“Merlin, can you send the drones into the mine to scout while we make some purchases?

Drones inbound for mine mapping. I have also taken the liberty of searching the owning corporation's logs for detailed maps and I have found a complete layout of the mines. I will notify you when the drones find something of note.

“Great, good thinking Merlin. So, let’s take a look at upgrading my armor and weapons please.” I said while sitting down on a defunct mining vehicle of some sort.

Excellent! I think we should start by unlocking the Class II catalog for Warcaster Tech.

“I agree, please open it.”

Class II Warcaster Technologies Unlocked!

Points reduced to: 4471

Tokens reduced to: 1

Holy stars, that’s a lot of points! I must have killed a lot more aliens than… no, never mind, it does feel like I’ve been killing them out here forever.

In that case, I think it’s time to splurge for some nice gear.

“Let’s go ahead and get that shielding unit you mentioned too, and the cryo gloves.”

New Purchase: Class II Point Defense Full Body Force Shield:

Points reduced to: 3271

New Purchase: Class II Hydro-Cryogenic displacement gloves:

Points reduced to: 3201

“Merlin why are the gloves so cheap even though they are Class II, and seem very strong?”

They are indeed very strong, but they are a set of gear with a specialized function. They are only useful on things that contain liquids and are within ten feet of you. Even then, the ranged effect has rapid diminishing returns. The reason they are Class II is because whenever you do freeze a target, the ice will spread across it, eventually turning it into essentially a block of ice. Mixed in with that is its incredible durability; nothing short of a sustained piercing weapon of at least a Model Eleven or higher has a hope of getting through.

“What I’m hearing here is that I could stick my hand down an Antithesis’s mouth if I had to and turn it into an aliensicle?”

Yes, but maybe don’t do that on purpose.

Unwrapping my new toys, I see two bottles of, I’m assuming at this point, nanites.

Grabbing each, I place my finger into the openings and watch the liquid sludge crawl across my digits and meld into my armor.

Software for both items has been installed into your augs. The shield emitter is centered around your hat, integrating with its sensor suite. It will automatically detect hostile objects, or anything really. It then deploys a shield plate to stop the object. Should it be something more encompassing, it will envelop you entirely. The power supply is robust enough to supply several hours of full shielding before it needs to be recharged. It also absorbs the energy sent against it back into its power supply. This can then be used to recharge all your energy-based systems.

“Holy stars Merlin, why did you not explain it like that when you first told me about this shield? I asked, shocked.

Well, I was trying to encourage you to earn points for cool equipment! This is the power of an expensive Class II item. So, your new gloves work by shunting the heat from the liquid in an object touched into another dimension, the effect then propagates through the liquid overtaking the entire thing.

“Merlin, I need more tokens, for more Class II catalogs. No! How do I get a Class III? Reports from other Samurai say I need multiple Class II’s?”

Well yes, you need to get several related Class II catalogs and then based on your use and my better judgment I can allow you to spend points and tokens on a Class III catalog.

“Wild, okay now let’s unlock Acid Spray before I have to go down these tunnels.”

New Purchase: Class II Self-Replicating Antithesis Acid Dispersal System:

Points reduced to: 2501

The box pops into existence on my lap, reaching in is a canister. While picking it up, it sloshed around a bit. I place it against my right glove and watch it disappear into it.

The canister has enough acid to spray continuously for about thirty seconds. A three second burst should be enough to shoot out in a thirty-foot cone in front of you. Refills cost fifty points.

“I think we are all set to go down into this mine, any last thoughts or advice?”

I think you should be sufficiently equipped to deal with most of the projected threats this hive could send against you. Ah, the drones have found what could possibly be the hive's location.

“What do you mean by possibly?”

Well, there is an area I have been trying to investigate. However every time I send a group of drones into it, they go dark. Something is destroying them or disabling them. Hives have a strong chaff type substance that helps it hide, or it could have a high tiered model with ECM shutting down the drones. But by sending in the drones from multiple paths to the same location it has created a dead spot.

“That makes a lot of sense, please mark the route on my map please, and the locations of the Antithesis the drones have found. Better yet, can you make a summary listing of Antithesis that have been seen so far?”

Of course I can, map updated, dropping a list on your augs to scroll through.

I take a moment to review everything and come up with my own game plan. I need to kill everything down here so it can’t spread but I also need to get the hive before it produces more. Buuuut, I know if the hive is hit it will drop its emergency pheromones causing everything in range to swarm it.

Hold the phone, that’s an idea! If I set up my wand beads around the hive room and then shock the hive into sending its distress smell out everything will rush in, and I can kill everything at once! Just like I did in the hallway back at the school.

“Merlin, I have a plan! Going to do the hallway trap but at the hive, I want to try and get them all at once.”

A good plan, I suggest killing all the Antithesis on the path marked ensuring a route out of the hive. Also, the PMC have arrived in the town and are setting up a perimeter around the town.

