NOVEL NEXT Chapter 90
"Sources at NCPD have revealed that The Fire's primary members are all missing. Cameras in the area caught glimpses of a conflict with the unknown gangers in green and blue armor that are responsible for eliminating a Maelstrom distro hub. Well good riddance to all of those freaks. I for one welcome our new, more fashionable gang to Night City. We at the Point Review can't wait to see who they flatline next. Up next, is your neural interface trying to kill you..."
The show's host faded into an annoying NiCola commercial.
We were relaxing while going over our gear and making plans for tonight. the Probes were expanding the Tunnels to points just below the next two targets. Either one should net me the first completion of the Kill Quest and I'd get to find out what kind of goodies came from a Supply Token. ( AN: Yes they are Random, don't worry I reworked all the lists. Probably no Universal Disharmonizers. )
"How's everybody doing?" I let my voice carry so everyone heard me.
I got back a chorus of "Fines" and "Okays" which had me nodding. Morale seemed to be holding up, and we still had enough rations to push for a couple of more days, more if we could stomach some of the local fare.
Some part of me wanted to head home, but reports from Jaina, and messages from Megan, Sally, and Amanda let me know everything was going well in New Lordaeron. New farms were going up, new Footmen were being trained and outfitted. The Smithy, Church and Jaina's Mage Tower were complete or near completion. New homes for the people and new local business had started, like a restaurant, a bakery and a butcher. Many more acre of the Badlands were now new growth forest. It had only been a few days, I was amazed by the steady progress. It really was a town now.
Even Meadran was talking again, and Faergin had found where he wanted to root for the first time. The Smith had already fitted a restless Korvaith with some armor plates.
Alina had obtained some interesting data from the observers, she would send me the files to review later today.
My only worry about events there was no one had seen Lumi since before we had left, and I couldn't reach him with the Psifield. My gut clenched when I thought about it. Yeah after we took care of these next two groups we'd head back and I'd go looking for him.
Far in the distance we heard a bizarre noise, we immediately snapped into combat mode. We formed up and trying to figure out where the noise was coming from. It didn't take long to determine it was coming from the tunnels dug to the west. Where the Probes had been digging. A dozen Sentries entered the tunnel single file. What was going on?
After a couple of minutes we could tell it was a combination of sounds. Screeching and the sounds of Photon Cannon, Disruptors and Particle Beams. After a few more minutes we saw what was going on.
A seething mass of pale flesh and metal was advancing slowly through the tunnel, while three Probes and four Sentries were engaged in a fighting retreat. Even as we watched the mass of angry "cyborgs?/androids?" overran another Photon Cannon emplacement. Many bodies were burnt or cored by Khalai weapons but they were dragged back into the mass and more were always ready.
One of the Sentries threw up one of it's stationary, nearly indestructible shields. The rest of the robots fell back to our position. The Probes beeping frantically.
"Run Executor! Countless Enemies! Relentless! We will delay!"
I looked at the things beating furiously on the purple shield of the Sentry. Vaguely human. Their faces, all identical, carried the same mask of rage. Every one of them seemed to have different cybernetics, haphazardly grafted onto their pale bodies. No weapons, or armor, not even any clothes. All sexless, just a smooth patch of skin were something should be.
Very disturbing.
Their screams were a mixture of real vocal cords and voice boxes.
The shield shattered as I was still trying to analyze the foe.
"Back! Back toward the Imperials!" I ordered, trying not show my fear. I figured their Bunker should be able to withstand this threat.
We ducked into the tunnels leading to the south east. We began to run. The Probes and Sentries went back to trying to slow the tide. The screams followed us the whole way.
When we arrived near the Charter Hills Outpost we were meet by a squad of Kriegsmen.
They bowed to me.
"No time for that! Enemies inbound. Setup a defensive position here."
They voxed the Marshall and we began helping them set up a choke point. We managed to barricade the tunnel with some kind of metal panels the Kriegsmen had already had nearby.
Once I had a moment to breath, I used the Psifield to order all available Probes and Sentries to seal off the tunnels leading from the Japantown Outpost to our other locations. They were to use whatever methods they deemed fit. We couldn't allow these creepy things to get to New Lordaeron.
"One side!" We all backed out of the way of a large field gun of some kind. It looked like a small double barreled howitzer. Even without seeing it perform, I liked it. A lot. I went to the nearby robotics facilities to queue up some more Probes, with the goal of scanning that weapon.
After the Gun was settled into the barricade we waited while the screams once again grew louder. Two more squads of Kriegsmen approached as well as Marshall 999 and Magos Helifern.
"Emperor! What approaches?" Marshall 999 asked as he come up beside me. John and Jim watched him like hawks. Helifern stayed back a ways, probably not wanting to appear as a threat.
"Unknown, Marshall. They likely come from further under Night City, They appeared from tunnels that were newly excavated to the west. No weapons or armor, unknown random cybernetics. A seemly endless tide of bodies, full of nothing but rage. They also have no concern for survival." I kept my voice steady. I counted in my head like John had taught me.
The Marshall chuckled. "Excellent. If they do not fear death, they shall not run from our guns. A proper foe to display our devotion, My Emperor!"
What the fuck? He was happy that the enemy was coming, I could feel it.
He turned to his men and roared, "Krieg! We Stand! They shall advance no further! Hold this line! For the Emperor!"
They were silent, but I could feel their willingness to fight and die. For me.
Golden energy burned into me from every Krieg Guardsman. It felt wonderful.