my aim much,” I said.

True. I would then suggest two more utilities. You are in dire need of a better augmentation system, but seeing as how that isn’t available at the moment, not without spending points on things that aren’t immediately useful, perhaps a Basic Targeting System Mark I from you Auxiliary Weapon Utilities Class I for twenty points, then a Hydra Autonomous Targeting Mount for one hundred points.

“What’s that last thing?” I asked.