“Can you reach out and connect me with their leader? I want to update them on the situation.”

Of course, a moment please. Connected, transferring the call to you.

“Hello Samurai, I am Major Devoy with the Desert Fox PMC, your AI has informed me that you are about to take out the hive? Is there something we can do to help?” Said a serious sounding man over my augs.

“I am about to try; this will be my first hive. I’ve read a few reports and watched a video of a Samurai taking out a hive.” I told him.

“Well, we are here to support your effort. What would you like us to do?” He asked, slightly annoyed that I didn’t answer his question.

“Can you guys make a perimeter at the mine entrance, so nothing gets out?".

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“Not a problem Ma’am, send us a pin and we will set up. Have you seen any Antithesis around the town?”

“There was a horde about to attack the town when I arrived, I wiped them out not long ago. I just arrived at the entrance and was about to head down, I think I will wait here until you arrive, so no Antithesis sneak out while I’m down there.”

“Roger, we are enroute now.” He said, ending the call.

I did not have to wait long, thirty seconds later I heard the whine of hover engines approaching from the east.

A moment after that I see three large APC’s crest the hills followed by two heavy repulsor lift tanks. Some decent firepower, nice to have backing me up.

They settle down around the mine entrance and three squads of soldiers decked out in tan camo and some fancy looking guns. Stuff that looks like hybrid Vanguard and human tech. In fact, I squint at some of the rifles, those look like ones I designed. Some heavy-duty railguns that use smart AI to adjust the rounds to suit the target it shoots at automatically.

The guy who dismounted first approaches me, rendering a salute.

“Samurai Witch of the West, I’m Major Devoy, nice to meet you.” The soldier said to me.

I return a truly sorry excuse for a salute having never done one and feeling rather silly about it. I feel my face flush a bit and drop it.

Major Devoy is very young looking, sharp blue eyes, chiseled face made by some god somewhere, and I can see a small tuft of brown hair peeking out from his helmet, and most importantly he is tall, like six foot four. He exudes an air of confidence, danger, and safety. I have to stop myself from staring.

Girl, get your stuff together, he’s a soldier, not a mountain to climb.

“You okay Ma’am? Do you need some water? You look flushed.” He asks with genuine concern. He grabs a canteen from his hip and hands it to me.

I grabbed the canteen taking a quick sip, then a few more. Apparently, I was thirsty... in more than one way.

I tried to hand it back, but he had turned away and started adjusting his squads’ positions. They started setting up defensive positions around the entrance without his involvement, true signs of seasoned soldiers or strong leadership.

Morigana, focus you have a job to do here.

“Yea, sorry, Merlin, you're right. Any suggestions for them?” I asked my AI while snapping myself out of my girl brain.

They are setting up an efficient defense. They clearly have done this before. I suggest you focus on yourself and mentally prepare for your task at hand.

“You’re right, let's go play with an advanced invading alien species and turn them into so much goo.”

Not knowing what to do with the canteen I placed it on the ground with a shrug and headed into the mine.

The entrance is pretty big, maybe a hundred feet wide and thirty or so tall. Plenty of space to fit the heavy drilling and mining equipment that I see scattered around the valley. Alternatively, a good entrance to unleash a huge alien army onto an unsuspecting town for chow.

Checking my mini-map I see that the pathway marked by Merlin crosses paths with quite a few Antitheses considering the enclosed environment. I put the wand away on my hip and arm up my Cryo glove on my left hand, and the acid spray on my right.

The first group that I will run into will be a group of Model Threes. With my sneak boots, and scent reduction, both primary senses used by the xenos, I should be able to sneak up close to them before they notice me.

I turn the last corner and see the group licking the walls? Gathering minerals from the surface, I guess? Weird. I’m able to sneak up behind them and get within range of my acid spray.

Aiming with my arm and projectile prediction loaded into my augs, I trigger the acid for a burst.

A thick mist of dark liquid sprays out coating all the Model Threes in front of me. The moment the acid hits the group I see small spots of flesh start boiling away where it touched the skin. Then almost like a wave, it spreads across their entire body and within moments turns into a pile of amorphous goop on the floor.

Holy stars.

“Merlin, this stuff is wild! Why don’t we put this stuff into ammo for infantry? Do you have any idea how effective this would be delivered by a bullet?”

Yes, however it is a Class II weapon, and while it is not forbidden to give out, it is very costly in terms of earth compounds used to create it. I doubt you would want to become a supply factory for the stuff, using your points, so not really practical.”

“I see, oh well.”

Continuing down the tunnel system, I run into a few more packs of Model Threes. Merlin definitely picked a low-risk route avoiding most of the hive occupants. The only real surprise was in the form a Model Nine pretending to be a tumbleweed.

As I near it, I casually walk past, pretending not to notice the alien. When my hat sensors warn me of motion, I quickly spin around activating my cryo gloves.

