by M. A. Owens
“Why not new weapons? Why repairing old weapons, and upgrading others?”
“To sum things up, it’s a lack of resources. We can’t spare the scrap right now to create new weapons. Besides, we’re not able to focus on making anything better than what we already have, and we’re losing numbers. Not gaining them. One death means one more spare weapon for parts. A grim way to look at it, but that’s the truth.”
“So, a weapons depot is nearly useless, and since we controlled it before there’s nothing new to be learned from it.”
She nodded, her smile fading once again. “That just about sums it up. You’re completely accurate. But this upcoming battle will be a close one. We can’t afford to pass up even one ounce of scrap metal or a single circuit board. It could mean the difference between winning or losing this fight.”
I nodded. “How far out do we have to go in order to explore locations we’ve never controlled, ever?”
She laughed. “Much further than I think we’re going to have the time to expand out to, I’m afraid. Our plan is to look for things we missed before, and piece together those small pieces into a larger truth we can use to change the game.”
I shook my head. “No offense, and that’s good to know, but you didn’t really answer my question.”
She straightened up again. “Oh! Sorry. We’d have to bypass roughly thirty critical locations and travel more than a day by the fastest land vehicle available to us.”
I tilted my head. “Available to us, or available?”
“Available to us. We reserve the fastest ones for the scouts. If they spot the colossus, we need everyone to be informed as quickly as possible.”
“What about something like a telephone? Can’t they warn everyone that way?”
She smiled, and it felt more out of pity than anything else.
“In theory, but remember, we have no bases that far. The machines disassembled all of our old communication towers.”
Now I was understanding. There was a playbook on how to fight this war, and I knew it was the most efficient long-term strategy possible. But, if everything I’d been told was true, this was no longer a long-term war. The war had gone short-term, and they hadn’t adjusted. A good routine can make all the difference most of the time, but sometimes, times like these, it could actually work against you.
“Mind if I make a suggestion?” I asked.
Nightshade smiled. “Ready to take notes, partner.”
“If you want to know what I think, we’re going about this all wrong. Best-case scenario, of those thirty locations, how many do you think we can take back before doomsday?”
“Less than half. Half, if we don’t run into any major resistance, and encounter no major setbacks like vehicle malfunctions. And, if the attack happens the latest in the window it can occur.”
“Right, but how dead are we going to be if we don’t find some kind of game changing information?”
“Very dead. Like, all the way dead. All of us.”
I nodded. “So, while it looks like bypassing these depots is a suicide mission, and it probably is, not bypassing these depots definitely is.”
“So, there’s no winning either way, I guess.”
I gave her a gentle punch in the shoulder. “That’s not what I said. I’m just saying I’ll take the probably dying over the definitely dying. If we can install a communications tower behind enemy lines, without them noticing, at least for the duration of this mission, we can use one of the scout vehicles and go even further out.”
Nightshade clasped her paws together on her lap and stared down at her feet.
“I want to object and say that’s not how things are done, but the way we do things won’t work anymore, will it?”
I shook my head. “No, it doesn’t look that way. We’re going to have to take a big risk, because we need a big win. Big wins don’t come from little risks. There was a time when accumulating minor victories was probably the best approach. That time’s past.”
“Too true, Trigger. Just about everyone will object to that strategy, except possibly the commander. Thankfully, it won’t be hard for her to convince the others for us. There’s only one problem.”
“And that is?” I asked.
“We’re absolutely going to need cloaking to go that far out, or we’ll just be killed as soon as we go anywhere near the places they control within those territories. Morel has some prototypes, but they haven’t been tested yet. Even if they work, we’ll be limited to recon only. We won’t be able to capture these points.”
“You have a team, right?”
“Well sure, but—”
“Let them capture the points the old-fashioned way. Put some faith in your team. If we can’t fight anyway, you and I will be more than enough for sneaking in and figuring out what’s going on behind the scenes. We may not have the numbers to win anymore, but that just means this has become a war of information, not force. There’s more than one way to win, and you can work toward all of them at the same time. The fight’s probably coming no matter what we discover.”
Nightshade sighed and shook her head. “So, we’re looking at splitting off on our own, deep into enemy territory, taking valuable high-speed transportation away from our scouts, and betting our lives on prototype sensor-jamming… err, cloaking devices. What could go wrong? No. I should ask if anything could go right? Still, you are correct, as much as I wish you weren’t. I’m used to danger. I have one of the most dangerous roles here already, recapturing territory. Every other unit in our group responds when we’re attacked by the machines. Only my unit goes out and picks fights with them. But what you’re proposing, well, it’s on a whole new level of stupid, even for me. Have you ever done anything this crazy before, with almost an absolutely complete chance of failure?”
I laughed. “All the time, believe it or not. At least these days. Often enough that I’ve realized that the only way to fight against the odds is to ignore them and go all in.”
Nightshade took a deep breath and forced a smile. “Most of the other cats here think Arc City is some kind of simple life. Where you live nothing but peaceful days, with no worry of machine attacks, and shielded from the truth of the world. Inside a bubble of time, where you think black and white televisions and wired telephones are modern technology. A few of us know better. We get along out here because we have to, but in there… Your enemy could be anyone. Dogs fighting dogs, and cats fighting cats, dogs treating cats like second-class citizens, and now cats wanting to do the same to dogs. In some ways it’s worse than out here, and you have to be ready for anything, and anyone, at any time.”
