“People think becoming a Samurai is like in comic books and animated shows. An epic awakening with lots of action and a moment of pride where you can stand tall. Where nothing can touch you and your life is suddenly so much better!

It ain't.”

Samurai Uncle Sam- 2048

—--

Well, I wanted to talk ideas, strategy, and start to find out who in the group wanted to join up. However one of them made a good point: They were all exhausted having not only fought off an incursion, but done so after who knows how many hours of work. Hell, one was a line cook and had to wash up before going BACK to work.

Fuck. I forgot about work. I knew that I would probably be getting a kickback from the family for loaning out those mechs plus some of those special offers they were making to try and keep people around. So far it wasn’t working well, but would make my life easier at least.

Ah well, problem for future me. I waited a bit for the news agents and representatives of everything from PMCs and MIlitaries to oddball companies to start to leave before I even thought about going to my car.

Could I summon a brand new ride? Yes.

Did I want to? Kinda.

But my car was my car damnit. I paid it off in full, it had my cigars, cutter, and lighter in it, and it was just how I wanted it. Okay, it was messy as fuck but it was my car. Besides, if I was lucky and nobody sees me get in my car I could blend in and sneak home. I don’t think my ID has been fully linked to my Samurai name just yet, so I might get enough time at home to set things up for the inevitable hoard.

I milled around a little then left as the crowd of contractors and scientists started to land and make their way out to the field to get whatever data they needed for whatever spreadsheets they had to fill out, or powerpoints to kill someone with, or whatever they needed the data for.

I didn’t want to stick around and get caught up in questions. Hell, it's why I was waiting to avoid people following me home.

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My car shuddered as it slowly took off and slipped into a lane, taking off to the nearest gas station. From there I went to a restaurant, a big box store, costco, THEN finally went home. I knew people were tracing any car that left that area would be watched like a hawk after someone was just announced to be a new Samurai.

Try tracking me now motherfuckers. EVERYONE goes to Costco!

And plus it was nice to just… sit and think for a while. Sure there were people who hacked their autopilots to do stupid stuff like late merging still, the traffic was thick, there was a hover wreck above L-95 upper that also caused a jam on L-95 lower (as always), and I had to dodge a couple of Marylanders, but for once it felt nice.

In a sick twisted kinda way.

Here I was, a newly crowned vanguard who had just mowed down hundreds if not thousands of Antithesis and helped recover a Samurai’s body. A guy about to start a new home guard system. A guy who could just give the word to his AI and have a clear lane just for himself.

My life had just gone through a… change to put it lightly. But just for now I got to live as a normal wage slave. Puffing a cigar to deal with the migraine of NOVA traffic as I tried to come to grips with it all. Byllona offered to talk to me but I said no. I… needed a moment.

As I watched the cars zooming about as if this whole area hadn’t just been under an alert I couldn’t help but think about how this was probably going to be the last normal moment of my life. By tonight the Open Source Intelligence people on the mesh would know everything about me, by tomorrow night there would be fans at my doorstep, by the end of the week I would have at least one binder full of a single proposal from Lockheed, then the next day a flood of others.

As I left Costco I went ahead and flipped off my interior sensor bar. I know they are watching.

Soon my car settled down into the garage of my building and I snuck up the stairs to my apartment. The guard was probably halfway through his Balatro 3 run at this time so he wouldn’t notice me. Besides. I was still geared up and knowing the dude he was smart enough to just call the cops instead of playing hero anyway.

Playing hero is how you wind up in the metric ton of shit I was in. Fuck.

I walked into my tiny one bedroom apartment and put my helmet down on a coat rack before collapsing onto my gaming chair with a long groan. Carefully though. The chair was not a super nice one but it was nice enough and here I was dropping who knows how many pounds of armor onto it.

I turned my chair a little and looked at the small collection of old war guns on display and reproduction helmets. Good thing I went to the range so often with them I guess. Going to be lots of shooting in my future now.

My phone was pinging away but I didn’t even bother looking. I knew it was co-workers talking about what they had seen in the fight and discussing the hot new Samurai that was sticking around. Probably debating who was going to get dibs on meeting him first. I sighed, took out my phone, saw I was right, and texted my manager I would be in late tomorrow and had something important to discuss with him. Felt bad I wasn’t going to be able to give a two weeks, but how the fuck could I stay on as a Samurai!? At least the PMC guys could be shuffled around but The Family was there to serve and work for Samurai.

I didn’t even know what to tell my parents! I mean “hey mom and dad! Im going to be risking my life in horrible ways from now on!” Sure dad would be proud since I never made it into the military proper like him, but this was different.

I took a long, deep breath. Grabbed a bottle of brandy, and started to chug. Tonight I was going to turn off my brain and let tomorrow me figure it out.

Did Samurai get hangovers? Well fuck. Another thing for tomorrow me to figure out. Maybe the pain would help keep my brain from going nuts.

Always dreamed of this and now that wish is granted. Any more fingers left on that monkey paw?