City-21 “Kyiv”, UNSA Protectorate, Avril Dominion
The Palace of Sports
Maksim Chernykh’s Team, August 12, 2049, 3:18 PM
“Today, once again, I confirmed that field medic skills are essential for everyone,” Maksim pondered, “no matter how comfortable and safe life seems around us. Yes, the horrors of the Russian Empire’s concentration camps and the Rosgvardiya’s firing squads are things of the past. But one must never lose their skills – no exceptions!”
(Note: The Rosgvardiya, officially established in 2016, refers to a branch of Russia's internal military forces dedicated strictly to domestic operations. Formally tasked with ensuring state and public security and protecting human rights and freedoms, they are often acting as enforcers against political opposition)
Maksim kept his combat and medical skills sharp. Regular visits to paid ranges refreshed his tactics in both field and urban combat. He attended advanced first aid courses and participated in survival workshops. A frequent visitor to the gym, he stayed physically primed. His rigorous routine often left friends and occasional acquaintances puzzled.
“Man, this guy is nuts!” they'd say, until they discovered his background. “Ah, a military refugee, that explains it…”
“What the hell does that explain to you? That war can come to anyone’ home?”
“Yes, it fuckin’ can! And I will be ready. Unlike most!”
Meanwhile, as Max mused, his hands didn’t waste time and continued with the medical procedures.
“Nikola is truly made of steel, by the way,” he reflected. “She didn’t make a sound or flinch throughout the procedure, even though I had to roughly tighten a large gash on the left to ensure the medical glue adhered well. Remarkable resilience. She’s definitely growing on me! Someone you can take both into reconnaissance and... to the bed. From what I’ve seen, really impressive!”
“Not exactly now, of course. At this moment, I’m just an old paralytic in a chair, not a Don Juan. And Nikola, with that back, will be recovering for a week. Okay, the last two plasters... not bad. Once we get to proper medical facilities, I’ll do a thorough patch-up.”
“All set, you did great. Held up really well,” he commended as he finished the last adjustments.
“It was... painful...” Nikola replied softly, adding, “It hurts, therefore I’m alive.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s all good,” Nikola smiled. “Thank you, Max.” She turned around, leaned, and gave a peck to his cheek in gratitude.
“You’re welcome. We’re a team now, kind of a family, as you put it. The bandages and glue should hold unless we really push it. It’s simply the best we can manage right now,” Maksim explained, gesturing towards the vending machine with a shrug. “I’ll grab the bags if you’re done. We should get moving.”
“Just about. Give me another minute; I’m wrapping up the last of it,” Nikola replied as she buttoned up the shirt she had acquired earlier. “I’m sticking to the standard military medical supply list based on what’s available. Any special requests?”
“No, I know those lists inside and out – they’ve got everything we need. Just shoot me a list of what you couldn’t find. I’ll look for them in the shopping mall while you pick up the orders.”
“Sure, no problem.”
Returning to the vending area, Nikola grabbed a third bag, swiftly filling it with medicines. While Maksim was distracted by the bots, she cheekily tossed in two large packs of molecular contraceptives and four cans of lubricant.
With a zip, it was done!
Redhead dragged all three bags over to Max. “Your turn, Doctor. Haul this back to base,” she smirked. “Think you can make it back to the workshop and manage the drones without any trouble?”
“Definitely. Head up the stairs to the street; Swifty will cover you.”
“That’s how you named the little one?” Nikola grinned. “It suits him.”
“Indeed. And if we don’t encounter shaiszu, Big One will come back to you in a couple of minutes.”
“Understood,” chuckled Nika, seizing both swords and sprinting upstairs.
----------------------------------------
The Palace of Sports, outside area
Nikola cautiously made her way up the final flight of stairs from the basement.
She exhaled deeply, bracing herself, and gently pressed on the emergency exit door of the stadium.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
“Good, they’re keeping to safety protocols,” she thought with relief as the door swung open smoothly from the inside. Nika jammed the doorstop to keep it from locking, ensuring she could re-enter easily later.
As she stepped outside, the air filled her lungs – and nearly made her vomit!
The stench was unbearable, causing tears to stream down her face. The aroma was undoubtedly dominated by burnt protein, understandable since remnants of the “worm” still lay in the central crater of the former portal. The heaps of small shaiszu carcasses hadn’t gone anywhere, either. Burnt heavy siege equipment and the smoke from rocket explosions added complementing notes to this “intoxicating scent of victory.”
On the square’s periphery lay a few human corpses, not many. Apparently, not everyone had the sense to flee at the first sight of heavy machinery on the square’s edge.
“The square’s taken a darn real hit!” Scouting bot Swifty, controlled by Maksim, whizzed around the area like a loyal patrol dog, scrutinizing the surroundings. An excellent spy – mobile and quick with three cameras providing a full panoramic view.
“Max, don’t fuss so much! It’s shitty here, but there’s no threat, I can tell.”
“I’m not fussing,” he responded calmly. “Just checking. The battle ended recently; there’s a chance we might find a suitable weapon.”
“Ah, right. Makes sense,” Nikola agreed. “We can’t unscrew a cannon from a drone, but there could be soldiers, police, or even volunteers around.”
