Balance of Power - Andovar Kundwi - Univ of Thebes, United Med States

-begin excerpt-

The Systems advancements in Species Rank and other aspects of physiology have brought many different improvements in a variety of areas. The use of these advancements has allowed two of the factions to remove themselves from the petty squabbles of the ground-based factions.

The Android Hivemind has been able to construct and maintain low Earth orbital stations. The Hive Mind can conduct its business remotely from these locations through drones and other robots. Most of these remotely controlled units do not have a “brain” and are simply puppets of the supremely powerful C-rank or better controllers spread throughout the Hivemind.

The so-called Skylords are rarely seen on the ground but are widely accepted to be humans who have advanced their rank to C or better. The earliest of these ‘noble” lines were gifted with levels of supreme technology that have allowed them to build cities and vehicles that fly. Gravity manipulation, magnetic repulsion, and other propulsion technologies far beyond what humans could achieve pre-Fall are common among the Skylord and Android factions.

Both “elevated” factions have some commerce with the ground-based cities and factions. These interactions are most commonly due to the elevated factions needing something from the ground-based ones. This is not always true. The Sky City of Angel Heights and the free City of Angels are closely allied and see everyday movement between the ground and air-based cities. City of Angels is located in what was once Los Angeles, pre-Fall.

-end excerpt-

My eyes were glued upward. If they decided to investigate further, I was fucked. I was already fucked, but maybe I could get out of this shit fest.

One boot came down on the top step for a moment, and the step creaked ominously. One of the flashlights followed my footsteps in the mud to the bottom of the broken stairs. Fuck.

Now or never, I pulled one trigger. The shotgun thundered in my hand as it blew through the step and up into the leg of whoever was on it. Then the shit hit the fan.

I scrambled down the wall to my right and kept the shotgun aimed at the doorway above. Blood poured down the steps. Apparently hard armor didn’t do well against attacks from below. I watched as that trooper was dragged screaming out of the doorway, and another poked his head in, firing rounds down into the space below the step. I pulled the other trigger and emptied the barrel in his general direction. His head was slammed to the side, and he fell face-first into the cellar. Blood poured from his neck.

*Ting*

[You have slain a Human (Basic) 0 - Experience gained

First kill bonus experience earned

Survivor Class bonus experience earned]

I was cornered now and running out of ideas. Why hadn’t I taken that phased movement skill again? It would have been really useful right about now. I heard something I didn’t want to hear.

“FIRE IN THE HOLE!” as something small and round was tossed into the basement. Fuuuck!

I phased backwards into the wall, holding my breath.

*CRUMP*

I stepped back into the room, choking on smoke and thanking whatever the System was for giving me the abilities it had. I slid down the wall to my spot back under the steps. I looked at the Puritan corpse that had fallen into the room. They must not have liked that guy very much. He was a disgusting mess. My stomach didn’t try to come up. I think I was getting used to this killing people part, which bothered me in a whole other way.

I heard three voices up above. One was whimpering about something I couldn’t understand. It went quiet a moment later.

*Ting*

[You have slain a Human (Basic) 0 - Experience gained

Survivor Class bonus experience earned]

Fuck, that one I shot in the leg must have bled out. Nothing to do about it for now. I waited with the machete in hand. I felt the goons upstairs shuffle around and discuss what was next. They didn’t know if I was dead or not. Two of theirs were. Just then, I heard my salvation. One of their radios bleeped, then static hissed from it. A panicked voice came out. ”Patrol Bravo Two - We’re under fire. Must be twenty of them, Hel-” Then it cut short.

Just then, I heard one of the mortars *thunk-thump*

Oh, fuck no. Not while I can do anything about it. No shelling my city, nope. No way.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

I heard the boots thump and turn out as the three survivors of this squad turned to reinforce the active threat. I was an unknown threat and presumably dead—tough nuts for them.

I reloaded the shotgun from my coat pocket. Three shells left. I’ll need to buy more soon enough.

I pulled myself up the broken steps but kept my head down. I looked out into the bloodied room beyond. Yep, Corporal Schmidt’s leg was shredded from my shotgun blast. I took a moment and took his radio, rifle, and two magazines. I’m no sharpshooter, but I know how to use an M4 carbine.

Keeping low, I move toward the front door that looks out over the parking lot the mortar trucks were in. All six were lined up. Two of the trucks were mortar trucks. I scooted upstairs as I heard the thunk-thump again. A gunfight was developing down the street. Jason must have caught up.

In a second-story room, I checked the bolt and chambered a round. Flicking the selector to burst, I aimed through the window but kept myself in the darkened room—no need to present a silhouette for return fire. These were some tactics Tukey, and his friends had drilled into us since we were kids. That was one of them.

