One of the most enjoyable parts about being a Samurai is the occasional time you buy a new piece of equipment, be it a gun, or just a cup of Protector grade instant ramen.

And when you use it for the first time, you just get this feeling that you made a new best friend.

I live for that feeling.

-Cryoflare in a Gun Loverz Forum AMA, 2056

“This fucking sucks!”

I do believe you’re overreacting dear.

I pouted, “I am not! The mud in this field is horrible!”

You are also the one who not only chose to not use the roads-

“Those would’ve taken years to drive on!”

-but you’re also the person who has boots designed not to sink in what is effectively quicksand, yet still are sinking down into the muck regardless.

I fired my hand-cannon at the Threes currently charging at me, and churning up the mud I had to walk through. The Threes fell down into the mud twitching their last moments of life away. But that didn’t solve the main problem.

This field hadn’t dried out an iota since the rainstorm we got a few days ago hit it.

Walking on where the stubble actually was helped a bit, but the antithesis had acted as somewhat decent tillage for the field. The soybean trash was churned down into the mud, if not completely absent in spots due to their biomass collection.

I didn’t necessarily mind the mud, but stepping in a spot that instantly sucked my foot down to the middle of my leg multiple times was maddening.

I was incredibly thankful the boots were sealed to the exterior of my jumpsuit legs. I never wanted to experience muddy water on the insides of my boots again.

The few times it had happened were the worst times of my life.

Pyri was also completely right about the last part. Apparently all combat footwear on Vulgora, and most civilian footwear as well, had special tech on the soles designed to keep the user afloat on waterlogged soils and sands. And for whatever reason, despite working completely properly, My boots kept letting me sink.

Pyri said it had something to do with my ‘form’ when walking, because I was walking as if I was walking through mud in regular Earth made boots. Not like I was wearing flotation devices on my feet.

She had admitted that the more uneven terrain was partially to blame, and she would mark it down in yet another itinerary to remember to adapt the next pair of boots to be better able to help me in a muddy field.

Finally reaching a strip of undisturbed trash spread by the combine, I sighed in relief at the more stable ground, while walking further across the field, towards the mass of Ones.

“Pyri, we need to talk about a new weapon for me.”

What kind of weapon are you looking for?

“I need something to help me deal with that mass of pigeons flying in the distance,” I gestured to the mass of roiling xenos in question. “Preferably something I can use while destroying the hive if it’s underground as well.”

Hmmm. Have you heard about electrical field applications?

My glasses revealed a Nine pressing itself down into the mud, it was admittedly trying its best to camouflage itself in a flat wide open space. It died the same as the Nine from a few minutes ago that tried to disguise itself as a bush in the middle of the field.

“Can’t say I have no.”

Would you like a primer before getting into the weapon itself? Also, here, have the points you’ve made over the past several minutes.

Targets Eliminated! Model Three x41 410 Model Four x7 105 Model Nine x2 50 Total: 565 Reward: 1108

Pyri sounded hopeful that I would say yes, and to be completely honest, I loved listening to her explanations on things. They were always informative, and super interesting. Also, I never liked how people who infodumped in old movies were nearly constantly cut off as a gag. C-3PO deserved better!

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“Go for it!” I exclaimed, “Just make sure I get my weapon before the birds decide I look like one massive worm please.”

I won’t let that happen dear. As for the electrical fields, they are the phenomena that allows electricity to naturally jump from point to point to balance their charges. It’s what creates lightning, and also how your Jacob’s Ladder balls work to send the initial spark that turns into a weaponized bolt of energy.

I tilted my head, “Not my guns?”

Actually they do, they work by creating a narrow electric field to aim and then forces the matter in a sense by effectively replicating a lightning-strike. There is more to your weapons to force that leap, but for time’s sake we can save that lesson for later.

I let out a sigh, as the trash I was walking on finally ended. I muttered about slimy mud as Pyri continued.

