We had a few smaller convoy’s join us as we left Neu Ca?on. One was headed to the Phoenix ruins like us, hauling commodities, another was an adventure group that would leave us halfway down the road. I was itching to continue my repairs but instead I was piloting Gretta. My Canadian made Power Construction Corp? 54r Provender Industrial mech was at the end of our convoy, Sunny, in his newly repaired Dozer, was at the front. We didn't exactly need him to blaze a trail and knock aside debris and rocks on a well worn path like this, but Sunny was on point as usual. The camp synths were driving again and we had our seven trailers connected to the Kombi-Max and the two Roundabout pickup trucks, with the one newly replaced axle, which I was proud to note was performing flawlessly.
Sunny had woken me up before sunrise, the bastard, and we all had a small briefing before we headed out. He explained that he had asked around for prospective mining sites. We had agreed that a nice simple mining operation for a couple of weeks would give us time to rest and repair. Nothing was safe out here, but treasure hunting and salvage was often in more perilous locations and we would avoid it for a while.
He heard of a long abandoned location that still had copper and a few traces of other elements in the southwest of the old Arizona state. Of course the reason this location hasn't been mined clean was because it was far southwest, closer to the wilds in California and Baja. I haven't encountered the Doorway monsters yet and wasn't looking forward to it. There were a myriad of different types, from home grown horrors in California to monsters from the Elven homeworld (and hunting preserve). Rumors claimed that these elven bio-constructs were vulnerable to silver. Miles had no idea about these specific creatures. So we had a plan. If we found silver I was going to manufacture enough weapons to arm all the synths, hopefully.
We made it to Joseph City, halfway between the Grand Canyon and Phoenix, without incident. We took a short break and the smaller convoy of adventurers that was following us pulled off and headed into town. We decided to travel for a few more hours before camping for the first night on the road. I split my attention between piloting Gretta and performing what repairs I could do inside the pilot’s cabin.
I was able to repair the hydraulics and sensors but tomorrow, I planned to install the toilet. I couldn't wait to get that installed, regardless of what Sunny said. We made it a few hours outside of the ruins of Phoenix before we all decided to camp. We set up a minimal site with all the synths out to guard us. We were well outside of Apache Indian territory, but they helped to cull the monster population in this area. However interlopers were never welcomed there and we wanted to avoid any entanglements if we could.
The next morning the other convoy split off and bid us farewell. An hour later down the road we approached the ruins of a wayside station on the other side of Phoenix. An ancient paved roadway that connected to the Maricopa Corridor, damaged by time and weather, ran perpendicular to our path. At the intersection was the ruins of a prewar way station, a megatruck stop. We were finally on the correct road to Ajo NV, but we saw dark cloud hovering over the megatruck stop. As we slowed down, the cloud resolved into a sawm of giant flying insects. We had came upon a monster attack in progress!
A swarm of alien bugs were attacking another group of travellers. Huddled amongst the ruins were a group of aliens and humans. A group of a dozen or so Native Americans were trying to defend a clan of Deren aliens who clearly were not from around here. Hiding amongst the ruins of the fuelling station was a group of more than 200 Deren, of all shapes and sizes.
>>Yes Fe, that means short and really short. What, no, I am not trying to be funny. >>
They were wearing strange harnesses with gaudy colors and items. A handful of Deren seemed to be armed and armored and were flitting around the battlefield trying to provide coverage against the swarm of alien bugs. The speed the Deren warriors were moving made it hard for my eyes to even track. Alongside the handful of armed Deren, a squad of a dozen heavily armed Indian’s were helping the stranded Deren visitors, taking careful shots at the alien insects.
And alien they were. The terrifying flying monsters looked like a cross between a dragonfly and a scorpion. Their tail ended in a curved stinger. They were ‘only’ about a meter long and wide, with two wings on each side. But the terror came not from their looks, but their abilities. They seemed to have a brief short range teleportation ability or a super speed ability. They were flitting and porting across the battlefield and leaving carnage in their wake. They were darting in, stabbing with abandon, and then teleporting out. But the most horrifying attack of all was when one of these monsters would, by accident or design, teleport right into, and through someone. It seems to kill the bug, but it left a 20cm gaping hole in whatever the malevolent bugs ported through.
On the defenders side one Deren soldier in particular was blurring around the battlefield jumping off of the ruins and slicing the flying scorpionflies with twin blades. Each swipe of the blade bisected a bug in half, or removed a wing or stinger. But for each bug that fell to the ground another two from the swarm attacked the Deren fighter. The few Deren’s equipped with special armor seemed to be even faster than the teleporting bugs! But it seemed to be a dire situation with too many victims and not enough defenders to prevent mounting casualties.
