I wasn’t sure what I was going to do but planting a few shrubs along the perimeter of the wall wasn’t going to cut it now. A model six was headed this way and there was no chance that it would be stopped by anything that I had ever put out around the perimeter. “Inyris, what did you say could be done with my latest catalog?”
She replied in the usual uninterested tone that sounded like it had been ripped strait off of an automated shrink. ‘The things I told you could be done with the Class I Basic Gardener Biotechnologies catalog were as follows. This catalog features numerous organic methods of fending off, confusing, and even controlling the Antithesis.’
‘At this point, I am able to explain in much greater detail and can also list the many other items for purchase in the catalog. I can also give a much better description of the possible available items in the Class II Standard Gardener Biotechnologies catalog but I am afraid I won’t be able to give any but the vaguest info on the Class III Advanced Gardener Biotechnologies catalog.’
“Okay. I would like a bit more info on the methods I could use at range. I need things more like what Cat uses. Are there any guns available in the catalog?”
‘There are six thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven guns including variants or two thousand nine hundred and four base models.’
“Oh.”
‘I would recommend narrowing down the parameters of your search to better fit what you are seeking.’
“Are there guns that confuse the Antithesis? Maybe some that make them attack each other?”
‘There are a number of models that fit within that criteria but…’
“Wait, actually, are there any that work on large groups of the antithesis? I need something to handle a bunch of them at one time.”
‘There is one model that fits your criteria and falls within your budget. The Cross-pollinator is a use-and-discard bioweapon pistol with a somewhat limited range and a moderately large area of dispersal. When fired, a glob of mucus is propelled, in an arc, to the maximum range of thirty meters. The glob will explode upon contact and disperse quickly dissolving granules which will cover approximately a twelve-meter diameter area in a shower of scent marking chemicals.’
‘The effect of the chemical concoction is to confuse the senses of the nearby antithesis and cause them to attack the marked individuals as though they were not Antithesis. The marked Antithesis will attack one another as well. The scent doesn’t last long but it will last long enough that a group will kill or maim one another. The Cross-pollinator has enough chemicals to fire seven times before it will need to be replaced.’
I was a little awestruck. That was far and away more effective than anything from my last catalog. “That seems… effective? It’s a little more than I was expecting, to be honest.”
‘I believe that is a good way to describe it. The Gardeners are nothing if not effective. I would also like to take a moment to go over a few possible options for the near future.’
I could see movement through the haze in the distance. “You’ll need to make it quick. I can see the antithesis coming and I need to be prepared.”
I could see both of the women next to me looking at me a little curiously. I suppose that it was fairly well known that Samurai had AI in their heads that talked to them. So, maybe I didn’t look like too much of a psycho? That reminded me of them though. “One of the things I need to know about most is deterrents and perhaps things like the Pollenary Pacifier for other people.”
‘In this case, you wouldn’t have enough points built up for anything like that and the Pollenary Pacifier requires a certain amount of time to be effective. I would recommend other cheaper alternatives to using your Class I Basic Gardener Biotechnologies catalog if you intend on outfitting others.’
‘For fifty points you could purchase the class I variant of most basic weapons catalogs. For no more than an additional ten points a basic weapon of that variant can be purchased from any of those catalogs. This would be the way to purchase weaponry to outfit a group.’
‘Alternatively, you could purchase any of those catalogs and make a larger investiture in a single instance. This method would allow me to apply a certain percentage of point discount. This is done to offset the reduced point revenue generated by your weapons being wielded by other sentients.’
“Um… Inyris, I just wanted to protect the people here.”
‘I am aware of that. It is rarely within the mindset of a vanguard to track points provided by non-vanguard but a tally is kept just the same. I am merely informing you of those values prior to any decisions so that you can make informed decisions. This is part of my purpose.’
“oh, uh… Yeah, I guess. So what was the other thing you wanted to go over? Might want to make it quick though. Looks like I’m almost out of time here.”
‘If I might make a suggestion? For the purpose you mentioned, your catalog offers several single-use variants of a defensive variety. The Mark IV B.A.R.B. is a single-use defensive melee weapons platform which you could deploy now. It would…’
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“Deploy it Inyris. Describe it slowly and I’ll repeat it so the others can use it.”
In the next moment, a strange black case about a meter in height and somewhat egg-shaped appeared on the platform behind them. The case seemed almost like it was made of leather but also had a bit of a tobacco leaf appearance to it with a vine handle over the top. As soon as it appeared, all three of them and another six pairs of eyes besides were all fixated on the strange item that had appeared. After that, the case split open down the middle and the vines separated into two separate handles on the end of two large folded black petals.
The moment that the black petals were to the side, five rolled-up dark gray leaves began to unfurl from around a small green dome in the center. The dome immediately began to rise and in the span of three seconds, a roughly two-meter-tall green stalk rose up and then began to produce small thorns in five columns spaced radially around the stalk. Each of the five leaves had a column of three spines that sat above it and they grew outward rapidly.