As for this weapon in particular, it can be used in multiple ways, but it's primarily a shotgun that fires a round of buckshot, just before firing a laser pulse targeting the pellets you just fired. That electrically charges the individual parts of the buckshot and causes lightning to arch between them, and anything in between.

That of course means it can be used to great lethal effect against large groups, but especially Model Ones. Well, assuming you’re far enough away to allow for the spread to cover a wide enough area. And to reduce the chances of the orbs crashing into each other due to the Coulomb force.

I nodded, “Seems decent, not a true swarm killer, but it’ll definitely work against the damned birds.” I paused to make my way across an especially churned up spot. “How much does the ammo cost?”

The ammunition intended for this weapon is three points for a drum magazine of ten shells.

“Not too bad, you said it had other uses?”

Indeed, that is just one of three firing modes it has. The second mode is similar to the first, but acts more as pure area denial rather than direct killing power. It is also useless against aerial Models, but excels in closed spaces.

“Meaning cave interiors.”

Precisely, this mode basically unlinks the buckshot and the pulse from each other. This allows you to effectively create a field of material that can be electrified at your command.

“Pyri, that just sounds like my grenades with extra steps.”

While true, the pellets are reusable and will recharge if hit with a subsequent round’s pulse. Your backpack Zapper can also send out a similar enough pulse with more energy making it hit harder. Not to mention the fact while that your grenades can be crushed, these pellets can’t. Finally you can load another shell and fire more buckshot before the pulse which also gives this weapon a unique use in areas where electricity isn’t an option.

I threw my hands up in the air, “Okay! You convinced me! It’s a viable alternative to my grenades, and I will give it a try if I use the gun! What's the third firing mode?”

The third and final mode is meant for armored opponents, another thing you lack an answer to currently. In short, the gun charges the pellets before firing, electrostatically forcing them together into a slug, which upon impacting with the target, come apart and release their charge into the impact site.

I was grinning now, this mode sounded just plain dirty. “So it breaks their armor, buries electrified pellets in the soft tissue beneath and then electrocutes them?”

Yes, BUT keep in mind you can only rechange an individual grain of buckshot as long as you have a direct sightline from the rifle to it, so this will be a one time use case per shot if the pellets embed in something not that more than that is typically required.

“I want it! This is going to be so much fun to use!”

Very well, I do advise you to be mindful with any further weapon purchases of this size, you don’t have enough space on your backpack to work with more than four weapons at once.

“I’ll keep that in mind Pyri thank you. Can you give me two mags on top of it?”

I can do that, and you are welcome dear.

New Purchases! Trench Stormer 325 Specialized Buckshot Drum x2 6 Total: 331 Points Reduced To: 777

A box dropped into the mud with a splash, opening it I found a beautifully constructed single barrel shotgun with a drum attached to the main body of the shotgun in front of the trigger. It was painted in bright cyans and blues and on the side of the stock, a light blue fox tail with a white tip was painted on.

I have to admit I choked up. I wasn’t really a massive conventional gun nut,like they’re a tool designed to do gun things. Like going ‘pew pew’.

The Trench Stormer was doing its best to convince me otherwise.

“Its- its beautiful!”

It is indeed, the Vulgorans tend to make their weapon making more of an art form. Particularly for any weapon that doesn’t just fire off electricity.

I pulled the two extra drums out, and attached them to my bandolier. Then I reverently pulled the combat shotgun out of the box. It was weighty in my hands in a way that was comfortable. And just plain felt great.

“Pyri, I think I’m in love.”

Be sure to have her back home by eleven then.

I giggled, then looked down the sights of the shotgun, the stock fit comfortably against my shoulder, and a customized AR sight popped up on my glasses revealing where I would be swapping the Trench Stormer’s firing modes. Pyri highlighted a sliding lever running on either side of the gun just underneath the barrel

There are also manual controls on the weapon itself in case you want to forgo the AR controls. Forward is tandem, middle is slug, rear most is separate discharge.

“Let’s go find a volunteer group to test this on.”