Chapter Five - Logistics

Chapter Five - Logistics

Chapter Five - Logistics

A plans complexity is tied to a logarithmic increase in the difficulty to provide logistical support to the pawns involved in said plan.

--Tin Man, professional RTS player, 2025

***

It was incredible how a meeting that would literally determine whether hundreds of millions of people lived or died could devolve into something so incredibly boring in the span of a couple of minutes.

Jolly Monarch and his AI had scanned the environment around the city and had plotted out the best locations for fortifications, outposts, defensive structures and rally points. The plan looked pretty sound to me, but a few of the generals and military sorts had questions about it.

The biggest problem was that the plan assumed that every available soldier, police officer, and hired gun in the city would be willing to man the walls. That was almost stupidly optimistic. Of the two dozen groups in the room, about a quarter were vocally reluctant to participate at all, another quarter would only work for good pay, and yet another quarter were being real quiet about their opinions, and I had the impression they were as likely to bolt as they were to stay and help.

Interestingly, the plan didnt give any of the samurai present fixed locations. Instead, we were told that wed be called in, as available, to handle any large surges in the oncoming incursion. Jolly Monarch had some sort of Family-based system that could predict who would be best where, more or less.

So, I could expect to either volunteer to stem the tide, or be called over to wherever things were at their worst to take some of the burden off the normal folk manning the walls.

The meeting was supposed to last an hour. By the third, I was practically nodding off in my seat.

Jolly Monarch knocked his knuckles onto the table. I wasnt the only one to jump. And thatll be the end for the meeting today. We have nearly every construction crew in the city heading to the outskirts in the morning. If things go well, by the end of next month there should be a wall all the way around New Montreal. Payments, shifts, and deployment orders will be sent out from the offices of the Family. Feel free to email us any additional concerns and needs.

The older samurai adjusted his crown, then with a nod to the lot of us, backed away from the table.

I was caught a bit flat-footed by the sudden end to the meeting.

Generals and PMC leaders stood up, some forming little cliques that whispered between each other. In the centre of the room, an AR hologram of New Montreal continued to circle around slowly.

It only took me a moment to spot the museum. It was clear that the projection was somewhat real-time. Half the upper floor was outright missing, and I could make out tiny pixel-wide figures moving around.

The museum wasnt on the edges of New Montreal, but it wasnt in the centre either. Jolly Monarch had highlighted areas of higher and lower risk, and we were bordering one of the higher risk parts.

That last incursion a few days ago had wrecked that part of the city, and any defences that might have been there were in bad need of replacement or repair.

Cat?

I glanced to the side and found Gomorrah standing next to me. Hey, I said.

You alright? she asked.

I hadnt considered that. For that matter, I didnt think the Family would really push us that hard. Then again, they did have something of a stick up their asses sometimes. Thanks for the heads up. I said. Im heading back there now.

Gomorrah nodded and extended a hand to shake.

I pulled her into a quick hug instead, with a few good pats on her back for good measure. Give Franny a hug for me, I said as I started to head out.

I could feel her eyes rolling behind me.

Sam-o-Ray gave me a nod on the way out, but other than that, no one slowed me down as I headed out of the hotel and to the parking garage where my hoverbike waited for me.

What sort of big purchases are you aiming to make?

That depends, I guess. Whats my point total at?

Current Point Total:

10,494

I nodded as I swung a leg over the bike and made sure my coat was sitting right. Alright. First priority is the museum. I want it secure as hell. Did you get into contact with Lucy about it?

Shes been playing with designs for the last few hours, between watching over the Kittens and asking me about your status. She has more or less chosen one design and has been making minimal adjustments to it for the past hour.

Cool, I said. Tell her to finish it up. Well be installing it tonight. Right, after that... I want construction and repair drones. Maybe with their blueprints? I want to be able to fix the rest of the building up. Its less urgent, but its still a priority.

You dont own the rest of the building. Its possible that the other owners will complain.

Let them, I said.

Noted. A single construction drone provided with limitless resources could properly reinforce the tower in the span of several weeks.

I want to do more than that, I said. Turrets. We need a blueprint for something small and easy to install. Maybe something that doesnt need to be reloaded? Like lasers or something.

A small laser emplacement, with a solar-cell for power generation and a connection to the citys grid might work. A blueprint can be drawn up for something small enough to be built from your fabrication machine.

That sounds perfect, I said.

Though something so small will have a difficult time against anything in the third tier and above.

Thats fine. Well upgrade things as we go. I shot out of the parking lot and beelined for the sky. For now, lets just get a good, secure place where we wont have to worry about aliens.

***