Chapter Eight - Checking Out the Stink

Chapter Eight - Checking Out the Stink

Chapter Eight - Checking Out the Stink

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***

After coming back home and telling Lucy about my little adventure with Rac and the mercs, I spent the rest of the day... doing very little of import.

I felt a bit bad about not spending time with the Kittens, so I bullied Nose for a while, put Bargain in a headlock when he tried to sell me a cola from my own fridge, and basically annoyed Junior and Katallina as much as I could without pissing them off too much.

We played games, with Daniel kicking everyones ass until I let Myalis join in and the AI found herself incapable of doing anything but playing perfectly. Unleashing an AI on a cart-racing game was just unfair for everyone involved.

Before I knew it, it was deep into the night and the sugar and caffeine was wearing off. I took a languid, wasteful shower, then bought some PJs from Myalis, then I bought a second pair for Lucy when I discovered that when the Protectors decided to make something soft, it was disgustingly soft.

We just cuddled, warm and soft and tangled up together in a way that was comforting and familiar until at some point I drifted off while Lucy was murmuring a story about some puppies shed seen online.

I awoke when Lucy crawled out of my arms. Need to pee, she mumbled sleepily, and Im sure whatever I said in reply was articulate and sensible before I rolled over and tried to sleep some more.

But I couldnt sleep, especially not after checking the time on my augs, then checking my messages, then checking on some news. I had a tab open on news from Burlington, and it seemed like things werent entirely dire over there yet.

Lucy came back, and I snuggled into her, now fully awake but still just scrolling through news and memes and memes of news. Eventually I had to piss too, so I rolled out of bed and started to take care of my morning... almost-afternoon, ablutions.

So, were checking on the sewers today, right? I asked.

That was the plan, yes. Ive done some cursory research, and I think there are two points of interest that you should visit.

Two? I asked.

Indeed. First, the City of New Montreal Sewage and Maintenance Headquarters. The main bureau. While they are more of an administrative branch, they do have connections to the entire sewer network.

My bike was sitting out front, next to my mech. I promised myself that Id get back to fixing that later on, whenever it was that I came back.

But first... I was burning daylight.

The skies over New Montreal were uncharacteristically clear, with large holes in the cloud cover above bathing parts of the city in bright sunlight. The rest of the cloudy ceiling was, of course, pouring a deluge of water onto the city.

I tugged up the lapels of my coat and pulled on my helmet, making sure that my ears were properly tucked into their slots so that it wouldnt pull. Then I was off.

Maintenance HQ first? I asked as I circled our building.

Certainly. I think it might be best to get a good look at the condition of things before requesting assistance.

Requesting? I dont feel like begging, I said.

Purchase a larger gun and demand it, then.

I snorted. Ah, yeah, demanding assistance. Help me or Ill shoot you is always super convincing, Ill bet.

It has been demonstrated to work before. Its almost a universal rule among intelligent beings evolved from predators that might makes right.

I nodded along. My augs had the destination locked in, and fortunately, while the headquarters were basically on ground level, they werent in the undercity. Do you know a lot of species that are... uh, is it sapient or sentient? I asked. Well, whatever. I mean smart and also non-predator-based.

There are several thousand on record, many of them still live and thrive within the greater sphere of the Protectorate. Many find the idea of violence abhorrent. Often this is a great detriment when the Antithesis inevitably appear at their metaphorical doorstep.

Damn, yeah, I can imagine, I said.

Its not always bad. Some species, especially those well-versed in agriculture and who have a solid technological and industrial base are able to hold out on their own for prolonged periods. I can get you a few documentaries on the subject.

Heh, file that in for later. Maybe if we want to do movie night or something. I wasnt super interested in the going-ons of some unknown species halfway across the galaxy from me, but not being interested didnt mean I wasnt a little curious.

I refocused on my flying. I didnt need to crash into some car speeding by while distracted. I suspected that the training whatsit that Id taken to allow me to pilot my mech was also helping me with my bike, because even without turning on autopiloting I had a much better... feel for how to manoeuvre through the city.

Which was why I punched the throttle to the limit and pressed myself against the seat, breaking every law in the books as I headed out on a quest to find some trouble and fix it to death.