Stray Cat Strut Chapter Twenty-Six - Red Carpet Treatment

Chapter Twenty-Six - Red Carpet Treatnt

After the end of the second world war and the advent of more advanced weaponry, there was a noticeable shift in the way ard forces reacted. It still took so decades for what is essentially an entirely new SoP to take effect, but by the late 90s most modern militaries understood that a small number of well-equipped soldiers could be used to greater effect than large units of poorly-trained conscripts.

In many situations, a small team of well-trained soldiers could make a large, impactful difference.

Whether that is taking down a VIT or sabotaging enemy infrastructure, going in silently is not only more effective, it also allows for a degree of denial on the assaulters part.

The samurai generally dont fit that bill.

Almost universally, they dislike being quiet.

Sothing about their ntality just does not agree with the idea that a problem can be solved without explosions, lasers, or explosive lasers.

--Excerpt from An Analysis of the Capability of the Modern Unit vs.The Samurai, 2029

***

I raised my hand and turned it this way and that. My nails shone pretty and rainbow. There was a bit of a holographic effect with them, little hearts in the middle that only showed up at certain angles. Neat, I said.

Yes yes, very very pretty, the old woman said.

I grinned back at her and looked at the ti. It had been a nice way to spend ten minutes. I bet that Lucy would love that kind of pampering too. Maybe we could order one of those massage people in our hotel room. That was a thing that was done... probably. I wasnt up to date on how the rich wasted their credits.

Myalis, can you transfer over so credits to the nice lady? I asked.

This will basically empty your account.

Yeah, but Lucy will like it.

The woman looked at quizzically for a bit, then sothing in her eyes glowed and her smile only grew. Thank you, honourable custor. You go pinch many bottoms now.

Damn right, I said as I shoved off her chair, then stretched. Any news from Gomorrah yet?

Atyacus has kept in contact with this entire ti. Theyve reached the appropriate location, though it took convincing a guard to look the other way.

A rc guard? I asked.

No, the location where Atyacus proposed breaking through the wall is a warehouse for dical supplies. It has twenty-four hour guards and surveillance. I suspect that the Hour n encouraged the placent of a high-security facility next to their offices to act as a sort of additional deterrent. Atyacus disagrees. Weve been going back and forth for what for you would be subjective years.

You do that a lot? I asked. Argue with other AI?

We need to do sothing to pass the ti. Arguing online is one of the few hobbies we share with humanity.

That and trolling people.

I would only ever troll you, you know that.

I rolled my eyes and ca to a stop next to the exit of the nail salon. I leaned against the counter and tapped my feet, then, because there was nothing else to do, I logged onto my dia feeds.

It had been... maybe forty-eight hours since Id last checked. That was practically a lifeti.

Normally I was pretty reserved, only looking to see if anything neat had happened maybe once an hour. I couldnt rember the last ti Id gone so long without looking, but then the last couple of days were a little hectic.

And, as the site checked my biotrics auto-logged , my vision was filled with gifs, ads, stills taken from the friend of a friend, more ads, news posts, news posts that were actually ads, governnt warnings about the incursion, and then ads made to look like governnt warnings about the incursion.

You have over six thousand private ssages. All from the last day.

Im popular, I said.

Ninety-two percent are targeted ads. Two percent are offers from various corporations aware of your status as Vanguard. Three percent are from people begging for assistance, the remainder are poorly designed malware.

Annnd Im already bored, I said.

That might be for the best. Gomorrah has spliced into the offices internal network. Their security software isnt terribly impressive.

I guess they were placing their bets on it being hard to access instead of difficult to hack into. Probably the smarter option, I said. The dia feeds disappeared, and Myalis replaced them with cara feeds from all over the inside of the Hour n base. For the most part it matched the layout of the blueprints, with a few extra doors and what looked like a couple of windows installed in others.

There were also lots of half walls, and what looked like chokepoints built into the office space. The top floor was all desks and cubicles and a few eting rooms. The next floor down had bunks, a small interior range, an armoury and so showers and a break room. The bottom most floor, the garage, was the largest of the lot, mostly open space with a couple of nondescript cars tucked away next to an honest to god hover tank.

How many people? I asked.

Thirty-two have appeared on screen. Every room has a cara, though there are a few blind spots.

I cant see Katallina, I said.

She doesnt seem to be present.

Can you connect to Gomorrah? I asked.

A mont later I heard my favourite nun breathing as if she was leaning over . Probably a microphone in that mask of hers. Any ideas? she asked.

Girls not here. Myalis, you see any sign of her in their software?

So traces, yes. Or perhaps calling them possibilities would be more accurate.

Atyacus voice ca over the line. It seems as if the Hour n accepted four contracts in the last forty-eight hours. They dont keep any detailed notes on these. In fact, a lack of paperwork seems to be part of their operating procedures.

So we need soone to ask so questions to, I said. I guess Ill knock at their front door.

Seriously? Gomorrah asked.

I an, we need to find out, and I dont feel like chasing leads all day. So we ask. Can you take out that tank?

I can, Gomorrah said. Most things made of tal will lt eventually, but thats besides the point. How are we going to do this?

I leaned to the side and looked down the corridor where the front door of the Hour Man offices was tucked away. It was a heavy-looking door. All steel and bolts. Not terribly decorative either, and I guessed that the walls were filled with fold-out surprises.

I fling a bomb at their front wall, then when the dust settles ask to speak to their boss?

That sounds like a bit much, Gomorrah said.

I rubbed a finger under my nose. They kidnapped a kid. I dont think we need to go in soft and polite.

But soft and polite might get us further, Gomorrah said.

Hmph. I tapped my fresh nails on the counter for a mont, then nodded. You know what, sure. But you send them a ssage or whatever. Im not expecting them to exactly roll out the red carpet.

These guys had to know what they were doing, and what the reaction of the average samurai would be. In their place, Id start running the mont I found out a samurai was on my tail, and if that ant fighting my way out, then so be it. The dead couldnt be punished.

Sending now, Gomorrah said. Im close enough to their lower exit to stop anyone trying to escape that way.

Yeah, Im within spitting distance of their front door, I said. I looked around and spotted my crossbow leaning against the backside of the counter. Nearly forgot about it. Would probably have made the old lady rich if I did.

I grabbed the crossbow and pulled the bolt on its side back before flicking its safety off with a twitch of my augs. There were a few explosive bolts left in it.

Did you send the-- I began.

The feeds of the caras inside the building started to flash. So sort of silent alarm had gone off and the lights flickered in response was my guess. The fine folks inside the building started running around, picking up weapons and armour even as guns deployed from the walls and ceilings.

Well, it doesnt look like theyre agreeing to anything just yet, I said.

I stepped out into the corridor. Maybe they would see standing outside and reconsider things.

I kind of expected the guns that deployed from next to the door.

I didnt expect the twin punches to my gut that sent tumbling back with a heavy cough.

Laying on the ground, I panted for breath, then touched my chest to confirm that I wasnt bleeding or anything. I found two coin-sized bits of tal flattened over my armour. Okay, I said. Bombs it is.

***