Stray Cat Strut Chapter Fifty-Five - Low Expectations

Chapter Fifty-Five - Low Expectations

Dont fuck with Samurai.

Its pretty much the most important mo sent out to corporate drones. And yet, every year, there's a smooth brained idiot that shoves their own foot so deep into their mouth that they tickle their brain stem.

The problem is that so many Samurai work hard to cultivate a certain image. Theyre nice, or silly, or fun. They do charity streams, volunteer for things, and donate money in their own na to help their community.

Idiots will think that theyre soft-hearted.

But as soft as the tiger may be, it still has teeth and claws, and if you fuck with its children, it will ss you up.

So a mistake happens. So office drone gets their remains spread across three ti zones, and then the entire corporation needs to backpedal.

The next week, like clockwork, a new mo goes around.

Dont fuck with Samurai.

--Excerpt from a corporate training video, 2041

***

I wasnt fond of those weird platitudes, the half-true words people used to make sothing awful sound normal. They had plenty of euphemisms for the kittens. Differently abled under privileged children with no solid parental figures, was an entire mouthful, but its what we heard whenever soone ca along who was too pussy to call us all crippled orphans.

I hated that kind of crap. It was fake and it always sounded so damned condescending.

Its why I knelt before the two kids in the group of seven, the only seven in the entire shelter who had survived and I did my best to et their eyes.

You ca down here with anyone? I asked.

They glanced over to the bodies. The soldier Monroe had left with was covering each one with a blanket he pulled from the ergency supplies. He didnt have to, but I appreciated the gesture.

Mom, the girl of the pair said. She ca with us.

I nodded, worked my jaw a little, then bit the bullet. Shes dead.

The girl grabbed onto the boy. They had to be nine-ten years old. Smart enough to understand. Their eyes filled with tears. You couldnt save her? she asked. You, you saved us. I thought you were an angel and... She clutched at her chest, pulling on a necklace.

Theres no such thing, kid, I said. And Im just a bitch who didnt get here fast enough. But youre alive. So is your brother. Id like to keep it that way.

I got to my feet and looked at the other survivors. The old woman looked like she could chew nails, the fat guy was teary-eyed, but wasnt eting my gaze. The others looked a little dazed, but they were healthy enough.

Were moving in three minutes, I said.

With that, I moved off towards the shelters entrance.

Monrow t halfway. Were hearing stuff out there. Our scanners picked up so motion too, but nothing actionable.

That they had scanners was news to , but it wasnt too surprising. Yeah, okay, I said. Were moving in a little bit. I... need to set things up to dispose of the bodies. Ill take point after with Dumbass. Can your guys keep the rear safe?

He nodded. Speedy reported that there are a few Model Threes out there. Nothing bigger yet.

Right. Id forgotten that we couldnt afford to stay put forever. Just get ready. I might give your guys so bombs with tirs to leave behind. As a gift.

I dont know what gave it away, but I could tell he was pleased. Well look forward to it, he said.

Turning back to the rows of bodies, I let out a sigh that felt like adding ten pounds to my hack. Myalis. Well need sothing for the bodies.

A few Mark I Flesh lters would work well enough, I suspect.

I nodded. I guess so. I waited for Monroes man to finish adding the last blanket, then waved him over. Were heading out. Wanna help move everyone into the corridor?

Yes maam, he said.

Getting everyone up onto their feet was a bit of a chore, they looked like people who had just gone all out at the gym and who were now regretting it. Even the kids had a hard ti walking. Still, they didnt complain. I wonder if it was because it took too much effort, or if it was because they realized how close theyd co to dying.

The girl tore her necklace off and flung it deep into the room before stepping out.

Tough little brat. She reminded of my kittens. Myalis? I asked.

A mont later I had a trio of grenades in hand which I flung into the room.

And that was that. Monroe and I took the lead, the other three soldiers stuck to the rear, and with the kind of speed I was used to when leading brats around, we moved towards the exit.

I tucked Whisper against my shoulder and pretended not to hear the sniffling coming from right behind . Dumbass, I said. Scout ahead.

My little drone skittered past up to the next corner.

I wasnt expecting to see a dozen tentacles spearing out towards the drone.

Shit, Monroe said as he brought up his gun. He fired a burst that clipped so of the fleshy tendrils.

Whisper hissed and soon the air next to the tentacles filled with subsonic shards of glass.

Dumbass skittered back over to where we were, and the civilians behind us huddled in close.

Stay calm. I ordered as I stared ahead. A few twitching tentacles were left on the ground, but no Model Four appeared.

I stepped up, moved to the opposite end of the corridor and, when I got closer, peaked around the corner. A trail of green blood led off a way and then moved around another corner.

Fuck. Its moved on, I said. I looked around again, expecting so new big nasty to jump out at , but nothing ca around. Right. Myalis, can I have like... mines or sothing?

For an extra point you could replace the triggering chanism on any of your explosives with a sensor-based one. I would suggest learning how to do that with an explosive that wont kill you when you inevitably ss up.

I snorted, the bit of humour unexpected. Right, I said. Monroe, Ill be taking the rear for a bit. Dumbass, keep scouting ahead.

I bought a Resonator grenade while the soldiers and civvies moved past, then started eyeing the sensor... thing on top of it. There were two settings, one had a small icon of a broken line, the other an open eye. In the middle was a sort of lens.

The primary setting is a laser. Once broken the explosive detonates. The second is a motion detector. It gives you twenty seconds after activation to remove yourself from the area.

I flicked on the first open, found the big on button behind it, and pressed it.

A red light flashed out of the grenade, forming a line between and the floor. One that imdiately broke the mont I moved.

I flung the Resonator away as it started wailing.

I would say Im impressed, but its very much the opposite.

Shut up, I grumbled.

All of my companions were looking over to , so I stood taller and hoped that they couldnt see the colour of my face in the poor lighting.

Just covering our rear, I said. Keep moving.

They kept moving, so of them pressing hands over their ears to block out the racket from the grenade.

I jogged up to the nearest soldier while muttering to Myalis. By the ti I caught up I had a handful of resonators to give him.

Place these on the ground behind us, laser bit pointing away. Also, activate it after you place it. Not before.

The soldier cradled the grenades like a live baby. Um. Yes maam, he said as he passed his rifle to his partner.

I moved back to the front of the group while unslinging Whisper from my back. We should be safe from behind, I said.

Thank you, he said. Good idea with the lure back there.

Yeah. Thanks.

This is just humiliating. I hope I can expunge all evidence of this from any record or the other AI will mock for eons.

Our path continued unmolested by any aliens until we reached the stairwell. At so point, the lights had gone out. Worse, the body wed left untouched by the door was long gone.

I saw Monroe reaching up to touch the side of his helt. He nodded, and I heard muffled speech coming through before he turned my way. The cars are eting a lot more resistance now. I think theyve been marked.

Nodding, I gestured out ahead. Then well get to them in a hurry. I shook off the bad feeling roiling in my stomach. How many shelters had stories just like this one?

We werent even supposed to co here until I insisted.

And the orange zone would only grow bigger as ti moved on.

As I stepped into the stairwell and began looking for trouble, a small part of was hoping that I wasnt the only idiot out there doing her best to keep folk alive.