Chapter Sixty-Four – Aftermath, but we’re Really Bad at Math

Chapter Sixty-Four – Aftermath, but were Really Bad at Math

When the first incursions occurred, humanity as a whole didnt know how to respond to them. They were a threat unlike any other.

And so, naturally, no holds were barred when it came to unleashing humanitys collective arsenal on the aliens.

Often, that meant that the worst of the disaster wasnt created by the aliens, but by humanity itself.

–Excerpt from A History of Disaster, 2047

***

Okay, press here, I said, gesturing at a point on the dudes leg.

He hissed as he put pressure on his wound, but it helped, keeping one of my hands free so that I could tug his leg up and wrap the bandage around it again.

I had plenty of first aid stuff, but they were a bit pricey. Good bandages though? With some sort of magic bullshit fast-healing stuff in them? Yeah, one point for a roll that had an adhesive strip on the ends and that would contract and breathe as needed.

There, I said as I pressed the strip into the bandage. The edges flashed green and the entire bit of cloth tightened a little. Id kiss it better, but youre not my type.

Thanks, he said.

I shifted back out of the car, ignoring all the glass crunching below me as I backed out, then I gave him a hand to get out himself. He still hung onto his gun, which was great. It might come in handy.

Lets get you inside, I said as I looked around. None of the cars around us had windows, and they were all turned an ugly grey-ish brown by the blast of dirt and ash.

Speaking of ash, there was a faint rain coming down from above. Too grey to be snow.

What happened? he asked.

“Some fuckwit didnt learn their lesson about blast radiuses, I think, I said. Just hope this shits not radioactive.

It is not. The HVW that struck nearby was an iridium rod. It is non-radioactive.

Oh, so its not fallout? I asked.

Its fallout from the explosion, but it is not radioactive fallout. No more than any amount of soil kicked up would have, at least.

Thats good, right? the guy asked.

Sure, I said. Lets get you inside, you can have a sit with your family.

The arena was fucked. The lobby was fine. A bit dusty, and some of the posters had been ripped off the walls, but nothing a janitor couldnt fix. The rest of it though? The tin roof had been peeled back like a sardine can, exposing the hockey rink and letting in plenty of dust and crap.

Dust had made it all the way into the corridors leading to the shelter. The doors were shut when we arrived. Couldnt blame them, Id have closed them on sensing the blast too.

I had to knock hard to get people to respond. Then I was practically shoved aside as the man that had asked me about his son grabbed the guy next to me and hugged him.

A nice, tearful reunion. Still, two others wouldnt be getting theirs.

I hesitated for a bit.

Should we move these people back to the headquarters, or leave them here? A quick look in the shelter revealed a low-ceilinged room, with hefty cement pillars here and there, and little rooms on all sides with cots. Maybe some thirty or forty people inside, most of them adults, but a few kids.

Hey, I said to one of them standing by the door. He had an old hunting rifle by his side and looked ready to use it. Im stepping out. Just outside. Close up, alright? I want to see whats going on.

I waved them off and headed back upstairs. I wasnt as concerned about aliens as I had been. That blast should have done a number to anything outside, aliens included.

Myalis, can you connect me to Gomorrah, please?

Certainly.

I closed my eyes for a moment and just breathed. The line beeped and I heard Gomorrah talking to someone. …Do what you can. Empty the infirmary. There should be more help coming soon. Give me a moment, Ive got a call. Cat?

Hey, I said. Did you feel that?

If by that you mean the dozen orbital strikes less than ten kilometres away, then yes, we all felt it. She was a bit terse. Maybe I could cut back on the snark? A little bit?

Everyone alright? I asked. Are you alright?

Im fine, she said. Everyone else… well, there arent any dead. Biggest injury is a broken leg. One of the police officers climbed up the wall to see the light show. He was thrown off. We have a lot of smaller injuries. The entire side of this building facing the blast had windows. Theres just… blood all over. Were trying to set things up. Get glass out of cuts and bandage them up.

Oh, shit, I said. I hadnt considered that. I heard you saying something about help. Thats not me, right?

No. Army is coming in from New Montreal. They should be half an hour out. The army-army, not some PMC, Gomorrah said. She sighed. I cant wait, this entire thing has turned into a mess.

Yeah, I said. Im going to stay here for a bit. Theres a shelter with a bunch of civilians in it. Once you get in touch with the army, can you have them send a few soldiers this way? We can escort them to the headquarters.

You dont want to do that yourself?

I shook my head. Not in this mess.

The streets were covered in debris and a few trees had fallen. The power lines had snapped in a few spots too.

Do you still have power? I asked.

Generator, Gomorrah said. They have a smaller one here, enough for the lights. Were using the steps instead of the elevators too. Apparently there are bigger generators over by the mines.

Well see if we cant get the army to move them over, I said.

Thats an idea. Gomorrah paused. Im getting a request for a call with someone, Im patching you in.

I didnt have time to protest that my augs shifted and suddenly I was looking at the face of a smiling man in a business suit. Hello Gomorrah… and Stray Cat? Pleased to meet you. How are things on the ground?

Gomorrah, whos this fucko? I asked, politely.

Gomorrah snorted and the guys face went through a few emotions. This is the one in charge of the orbital weapons. No, hes not a Vanguard.

Im Lorenz, Lorenz said.

Thats nice. Why the fuck did you hit so close to the town?

Uh, thats where the hive is? he said. I actually stopped firing early. We were supposed to hit twelve times, then six more times in the centre, right over the main body of the hive, but theres some tectonic instability in the region from the first hits. Well need to wait for that to clear out first.

Another wave of hits? I asked. The place is barely keeping together as it is.

Lorenz seemed to disagree. We need to eradicate as much of the hive as we can now, before we send you in to weed out the rest.

Im sorry, what? I asked.

The Black Bear Mining Corporation has been using new technology to find mineral deposits, he said. Instead of strip mining, theyve been using tunnels to reach those deposits directly.

I squeezed my eyes shut. Lorenz, what the fuck are you on about?

Ill admit, Im curious too. This seems like an unnecessary tangent. Were trying to save lives here, we dont care about mining.

Sorry, sorry. Its just that we think the local Antithesis hive has relocated into the mining shafts around Black Bear. Some of the scans of the mines we have dont match up to the official records the company keeps. For that matter, theyve been extracting more ore than they should have.

So the aliens are underground, I said. That is, if you didnt collapse them in.

The shafts should still be there. The next wave of HVWs should be stronger, with bunker-buster munitions. It will be a bit harder than the last blast.

HVW?

Gomorrah was the one to reply. High Velocity Weapon. The kinetic strike rods they just used.

Okay, I said. So you want us to go skipping around in some mineshaft, to kill some aliens, while folk around here are screwed over by your inability to aim?

Lorenz looked a bit pale. Yes? … Maam?

Lorenz, where are you right now? I asked.

Im not supposed to disclose that?

His IP traces back to a Family-owned complex in Wyoming.

Wyoming, huh? Lorenz, Ive decided that I dont like you. So if you want me to do anything that isnt driving over to… wherever the fuck Wyoming is, then youd better become real convincing real fast. Im not in a good mood.

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