Chapter Sixty-Three - Burning

Chapter Sixty-Three - Burning

Chapter Sixty-Three - Burning

I miss the good old days. You know, when one game in ten was still single player, without live-service microtransactions and gacha mechanics. Whats the last time a good game came out that wasnt made for mobile?

--4channel forums, 2032

***

I thought that maybe knowing I was going to die would depress me a bit more than it did.

In reality, all I felt was a little cold.

Lucy would be sad. The kittens too. Some of them, at least.

The acid cloud was slowly dissipating. The wind, fortunately, was pushing it back and away from us. The acidic goop covering the ground wasnt moving though. A few fallen aliens were sinking into it. Or maybe melting into it would be more appropriate.

The front was quiet for the moment. There was still shooting way off to the side, but it was less active than it had been before.

I glanced over and took note of Jolly Monarchs Rooks, the big mecha still standing guard over the majority of the gap. I need me one of those, I said as I stared at the bristling array of firepower sticking out of the tower.

You can almost afford one now.

I snorted. Maybe later. A big walking mech would be pretty fucking cool. I couldnt see any use for it beyond defending this kind of place, but it would be undeniably cool. Myalis--and Lucy--would insist that it look like a giant cat. I could live with that.

I shook my head, clearing my mind a bit. I was supposed to be thinking of my impending demise, not giant robots.

Glancing around, I searched for Gomorrah, then froze up when I couldnt see her. My blood chilled. Had she retreated? A few PMCs were still running back. Others were defying orders and staying by the front. Had Gomorrah decided that she had enough?

Then I spotted her a little ways to the back, standing next to a tank and seemingly unaware that she was in its path.

She was bent over, hunched. Had she been hurt or was she changing out her gear? I jogged towards her, skipping over a barricade that stopped at hip-height. I slowed down from a jog to a calmer walk as I came closer.

Gomorrahs mask was off, which was unusual. She had placed her mask atop the tracks of the tank and was looking off in another direction. I know... yes, I know that too, she said. She was frustrated, obviously, and talked to someone. I dont know, Franny, its not looking too great down here... no, I cant go back. Its my duty, to God and the people behind me. I wont retreat. But-- Franny, shut up!

I stopped a ways away. Id never heard Gomorrah quite so raw before.

The line went dead and I shook my head. What a weirdo. Okay, I guess that counts as enough permission for me. Myalis, any idea what kind of fuckery well be dealing with?

More models in ten-to-twenty range, certainly. Possibly early hive structures.

Gomorrah must have been clued in to what Myalis was saying. Anything we should worry about if we fly over the area and bomb it from above?

Atyacus was the one to reply, over the comms, though I suspected that Gomorrah heard her own AI in her head the way I heard Myalis in mine.

After observing the area from several camera emplacements overlooking the city, I have noticed fewer flying models than you would usually find in an incursion of this size. Unfortunately, while I have some hypothesis as to why, I lack sufficient data to make a proper analysis.

Myalis added her own two credits a moment later.

That may change. Model twos and other flying models tend to be lighter than their ground-bound equivalents. Their creation rate within a fully grown hive with sufficient biomass is quite rapid.

So lets bomb them before the skies become inhospitable, I said. Were taking the Fury?

We could jetpack over, but... yes, Id rather take my car. Itll be safer than just being out there without protection. Though... I dont know if youll fit.

I glanced down at myself and my rather imposing armour. She was probably right, unless I was willing to stuff myself into the back seats sideways, there was no way Id fit. I can ditch the armour for now. Well be mostly safe, right? Or I can hang off the roof top.

That sounds incredibly reckless.

I have jump jets, if I fall I probably wont die, I pointed out. Besides, someone needs to drop the bombs. Speaking of which, do you think we should combo things again? Your fire, my weird explosives?

Gomorrah nodded. Oh yes, I could genuinely go for that right now.

It was a little weird that Gomorrah could go for a massive pyromaniacal streak the same way someone else might go for a few drinks, but I wasnt going to poke. My favourite nun needed a bit of a break. If that required lighting entire blocks of aliens on fire then so be it.

Gomorrah called the Fury over and we hurried up to wait.

It wasnt entirely lost time though. We had entire combined catalogues to pour over, picking and choosing the kind of personal hell we were about to unleash upon the aliens who had dared inconvenience us.

It was going to be great!

***