I don’t know how much longer this can go on. I’m fine myself at least, well fine enough for the circumstances. It’s been a few hours since the attack began, but my family and I live on the opposite end of the town from where they broke through.

Marty was sleeping in my arms, the kid barely waking up as we made our way to the HQ of the Happy Healthy PMC. They were a large PMC for such a small town, mostly due to the fact that one of the company's retreat hospitals was in town. At least they helped the rest of us, though I can’t feel too grateful right now.

The building was made as a barracks, so it could hold a few hundred people easily, but they had crammed close to a thousand in. I was stuck sitting in a corner, face practically in the ass of the people still standing. At least all the soldiers moved outside to stand guard, the ones that were stationed around this building anyway.

Most of the troops went to deal with the bugs, and took all the armored trucks. I saw them driving past as we were heading for shelter, at least ten of the vehicles moving out to downtown. Then there were the PMC troops still guarding the hospital itself, which left around a dozen who were now patrolling around the impromptu shelter. I would have been mad if I ever expected anything better from them.

All that had me worrying and trying to comfort Chel as best as I could with nothing but one arm free. I’m sure she would be pacing if there was any room to do it, but for now she was just leaning into my side trying not to hyperventilate. But no, the thing I was worried more about was my idiot brother, sibling I reminded myself, they were out doing a late night delivery from Motor City and should have been back by now. I may have slipped a tracker on his van to keep an eye on them, with how dangerous the mega cities could be especially at ground level. Not like he owned the van anyway, then again if the town government found out I tapped one of their cars they wouldn’t be much happier than Ness.

My company augs showed the van had stopped a little ways into the south gate of Traverse, but hadn’t moved in over an hour. Did the aliens get him? Did the PMC stop them for some reason? I’m not really sure which would be worse. Marty tried to roll over in my arms, and I realized I was holding on a bit too tight. Relaxing a bit had him doing the same.

I tried some of the breathing exercises the company taught for stress management, they barely worked. Chel and Marty’s presence did more to keep me calm than any of that crap.

A murmur made its way through the crowd like a ripple in a pond, when it got close enough I could only make out one word. “Samurai.”

Oh thank god, I knew the PMC must have contacted the Family to get a samurai to help, but it sure took them long enough. Maybe I was being optimistic but the susurration sounded positive, no screaming or crying, just quiet relief. Not out of the fire yet, but maybe the heat was getting turned down.

The people nearby began shifting, some people must be leaving since the pressure of the crowd lessens around us.

“Is it over?” Chel asked, her voice raspy from lack of sleep and too much stress. It would be sexy if it was any other situation but no it's just kind of sad.

“I hope so, I sure hope so.” I reply with a hopeful tone, cause all we can do now is hope. Hope that the aliens were dealt with and that my idiot sibling didn’t end up in their stomachs.

Everyone went deathly quiet as loud metallic footsteps echoed through the makeshift shelter. The throng of people was parted by a figure straight out of one of Ness’s games. Like a fantasy knight they wore a full suit of white armor with very shiny gold trimming. The trim had imagery of… clowns and guns? Yeah that was a samurai if I ever saw one. The shield he carried had a pair of theater masks in gold in one hand, and a large sword in the other, though it looked pretty normal for samurai stuff.

As more people moved out of his way I noticed an emblem on his breastplate. Some sort of coat of arms, with the word ‘bot’ in big bold letters on it.

Weird. Is it his name? Didn’t really fit in with the whole knight in shining armor look.

All the loud noises and commotion seemed to have woken Marty up. He shifted in my arms some more before I set him down between me and his mother. He sleepily rubbed at his eyes and mumbled something that might have been a question. Chel was able to translate and was whispering to him. I couldn’t hear what she was saying but that didn’t stop me from trying to eavesdrop. I was distracted long enough apparently that I failed to notice when the samurai stopped in front of us.

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“Greetings Rodger, Chel, and of course you as well Martin.” The samurai spoke in a not quite monotone, but in a clearly synthetic sounding voice. Like an AI, a decent one but still noticeable.

“Hello sir, can we help you?” Chel asked in her customer service voice, sweet and servile. Not at all what she was like in private. It was the right call here, samurai were usually generous with normal folk but it was never a good idea to test it.

I glanced around nervously, just waiting for the other shoe to drop. If a samurai was singling someone out it was either like winning the lottery, or to give terrible news, and I wasn’t feeling lucky even with a samurai in town.

“We should talk in a more private location, there is an empty office on the second floor. Follow me.” The heavily equipped samurai spoke, and we weren’t in the habit of pissing on the people with all the weapons. Doubly so when they choose to fight man eating plants with nothing but a sword and shield. Me and Chel just nodded, she took Marty by the hand as we were led to the stairs up. The crowd gave us plenty of room, and plenty of looks. Some were nothing but pity, others jealousy without bothering to mask it. Just grin and bear it, don’t think about it. Focus on getting past this.