“That’s the idea. I’ll bring CaTZ around now, and we’ll do a quick sweep of the square, okay?”
“Dobrze. Just make it quick; the stench is just hellish.”
CaTZ clambered up the ramp, nudging the door open with a manipulator. Meanwhile, Nikola crouched beside the body of a young man in a summer uniform shirt with city police volunteer patches. Her attention was caught by his holster, unfortunately empty. She thoroughly searched around, even flipping the poor fellow over to check underneath him, but alas, no pistol was found.
Maksim let Swifty continue to inspect the other bodies across the square while he drew Big One closer to shield Nikola.
“Looks like bad luck; his weapon’s gone – must lost it in the fight,” Nika murmured, completing her inspection of the fallen soldier.
“No,” Maksim countered authoritatively, shifting the body with his manipulator. “He was looted. By our own, not the Protectorate.”
“Really?”
“Sadly, yes. I worked as a volunteer for the city police for a year and a half; I know the signs. Look, they didn’t just take his gun, but also his knife, stun gun, even his handcuffs. Though I can’t fathom why anyone would need those.”
“That sucks,” Redhead replied, scanning their surroundings with heightened alertness. “As if dealing with shaiszu and the Protectorate wasn’t enough, now we have to worry about armed renouncers too.”
“With most renouncers, I think we might find common ground. Unlike... But you’re right, we must always embrace a sensible level of paranoia. Anyway, nothing left for us here; the dead are just civilians. Time to move on.”
“Shall we head down to mall ‘Gulliver’, pick up what we ordered? Safe enough, you reckon?”
“Who knows... But this isn’t the time for reflecting, better see for ourselves,” responded Maksim as Swifty darted towards the mall entrance.
Max’s scouting revealed that the underground part of the shopping mall was secure – after the disaster at the Sports Palace, the area had been evacuated. The vast, now-empty space felt eerily silent. However, a closer look revealed signs of looting by several marauder squads.
“Clear!” The guy quickly checked the nearest shops and brought his drone back to the entrance. “Just be careful! Looters have been here too.”
“Got it. I’d prefer not to bump into them,” said Nika as she moved cautiously forward. “At least the air’s breathable down here. Okay, let’s head downstairs, grab a cart, and make a dash for it!”
----------------------------------------
The shopping mall “Gulliver”
They had finished with the pickups and were heading back when Redhead suddenly halted, spun around, and pointed excitedly, “Max, look! Jackpot!”
It was a display window of “Robin Hood,” a shop specializing in sports bows and crossbows. And there, reigning over the display, was the “Reaper” – the king of crossbows, a formidable heavy-duty block machine crafted from the latest composite materials.
“Huh? A sports crossbow against monsters?” Maksim sounded skeptical.
“Actually, yes! Just imagine this – 150 meters per second initial speed. Hit them in the eye, and it’ll give any shaiszu a bad day! They tone them down for the civilian market, but I know what tweaks are needed to make it punch through wood and bone. Plus, it’s silent.”
“Okay, okay, Sunshine, I get it. I’m not experienced with crossbows, but we’re weaponless right now. Take whatever we can get, but hurry. We’re running out of time!”
Nika rushed into the store and opened the display case. Gently lifting the beautiful piece from its mount, she shivered with excitement. The full setup was there – the item itself, an under-barrel quiver for four arrows, a 4x32 optical sight, and a strap.
“Max, this is better than an orgasm!” she declared, licking her lips with satisfaction. “We need to loot fast, or we won’t find another gift like this!”
Glancing around, she spotted another pre-assembled crossbow of a different brand, a specialized backpack, a carrying case with straps, a couple of covers, and wax for the string.
“The ammo situation is dire, though. There’s carbon, some aluminum, and fiberglass. But only twenty carbon arrows, nothing left on display. Reload takes about five seconds, they won’t last long.”
“Should we bother taking both crossbows then?”
“No, there’s an alternative! I saw a clever trick in the training camp. Instead of arrows, we can use metal rods. They have less range, but in close combat, their impact is much stronger. It’s easier to find thin rebar, about six millimeters, than aluminum arrows. With handy tools, we can cut them, and we can find ammunition in any ruins!”
“Alright, you’ve convinced me. Load it all up and let’s head out. While you were shopping, I put together another bot, codename Quasimodo; it’s scouting now. And a makeshift cart is ready, so I can transport Alisa. Thus, we’re heading up too. You can add another seventy kilos to Big One up top.”
“Max, you’re amazing! I already adore you!” Redhead beamed with joy.
“Get in line,” Dasha interjected as she appeared in the channel. “Please swing by TR! My order is ready too. I’ve also picked up cosmetics and hygiene products for everyone.”
“Cosmetics too?” Nika smiled as she shouldered her backpack.
“Be grateful there’s toothpaste, pads, and shampoo,” Dasha declared. “And also eye shadow and eyeliner. For me. And skin cream. Also for me. And toner... Yeah!”
“Alright, ladies, no fighting!” Max intervened. “Nika, since Big One’s basket is now free, pick up another order from Kyiv Store.”
“I’m on it.”
“Dasha, you're already by Moira?”
“Yeah,” Vasilevskaya nodded. “Just need ten seconds to vape and then I’ll load everything up. I’ll call once I’m done.”