Chapter Thirty-Nine - Long Odds

Chapter Thirty-Nine - Long Odds

Chapter Thirty-Nine - Long Odds

There are all sorts of systems to determine the worth of a Samurai. The internet has many of these, from ranks based on popularity, to scales of theoretical power.

The governments of the world have their own. These generally go from Tier One to Five, with a Tier One being a Samurai that can be used by the government, and a Tier Five being one capable of demolishing that same group.

Most corporations have adopted a much simpler Phase system that goes from A to C, with the occasional D.

--Excerpt from Understanding the Unknowable, A 2049 textbook.

***

The door had a great big Employees Only sign across it. That part was easy to ignore. What wasnt was the heavy lock holding the door shut. I sighed and pulled my Trench Maker out from its holster, then backed up a couple of steps.

I pinched my tongue between my lips and aimed down the sights atop the gun until it was nice and lined up. The .45 round tore a dollar-coin sized hole in the lock, a hole that glowed red and started to melt around the edges.

A quick kick shoved the door open. Man, I love these bullets, I said as I looked into the next room over.

There are plenty of interesting types of ammunition that might interest you. Ill earmark a few for future testing.

Cool, I said. I was actually looking forward to it. And maybe... maybe I could use an arm.

Im surprised it took you this long to ask. Your missing arm and eye are something of a hindrance.

Yeah well, whatever, I said.

Well find you a good one. Though I think that, in this case, you might want to invest in something of decently high quality. Perhaps a Class II prosthetic once you obtain the points and tokens to unlock that kind of catalogue.

Tokens? that was new.

Unlocking a Class I catalogue is simple, and a Vanguard can go very far just by unlocking a number of these. But Class II and onwards have technologies that are beyond humanitys current capability to reproduce. They are commensurately more expensive, and each catalogue requires a number of tokens to be unlocked. Think of them as signs that youve saved enough humans to earn technologies that could potentially endanger your entire race.

That sounded like a shitty gimmick, and at the same time made some sense. Giving the crazies nukes was never a good idea. Class I is good for smaller things, right?

Its more than sufficient, I think, for most of the challenges youll face. I would suggest aiming for Class II equipment in any field you truly want to specialize in. A new arm, for example, will not need to be replaced as frequently if the first one you purchase is of high enough quality.

Right, right, I said. The employee only area was a bit of a crapshoot. There were boxes lining the sides of the corridor, probably with stuff for the museum, and I passed a little warehouse area with large industrial shelves packed with crap that I didnt think was terribly important.

And then I found another locked door. This one was thicker, with a whole lot more warning signs on it. And in its centre, next to a symbol that warned that anyone passing the door without authorization would be fined, was a large logo.

Longbow Industrial Weapons Technologies, I read. That sounds promising.

What?

He tilted his head a little. What what?

Youll turn it on? I asked.

I mean, its that or let ya die or whatever, so yeah. Itll make a few points before the bugs get to it and munch it up, Im sure. Damn thing has been a point sink anyway.

I swallowed. That was... generous. Thanks? I tried.

No problem sis. Oh, how about Stray Cat? Its free.

What?

Your name. I mean, you could go with your birth name, but thats uncool.

I guess? I tried.

He grinned while a third arm moved from off screen and pulled his cigarette out of his mouth. Im running a quick diagnostic to mak-- ah, fuck me sideways. He shook his head, and I had the impression he would have been frowning if he could. Right, bit of a problem, sis.

What? I asked. Was this the other shoe? You cant turn it on?

Oh, sure I can. But the doors above it arent opening. Give me a sec, Im looking for a camera around the city that has a view... and... theres a hovercar parked on the roof? What a dipshit. Theres yellow-tape an all. For fucks sake.

Seriously? I asked.

Yeah. Lemme see if I can take remote control of it, move it off the top. Longbow shifted to the side and a fourth arm brought a drink closer to his mouth, a fancy thing, with a little straw and a no-shit umbrella in it. Hrm, cars fucked. He looked by towards the screen. Think you can get up there and boot it out of the way?

And then youll activate it? I asked.

Sure thing, sis. Uh, you got a way to fly back down to your buddies?

I shook my head.

Well, looks like youll be stuck on the roof. No problem. Im going to pop the door open. Theres a door to another roof access. You go over, chuck the car off the side, blow it up, whatever, and Ill turn on the AA. Then you get your ass into cover and wait for the cavalry, alright?

And my friends? I asked.

Longbow smiled. Nothing to worry about, sis. Big bro Longbow will take care of everything.

***