The Navajo Indians were calmly lining up shots with the high powered gauss and old school kinetic rifles and each shot dropped one, or more scorpionflies. They quickly acquired a target and side stepped an attack with impunity, but it was hard to prevent other scorpionflies from attacking the unarmed and armored Deren family members scattered around the ruins.
Without a second thought I order all synths to open fire
>>Command= Fullbore, err wait scratch that, Grace and John be sure to avoid any friendly fire with the Deren families!>>,
“Acknowledged Prime” John said over the radio.
While at the same time, Grace time pushed a message to me via her std.out for telemechanic communication, <
There was little I could do in my mech, Gretta, without endangering the innocents, but I was able to instruct my Squad Leaders to carefully open fire. My missiles were very obviously ruled out. I shutted just to think about the consequences of those medium range missiles. I could use my arm mounted plasma casters but the angle of attack was hard with my 11m height shooting downward.
Grace led the Hopper-Syths into the air where they began to immediately harass and divide the attacking bugs as much as possible. Before long they had to drop down to the ground to cool their jets and hop back into the air to continue their campaign.
Conversely, John had directed the remaining power armored synths to stand between the Deren families and the flying swarms as much as possible. The new arrivals began to draw the attention of the scorpionflies right away.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
John was calmly issuing RF commands to his squad while laying down a blistering amount of plasma caster fire. Interestingly enough John didn't choose the microjet machine gun, or grenade launcher for his weapon, but did opt for one of the upgraded plasma rifles. We had selected the BDwerks? XO-33 rifle that was 30mm compared to the old RGE? 10mm rifle. With the plasma chamber that large it made for an intimidating barrel if I ever saw one. I didn't fully understand how the plasma was actually encapsulated and sent down range but I had witnessed the damage first hand many times.
The plasma guns, both the simpler caster and the more elegant pulsed plasma versions, were both penetrating and burning effects. Nasty nasty burns and nearly total penetration through even armor for several centimeters. Typically for organics and soft targets the heat and burning killed them, with flash vaporization of their skin and surrounding tissue. And for hardened or armored targets the plasma is able to cut into them more than 15 cm deep.This is enough to reach squishy internals or sensitive targets behind most armor, as long as it's not designed specifically for plasma weapons.
Worrying about my continued effectiveness. I repositioned Gretta to carefully straddle several families of Deren and began to wave my arms through the swarm to thin them out. It seems like the bugs had no idea what to do with such a massive and armored being like my girl. After a few rounds of mildly effective waving I began to clap my hands. While quite loud for most everyone it seemed to disorient the bugs and squish dozens at the same time. I was able to take the pressure off the Deren families so the rest of the defenders and my synths could thin the swarm.
I was very concerned about repositioning my legs without stepping on any tiny Deren, so instead, I pivoted my torso around to get 360 degree coverage. The families began to fall back toward my legs and soon I was precariously protecting most of the non-combatants. The scorpionflies seemed to avoid my giant Mech and focus on the flyers and shooters who had remained separate from the families seeking shelter underneath my torso.
Watching John for a moment I saw him take aim at a swarm of the monsters that were threatening a family of Deren hiding behind the ruins of an old rusted out something or other vehicle. Wait, no it was an old 2170s Toyota-Daimler? before they merged with Bilaindand. The 6x6 truck provided decrepit shelter for the Deren children as the adults fended off the insects with what looked like blunt swords.
Each impact of the sword sent an electric charge into the Scorpionflies, but it only seemed to make them angrier. The lead pair of bugs swung up and around for another divebomb pass when, John, oh right I was watching John, managed to double tap, and fire in quick succession hitting each bug right between the shoulder blades, wing blades? <
The small ball of plasma fire punched a perfect sphere shaped hold and split the bug in two. The plasma’s explosive power and heat was perfect against the carapace of these flying menaces. After a further 3 shots (and 2 hits) John sent out a command to use full auto or burst plasma fire as much as possible. Conversing ammo was less important than saving the remaining Deren travellers.
