Stray Cat Strut Chapter Seventy - A Respite

Chapter Seventy - A Respite

Samurai dont stay human.

Dont misunderstand, theyre still very much people. Its just that you cannot expect an older, more experienced Samurai to be a normal human being.

From prosthetic replacents for missing limbs to incredibly advanced body augntations, over ti, a Samurai will leave their mortal human shell behind and turn into sothing entirely different.

Is it any wonder that so have a hard ti sympathizing with the average person off the street?

--Allan Pascal, online lecture on the psychology of body augntations, 2031

***

Myalis had a lot of options to go over. Her tone didnt quite change from its usual calm cadence but I had the impression that she was quite excited by the prospect of turning into so sort of walking cyborg machine. I dont know, I said to her last suggestion that I just get rid of everything inside my torso and replace it with a single machine. Im kind of fond of so of my internal organs. Theyve been with my entire life.

Its rely more cost effective in the long run to replace everything in one fell swoop rather than pieceal.

What if... I dont know, soone shoots with a magnet?

The system is hardly that failable. Also, soone could shoot you with a far cheaper standard bullet now and have the sa impact on your lifespan at a much reduced cost.

Point, I said as I reached the end of the bridge. I looked around another sort of open-concept concourse. You think we can take the elevators up?

The elevators are still reporting as functional. On the subject of internal augntations, it might all be a moot point. The more complex additions would require an operations suite to be installed, or else a series of drones to accomplish the operations and so ti to recover afterwards. It would be unwise to do so in a battlefield.

Then why are you pushing it so much? I asked as I started following the signs towards an elevator bank.

Im getting you used to the idea now, so that its easier to convince you later.

I snorted. Youre such a pain in the ass, I said.

Of course not. Im rely thinking ahead. From your profile, I think its safe to assu that one of your goals in the near future will be to heal and fix as many of the injuries and defects that your kittens have, correct?

Stepping into the elevator, I paused for a mont as the doors shut on their own and I started moving up. Yeah. Yeah thats one thing Ill definitely be doing soon. The points Id accumulated would be enough, I hoped. So of the kittens only had little problems that I was sure a few ds could fix. So had more complicated issues. Missing limbs would require so good prosthetics and the like. But I could afford them if I was a little more frugal with my points.

In that case theres a good chance that youll be investing points into dical catalogues already. Im just ensuring that you make the best out of them.

I crossed my arms and waited as we climbed up a few dozen floors. Myalis was... probably being as honest as she could be. The AI really did have a tendency to try and help, even if sotis I questioned her intelligence a bit.

First things first, Im going to need to replace my hydra guns, I said. Raising up my new arm, I poked at the mangled remains of the right-side mount. Maybe sothing with more bang.

Thats not a terrible idea. Might I suggest a more comprehensive system than the plain Hydra?

Nows the ti, I said. I had points to burn, especially if they would keep alive. I do like the shoulder mounts.

Then perhaps a full suite instead. Four arms to replace the two you have. You could also dip into your Plasma Casting Weaponry catalogue for sothing a little more dangerous than your Lancejets. Im afraid that there arent that many subtle weapons in that category though.

The plasma rifles werent very loud, I said.

No. But their bullets glow. That might be outweighed by the advantage brought by purchasing a set of weapons that dont require standard ammunition to fire, using gas and pellets instead. You could purchase a set of weapons with a greater rate of fire and the ability to fire an order of magnitude more projectiles before reloading.

I felt a grin tugging at my lips, one that was really helping get past the pain of my last battering. That sounds nice. Maybe mix and match? Two plasma... smg things, and a pair of bigger, aner guns. Sothing that wont just annoy the next double-digit I run into.

There should be so options like that in your Kinetic Handguns catalogue. Perhaps a Kneebreaker. Its essentially a pared-down light anti-material rifle.

Those are certainly words Ive heard before, I said.

The elevator stopped with a cheerful ding and the doors slid open while I was reaching for my Trench Maker.

It fires very big bullets very fast. Im afraid I cant simplify it more than that.

I snorted and shook my head.

The floor wed stopped at was filled with similar shops, so I was greeted by the eerie jingles of a dozen empty stores as I stepped out and looked around for sothing to jump out at .

To the left. And as for the Kneebreaker, its just about the hardest-hitting handgun you have. It fires an osmium ball through... the explanation will be pointless. Its a small railgun.

Aww, you can explain things if you want, I said. I know how much you like explaining all the little unimportant details to .

Sotis I wonder what I did to deserve you as a Vanguard. I could have been paired with soone who at least had the intellect to understand all of my explanations. Its a good thing youre mostly enjoyable and your penchant for making things explode is so entertaining.

I felt a bit of a twinge in my chest, one that I suspected wasnt from one of my many new injuries. Well, I like you, I said. So as Lucy would say, youre stuck with .

She would have been a much nicer Vanguard if she had the right drive.

I glared at the empty air before , though there was no heat in it. Hands off, shes mine.

I dont have hands.

You know what I ant, I said with a warning shake of a finger.

What did you an?

I jumped about a foot in the air and looked around like the last deer caught in the headlights of a semi. My attention locked onto a pristine and unruffled Gomorrah who stepped out from a passage ahead. Youre alive, I said.

I dont think there was any doubt about surviving, she said. You, on the other hand, look like you took a dip through the first few circles of hell. Are you injured?

No more than usual, I said.

She shook her head. Thats not reassuring.

I grinned back at her, looked around, and on spotting a nice little restaurant with so seats out front, made my way over to a nice bench where I could take so weight off my feet. Im a bit tired, I admitted. But Ill be fine.

She looked up and down. Take your ti, she said.

I was about to respond when a familiar clicking ca from around the corner. I looked over in ti to see Dumbass the First and Dumbass Two skittering around the corner, both of them hanging onto one end of a familiar rifle. My Whisper! I said.

The Dumbasses ca by my side and I picked the rifle from their back and looked it over. It had gained so scuffs and the bipod legs at the bottom were fucked, but it looked usable still. Nice work, Dumbasses.

The drones spun around in a little dance while I set the gun across my lap.

Youre a strange one, Gomorrah said. You need help replacing so of your gear? she asked.

I wouldnt say no, I said. I think Ill need all the help I can get.

Gomorrah pulled out a seat next to mine, then she looked over to a glass display with so sodas behind it. Temptation has a hold on , she muttered before walking over to it. With an unexpectedly swift kick, she broke the glass front and pulled out a pair of sodas from the rack behind. She placed one onto the table next to before sitting down with her own.

Thanks, I said. I didnt peg you as the vandalism sort.

Im thirsty, she said.

I bet you are, I replied with a wiggle of my eyebrows that would have made Lucy proud.

She scoffed and reached up under her hood. Her mask ca off with a hiss, and the stern womans face was set aside to reveal a beautiful young woman. She had high cheekbones and the sort of symtrical face bordered by ssy blonde hair that could drive soone mad.

With a face like that, I dont know why you wear that mask, I said.

She glared at , the look a lot stronger now that I could see her piercing blue eyes. Its because Id like to keep my face the way it is. With the amount of injuries you accrue you ought to think of armour yourself.

I humd. That was an idea. But it would need to wait for to calm down a bit.

***