I sighted through the junk optics and waited. I watched as the first mortar team adjusted the tube a bit, and the loader readied to drop a round into the tube. I pulled the trigger. Three sharp pops, and I watched him drop the shell as he fell forward. I hit him! Shit. SHIIIIT!

*Ting*

[You have slain a Human (Basic) 0 - Experience gained

Survivor Class bonus experience earned]

Crap, I killed him? Fuck.

I dropped to my belly and rolled away from the window. I crawled out of the room and to the other room that overlooked the parking lot—which used to be a bathroom.

The window is much smaller, and I watch as the first team plays medic to their downed guy. The dropped mortar round is nothing to worry about. It doesn’t arm until fired. The second team is getting their next shot ready. I fire a burst at one of them, catching him in the arm.

Ruuuun. I scramble out of the room as three troopers unload on the front of the house I’m in. Neither truck is going to drop mortars for a few minutes. I run to the back rooms and drop out the back window.

I can hear the gunfight in the background, trailing off and getting closer.

I turn to get to the next house. Maybe I can keep them from firing those mortars while Jason gets into the area. I’m just at the corner of the house when a trooper spins around with his carbine. We bash face-first into one another, and I recover first. I hit him right in the face with the butt of the rifle I’m holding. His head snaps back, and I leg it.

*Ting*

[You have slain a Human (Basic) 0 - Experience gained

Survivor Class bonus experience earned]

Fuck, these guys are fragile. Or maybe my 40 strength is that much more than they can handle.

I hear popping behind me, and my calf and shoulder light up in fiery pain. Fuuuck! I hit the ground next to the door as more bullets fly over me. Crap, that fucking hurts. I phase and roll through the wall into the house. I fall a little after passing through the wall and hitting a pile of junk. I feel my wrist twist, and my kneecap hits something pointy. I roll off the accumulation of debris and lay in the dust on the floor. Oh, pain; it sure clears the mind of other distractions.

I dropped the spare magazines I had somewhere along the way. I hope I won't need them. I just lay there and breathed through the pain. I can feel my body pushing the bullet shards out. It burns like being shot, just slower. I listen as more Puritan goons start screaming at one another, and some start searching the house. This basement is full of junk: old shelves, mildewed paintings, and ruined yard tools.

I grab a shovel, and the handle disintegrates, rotten from the inside. I grab a broom, the plastic handle is brittle, but that’s fine. I only need it once. I head back under the stairs. It’s as good a place to hide as it always is. I hold the broom in my left hand and the partially loaded carbine in my right. The goons start searching the house until one of their radios squawks something I can’t understand. They reply and head out of the house. I can hear and feel six big diesel engines start.

They’re getting ready to leave. Unacceptable. I wait for the troops to leave the house. I peek up from the basement and out onto the parking lot. Their patrols are pulling back. I see the guys holding a defensive position around the trucks as other troops come running in from the area. Gunfire sounds from outside the parking lot, and all of the soldiers take aim. They start moving to take cover around the trucks and fire back at the guys shooting at them. I can see the whole tactical situation on my minimap. Two groups of ten are coming in from the northwest and another two from the southwest. That one must be Jason and his guys.

I keep low and out of sight. I’ve been shot twice, and my stamina is low already. I can sit this one out and let the professionals take over. The mortars aren’t going to be lobbing any more bombs into the city. I just sit and breathe and wait.

The first truck starts rolling forward, and the troops taking cover behind it jump onto the sides and handholds. I see one of them drop off the side as he takes a hit. He rolls under the tires, and that’s the end of him. Another truck starts rolling behind the first. Two more start moving when a grenade bounces under one of them. That one begins smoking, and guys pile out of it. I hear the chatter of a light machine gun and watch them fall dead.

It takes another two minutes before the last three Puritans surrender. The City Guards start to sweep through the area, and I stand and walk out of the house I’m in. Stupid. I almost get shot by a trio of jumpy guards. I wave and hold my hands in the air. Since I’m not in hard armor but a bloody and half-shredded set of coveralls, I don’t get shot again. I lay the rifle on the ground and step back. One of the guards comes up to retrieve it.

I take my hard hat off and lift the goggles out of the way. The guard approaches, and I say, “Heya, Donny.”

The cat-anthro looks at me and smiles. “Oh, hey, Izzy. Sorry about that.”

“All good, tense situation,” I reply.

“Damn right. What are you doing here?” He asks me as the other two approach.

“I was the one who warned the sergeant about them and then helped find them. I got messed up and tangled with a few of the bastards.” I say.

“Really? Thanks. I fucking hate the Puritan shitheads.” Donny says.

At this point, things are starting to wrap up. The three surviving Puritans are handcuffed ankle to opposite wrist and gagged.

I see Jason, and he waves me over. Donny has been attached to my side the whole time. I guess I needed a guard. I am sort of a loose thread around here.