A thick white stream of something comes spraying out. It collides with the arm swiping at my torso, instantly freezing the limb. The momentum keeps it coming and it collides with me.

A sharp cracking pop comes from the Nine’s arm as it shatters, the cracking follows down the arm along where the ice has spread. In less than two seconds the Nine completely shatters into a pile of broken ice on the ground.

Continuing on, I notice throughout the tunnel large tree-like roots spreading out across the ceiling. Occasionally, sticking out of the roots are giant leaves. From my studies I know the leaves are designed to gather heat in place of sunlight, or they can be used as heatsinks if they get too much heat built up. Which is crazy to me because it is getting hot and humid the further in I go.

On my mini-map I’m approaching where Merlin is assuming the hive's location to be by the huge gap in coverage.

“Merlin, let Major Devoy know that I’m about to assault the hive and be prepared for anything.” I whisper to him.

Message sent.

Peeking around the corner, my eyes bulge out of my head. Thousands of Antitheses are gathered in a massive cavern at least a thousand feet long. I may be under equipped to deal with this.

I back up the cave a bit, so I have some separation.

“Merlin.” I hissed, “What the shit is that! There is no way to deal with all that on my own.”

I disagree; however, I do see your concern. The predictive models I have were off. This hive must have been here longer than we thought. I’m seeing several advanced models in there, judging by that, and the quantity, this hive is at least six months old.

“I’m glad you have so much confidence in me, but how do we deal with so many at once? I would need some massive bomb, or crazy Vanguard super weapon.”

As it turns out, you have access to both. But I feel both of what you’re referring to, are I think, too simple and pedestrian for you. I have an idea and I will give you a hint. I want you to use your intellect to come up with a creative non-barbaric idea such as “Blow it up der-her-her”. My clue is this, compression.

“Compression, as in the balanced force in all directions into a point?”

Indeed, this is a cave and Antithesis are plants and while they do have some good armor, that hardly matters when force, such as kinetic or sonic energy, transfers through to internal organs.

“So, what? We create a massive pressure wave outside each of the cavern entrances forcing the air to compress into a single point focused on the hive, turning everything in the area into organic mush?”

That is a genius idea Morigana, I have just such a weapon in your Warcaster Class II catalog. However, you do not need to go into the cave to use it, you will need to leave it at the mine entrance. According to the drones and the maps provided by the mining company there is only one entrance.

“Oh-oh! I see what you’re thinking, over pressurizing the entire cave system will cause cavitation of the air, squishing everything within and igniting the air at the same time.

Yes, the device will create a shield on this side to protect everyone outside of it, then condense a massive quantity of air, then shove it down the cave system. With no exit other than the blocked one the air wil condense to the point of combustion like you said, both squishing and then exploding. The weapon costs one thousand points, it sounds expensive, but the point gain will be immense.

“Well let’s get the frick out of here then, and why exactly did we need to come down here if we could have just used this thing?” I say making my way back topside.

We had to make sure the hive was here, no point destroying a good mine if there was just a baby hive, or a random pack of Antithesis who just happened to be sitting here.

“Hush you, I get it.”

I make it back topside without running into any Antithesis thanks to my drones.

“Let’s call back the drone swarm, don’t want to blow them up too.” I told Merlin.

“Also, please purchase the... what’s it called?”

Drones have been recalled, the weapon is called The Microburst, ironically it is not very micro. Purchasing now.

New Purchase: Class II Microburst Shielded Compression Generator:

Points reduced to: 1736

A spherical device the size of a washing machine pops into existence at the cave entrance. On its surface is a small panel with a video playing. The video depicts the effect of the weapon using stick figure Antithesis, showing them getting squished then burned.

Cute.

“And how far back should we stand before setting this off?” I asked.

Technically the shield will protect you and the PMC, but…the cave could fail and any number of other probabilities so mid valley for safety.

“Merlin, I worry about the safety margins your creators built into you.”

I walk over to Major Devoy.

“Ma’am, did you succeed? You were not gone long, and there is a very serious lack of explosions that are normally associated with Samurai destroying hives.” He asked after performing a picture-perfect salute.

“Uh, no but I just placed down a device to finish the job. I came over to advise you and your troops to seek cover.” I say, eyeing up the mountain.

“Right, that tracks.” He shifts his head to the radio on his shoulder. “Foxes find cover. Samurai device about to explode.” He says nonchalantly into his radio.

The troops behind him immediately run behind equipment, buildings, and various forms of cover almost comically quick, but efficiently.

The vehicles all lift off and retreat back as well.

“Ma’am, if it’s all right I’ll stay with you.” He said.

“Sure, Merlin says that we should be safe near the middle of this valley so… yeah let's go.”

I move to behind one of the buildings maybe a hundred feet from the entrance, and squat with my back against it.

“This good Merlin?”

Sufficient I think, are you ready? Just initialize the device with a command from your augs and we will be in business!

I check my aug menu, find the device, and mentally smash the big red button!