Three scorpionflies teleported immediately behind John and began battering him and using their tunneling attacks on his back! I held my breath as the three insects quickly impacted on him before he could react. It looked like they managed to damage his cyborg armor but not penetrate. More for me to repair but luckily they didn't get to his internals or worse his tri-kibi-compute cluster located in front of his spine in the chest cavity. John continued to focus on the swam harassing the family sheltering behind the truck, when a blur of fur and armor streaked behind John’s position and 6 pieces of flying insect fell to the ground. Not only where the Deren soldiers incredibly fast the seemed to have some sort of chameleon or cloaking capability that blended them in with the background.
4 rounds later and the last of the swarm over the truck had exploded in a combination of plasma and vaporized insects. John quickly ordered the family to retreat toward the rest of the Deren as he surveyed the scene.
With the combined firepower of my full platoon of Synths as well as my surprisingly effective swatting, the swarm of scorpionflies finally got the message and began teleporting and flying away from us and the ruins of this waystation. After watching for a few tense minutes to ensure there were no returns, I decamped Gretta and climbed down to greet the travellers.
“Gabby to Miles, do you want to give a hand with the wounded?”
Miles' calm response came back immediately, “Ms. Gama, of course I have already prepared my kit and I am familiar with Deren physiology. We will join you momentarily.”
As my feet hit the ground I surveyed the survivors. It seems the scorpionflies were less lethal than I first thought but more maiming as several Deren of all sizes were clutching limbs that seemed to be paralyzed or missing hunks of flesh. Keeping my stomach down was hard but I didn't want to throw up in front of these poor families. A few dry heaves later and a martial looking Deren detached from a group of other well armed Deren and approached me.
The Deren soldier (>> or was he a warrior, or a commando? I think they have commandos Big Fe? Let’s check>>) was wearing some sort of advanced partial armor, his chest and back were completely encased and his arms and legs had pinstriping with a sort of plumbing or medical harness. His helmet retracted and protected their rabbit like oversized ears.
Giving me a typical Deren bob he said, “We are quite indebted to you and your companions for the timely intervention. We have little to offer you but please let me know if there is something we could offer you in compensation.”
It took me a moment to realize that while the Deren was worried that we might extort them or worse, they also were very concerned with fair trade and reciprocity. I knew from having met enough Deren in the city that fair trade didn't mean equal, but it did mean that if something of value was taken something of similar value must be returned.
Stumbling a bit it said, “Please, tell me your name, I’m Gabby and I offer my name and our efforts without expectation of trade. We would have destroyed those menacing bugs even if you weren't here.”
Relaxing a bit, the Deren soldier said, “Ahh Miss Gabby, nice to meet you and thank you for your understanding. My Name is Rolo. And I lead what is left of our defenders. Our clan managed to run afoul of a Doorway and found ourselves separated and in this strange land. We have been travelling for two weeks and finally encountered a few friendly faces,” gesturing toward the native Americans who were helping Miles and Estéril tend the wounded with a few surviving Deren doctors.
Quickly averting my gaze, he continued, “And now it seems we have met a few more friendly faces in this strange new land.”
“I wish we had met under better circumstances, my companions and I are miners and salvagers, we are on our way to our next mining site, but I would be happy to share with you any information you might need.”
Bobbing his whole body again Rolo responded, “Much thanks, the Najavo has been very forthcoming with information about these parts and the, ‘white men’ that live in a larger city to the north. It sounds like there is a Deren community there but we would prefer to remain in our own community, at least at first.”
While I didn't really understand the desire I could respect them wanting to stand on their own two furry feet. “Do you have a destination in mind then?”
Finally smiling, Rolo rubbed his hands together, “Yes it sounds like there is an abandoned airfield not too far from here that has infrastructure underground and above that would be perfect for our clan, we were heading there when we got waylaid by these scorpionflies.”
After exchanging RF addresses Rolo returned to his troops and began giving them orders to secure the perimeter and take turns resting. I turned and sat down on Gretta’s smaller toe (of three) and began doing a telemechanic survey of Gretta (she was fine, but even dirtier), the hopper-synths (they had some damage to weaker areas and joints), and the road-synths (their heavier armor meant they were fine). More work and maintenance when we finally set up our camp. I was looking forward to being in one location for an extended period of time, even if that came with a lot of dreary maintenance work.
In an amazingly short amount of time, the wounded were patched up and the dead (nearly a dozen) were loaded up onto the three wagons they seemed to have salvaged somewhere on their journey. Saying our brief goodbyes the Native Americans began to lead the Deren back the way we came from, hopefully they could reach a safe place to fortify and call their home.
We decided to hole up here for the night, no one was eager to see what the next adventure, or disaster was further down the road without a full nights rest and plenty of daylight.