I kept my head down and took Chel’s free hand forming a human chain. We went upstairs where we certainly weren’t allowed earlier. The company didn’t want the workers with ideas even close to any weapons. The armored man clearly didn’t give a shit as he opened a door that I thought had been locked and guided us down an abandoned corridor to a neat little office that clearly belonged to some asskisser. Lots of Happy Healthy posters and merch, with a desk so clean I wasn’t sure it had ever been used, and a faux leather couch that seemed fresh out of a factory. That didn’t mean it was clean of course, I knew what those manager types could get up to.

“Please have a seat, I am sure you have plenty of questions. I will do my best to answer them but I am here first and foremost to deliver a message, or a few messages really. Honestly it's a bit of a rant, but don’t blame me for that.” The knight said with an exaggerated shrug, he set down his gear not too gently on the desk, visibly denting it and knocking over the few bits and bobs on its surface . He then took a seat in the very cushy swivel chair behind the desk and from the sound of it almost breaking it with his weight. He was a big guy, not fat but I’d eat my hat that I don’t own that he was ripped as punk jeans. Plus the armor didn’t exactly look light weight.

I still didn’t feel very optimistic about this, I didn’t have as big of a problem with samurai as Ness did, but it's hard to forget the death of our parents so easily. Even if it wasn’t their fault it's not something you get over even after so many years. Sometimes it feels like their ghosts are always looking over my shoulders.

Chel didn’t look much better than I felt, and Martin looked like he was properly awake at this point and just staring at the knight with awe. Hopefully this wasn’t one of those ‘don’t meet your heroes’ moments. I could only imagine what was going through their minds, I know I can barely believe this even as it's happening.

“So what's this about? Not that I don’t appreciate you getting us out of there, but I doubt a samurai would single us out for good news?” I asked weakly, trying not to fidget under the watch of a real life samurai right here. I swallowed nervously, not wanting any answers really.

“No, I wouldn’t qualify any of this as bad news. First I would like to clarify a few things, I am not a samurai though I do represent one.” The apparently not-samurai said, which was a bit surprising. Maybe they worked for a samurai? It was rare but some of the car based ones had their own gangs basically.

“Oh?” Chel sounded a bit lost, and a bit intrigued. A little bit of life came back to her, but she still had a bit of a thousand yard stare. Marty… just seemed disappointed he wasn’t a samurai. I tried not to show too much relief, it was easy when I was still wary of a stranger in these circumstances. But they weren’t a samurai themselves so it might not be that dire.

“Yes, I am the AI companion of a newly minted samurai. This body speaking is just a meat robot more or less.” It said simply, and that was a bit of a horrifying image I tried to not think about. Though Marty’s excitement skyrocketed at the revelation. Oh boy.

“You fight with the samurai? Did you beat up the aliens?” He asked with the enthusiasm only obtainable by four year olds. He was physically bouncing on the couch between me and Chel.

The knight, his face slightly visible through a cross shaped visor, smiled at the kid before he replied.

“Yes, I have certainly helped them. Though they are not quite done teaching the antithesis what for. Though now it is. time to actually reveal their identity to you!” The robot AI gave an unnecessary dramatic pause as it dawned on me. There's only one asshole I know that is this much of a drama queen.

Before they get a chance I growl out. “Goddamn it Ness, its Ness isn’t it.”

At this point I can’t decide if I’m relieved that hes alive, or fucking tired of their antics. I can be both. I’m angry but I can’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it, Ness is a fucking samurai. It's crazy.

Chel and Marty both looked shocked at my outburst but the AI just looks disappointed.

“Well that's no fun if you already know. I had this big old speech prepared and everything. But yes you are correct, they have been chosen to become a Vanguard to defend humanity. You can call me Ashlyn by the way.” They pout, before giving a shit eating grin.

“Ness did want to send a message, and make sure you were all doing well.” Ashlyn says a bit placatingly before clearing their throat.

“Please tell them I am a samurai now, let them know I am dealing with the hive soon, and tell them that I love them. Also they wish to tell you that tomorrow's game will need to be rescheduled.”

I kinda broke down after that, laughing harder and crying, from relief or from stress at this point it doesn’t matter. Ness is alive, and if he’s a samurai they’ll be just fine. Marty looks around confused but still smiling.

Chel is taking it all better than me now that she's got more information to work with, just giving me a small smile.

I breathe in deep, feeling like the first real breath in a long, long time. A bit more composed, though still feeling the edge of mania I tell the space AI thing wearing a human meat suit my response.

“Ness better be bringing some new minis at least. And snacks.”

“Samurai snacks!” Marty shouts.

Chel chuckles and Marty cheers like he was the one chosen to be a samurai.

“Noted, I am sure they will be happy to accommodate.” Ashlyn said.

Well, not sure that was bad news. Though the news will be a lot better when they’re done kicking alien ass.