Once the thorns reached about sixty centimeters in length, they began to change in shape. Each spine began to broaden and the area at about forty centimeters back from the tip it kept expanding. The tip of each stayed needle pointed and slowly swept back till it reached a ring that suddenly swept outward into a circular guard about ten centimeters around. The back side of the rings stayed a semi-symmetrical bar about five centimeters around.
As the spines stopped changing shape about ten seconds after the thing first showed up, they began to change color. The green color of the spines began to change to a harder-looking grey while pulsating dark green veins along small grooves in the side of each spine began to expand. As the veins along the fifteen spines expanded until they looked about ready to burst, the leaves below them shriveled up and crumpled.
Inyris began to talk to me so I began to repeat it. “This is a last-stand melee weapon for defense against the Antithesis. Each of you can pluck a thorn and if you have to fight an antithesis up close, stab it with the spine and it will be paralyzed after less than a second after its blood catalyzes with the sap contained in the spine.”
Immediately, the two women stepped forward and grabbed one of the thorns by its base, and pulled them loose. They came loose with a snap and the women looked at the weapon in their hand with curiosity as the other people began to come over and remove the thorns one after another. I reached out and grabbed one myself.
After only a moment, Inyris interrupted my inspection. ‘If you intend to use the strategy for confusing and slowing the oncoming group of Antithesis, you should make your way along the wall and climb the ladder to the adjoining rooftop. Once there, you should purchase the Cross Pollinator. On your way to the sniping position, I will describe the further options for weapons.
With a quick ‘stay safe’ to the people on the improvised wall, I took off towards the vantage of the building to the side. Inyris began describing some of my options but I knew about what I wanted. “Are there any fully automatic gun variants in the Gardener catalog? I would like to have something that can suppress the front line of an oncoming wave. I might also like to have something with a bit more penetrating power for dealing with the model six or sixes if there are more of them.”
‘I believe that I have a suggestion that should satisfy both requirements. The War-Willow gauntlet is a versatile multi-function biotech full-arm gauntlet that houses two barrels plus the ammo and propellants to fire them under a series of layered armor plates. The ammo types can be varied depending on the needs of the Vanguard at the time.’
‘One type of ammo is a vine-fed series of small needles that inject one of several antithesis-specific toxins upon contact. The barrel that services the vine of these needles would be automatic and would feed at a rate of five rounds per second and each vine is grown with three hundred rounds for a maximum of one minute of continuous fire.’
I had to push my way past and squeeze around several PMCs and Kittens as I made my way to the building to the right of the wall. ‘One of the different types of toxins that can be grown into the vines of ammunition has the effect of a partial paralytic, serving to slow affected Antithesis. Another one will react violently with their fluid in an antithesis causing small explosions in the affected area. And the third toxin would have a similar effect as that of the Cross-Pollinator. The difference being that the affected antithesis would directly turn on any nearby Antithesis that was unaffected by the toxin, effectively setting them aside as a temporary rival faction.’
I reached the ladder at the side of the wall and began climbing just as Inyris finished telling me about one type of ammunition. ‘Another popular variant ammunition is vines of twelve-centimeter-long spikes with a much higher density and weight. These vines only hold sixty spines and the rate of fire is reduced to semi-automatic. Each spine has a hardened casing grown to penetrate any model in the single digits and even has a decent chance of penetrating models in the lower teens.’
As I climbed to the roof of the building from the flimsy fire escape ladder, Inyris continued the description of a weapon I already liked the sound of. ‘The War-Willow is capable of using both barrels independently of one another and can have two types of ammunition equipped at the same time. Conversely, you could load it with two vines of the same ammunition and double the rate of fire of the overall weapon. However, it can only use the barrels in tandem if the same type of ammunition is loaded in both sides of the weapon.’
I took up position at the high parapet on the flat top roof of the apartment building. This provided me chest-high cover made of shoddy refurbished bricks and subpar mortar but it was better than nothing. “Alright Inyris, please order me the Cross-Pollinator.”
As I stood there ducking slightly and watching the charging horde of berserk plant-based atrocities, I saw the black leaf-leather bag appear on the parapet in front of me and grabbed it. The bag was little more than a large supple leaf held over the contents with a coiled vine wrapped in place. I uncoiled the vine and unwrapped the package to reveal a sixty-plus-centimeter pistol that looked quite strange.
I studied the pistol that looked to be made of a hollow piece of silvery bamboo with several long brown leaves running most of the way over the barrel and back to the body of the gun. The body looked to be layered under several silvery sacks of liquid covered in tan and gray bark-like plates. The handle just kind of resembled wood with a few tannish gnarled scales on the sides. It also had a standard trigger guard made of wood grown into place and a ring on the back which I assumed was for a belt rigging.
As I considered the gun, I began psyching myself up to spring up and fire into the charging mass of Antithesis I could already hear approaching. I flinched when the auto-turrets Stray Cat left behind opened up on the enemy. They were joined moments later by the hail of bullets from the defenders of the wall. I bided my time, waiting for the moment right after the front units of the Antithesis passed by my position. It was almost time to kick things off.