“Maybe if the dogs and cats inside the city knew the truth, things would change. Maybe keeping it a secret was the wrong thing to do.”
“Maybe, but that’s the gift of hindsight, isn’t it? The commander and someone else came to that agreement a long, long time ago. Besides, they’ll find out soon enough anyway if we fail.”
I clenched my teeth. “We won’t fail, Pink Ears. We can discuss whether to tell them after we win.”
Nightshade slapped her paw on my shoulder. “Well, the commander’s been putting it off for as long as she could. There’s an old story I’ve been told around here. But, speaking only of last resorts, it may be time to find out if it’s true. The one Kerdy made the agreement with to keep Arc City in the dark was the leader of the dog tribe we discovered a long time ago. He’s still alive, and he may help us. We just call him the ‘old dog’. Major legend.”
“Wait, I heard Mira mention him. Are you going to tell me he’s immortal too?”
“Old dog, silly. Not immortal. I think it’s time for a meeting with the commander. We’ll tell her our plan, and she can tell us everything we need to know about the old dog too, just in case.”
“Well, he can’t be that old. He… I mean…” I pressed my paw into my forehead and closed my eyes. “You know what, forget it. Let’s go have that chat with Kerdy. At this point it can’t possibly get any crazie
r than it already is.”
Nightshade stood up, reaching her paw out to help me to my feet. “Don’t be so sure.”
10
As we made our way through camp, we arrived just in time for Kerdy to begin evening drills. Nightshade opened her mouth, but Kerdy simply held up one paw, and pointed to the line of warriors with the other. Nightshade sighed and walked toward the end of the line, motioning for me to follow.
“Looks like we’ll have to speak to her after training. No one gets out of it once they show up. We should’ve hidden out somewhere.”
“What was that, Pink Ears?” Kerdy shouted.
“Hah! She calls you Pink Ears too,” I said, barely able to contain my laughter.
“Something you’d like to add, Ankle Biter?” she shouted again, this time pointing to me.
I walked right into that one.
“No, ma’am. Not a thing,” I replied, hoping that keeping my mouth shut now would protect us from more attention. Usually, I might enjoy provoking dogs and cats that are overly serious, and that especially meant Kerdy. Didn’t seem like such a good idea at the moment.
“Good. Fall in line. You’re just in time. I’ll pair you and Nightshade since you’ll be working together. Nightshade has missed training for a while, and this is your first one.”
I swallowed hard, but it probably didn’t matter. Everyone here could probably take me down in one or two moves, including the weakest. If there was such a thing as a ‘weak’ warrior. Guessing not.
I fell in line next to Nightshade, and Kerdy raised her paw. “Spread out and split into partners. You’ll spar for ten minutes between drills, like always.”
Nightshade tried once to raise her paw. “Commander. Trigger and I have something we need to discuss with—”
“Fine. We’ll discuss it after training. Neither of you can afford to miss a session, so shut your mouth and focus.”
Nightshade snapped to attention, in what I gathered was their salute. One paw behind her lower back, and the other in a tight fist across her chest, standing with her shoulders back and head held high.
“Commander!” Nightshade shouted in resignation, making no more argument, before relaxing from the salute and turning to face me. “Ready, partner?”
“Don’t have a choice. So, uh, what are the rules?” I asked.
“No weapons yet. First session is grappling. That means you try to throw me to the ground. If we both go to the ground, you’ll try to get me in a grip that makes me unable to fight anymore. Make sense?”
It did, but I had no clue how to fight that way. We had boxing in Arc City, but nothing like this. I was prepared to thoroughly embarrass myself.
“Makes enough sense to try it. Go ahead,” I said, taking off my hat and coat and setting them aside.
She reached a paw under my arm before I could react, tucking one of her feet behind mine, wrapping my arm into her elbow. Then, in one motion, kicked my feet and flipped me with her arm, sending me flat and hard on my back. I gasped for air and tried to pull myself from the daze that followed.
“What’s the matter, Trigger? Did someone tell you this was nap time? On your feet!” Kerdy hissed.
I struggled to my feet, grabbing for Nightshade’s shirt collar. I was expecting her to evade it somehow. Instead, she stepped straight into it, slipped both arms up between mine and moving them in outward arcs, wrapping my arms under hers. Tucking her knee into my chest, she flung herself backward, sending me flying over her head and onto my back again.
Before I could make even the slightest movement to return to my feet, she continued rolling backward, flipping herself so she landed directly above me, sitting on my stomach.
“Had enough yet?” she asked, smiling.
I brought my legs up, tucking them under her arms, and kicking forward, sending her landing on her back. I tried to use the momentum to sit myself upright but failed to make it all the way and had to abandon whatever haphazard move I’d improvised inside my head.
We both returned to our feet.
“Nightshade, do you respect Trigger or not? You spoke so highly of him before, and yet you treat him this way during training?”
“No ma’am. It’s not like that,” I said. “I’m fine.”
“And that’s the problem, little dog,” Kerdy said, stepping forward and shoving me to the ground. “Nightshade should have pulled you into a shoulder lock when she was sitting on your stomach. It would have been a simple maneuver for her. She should also have been able to block your legs. Is this how you want to be trained? Like a newborn pup?”
I looked between both of them, before standing back up and dusting myself off. “No, ma’am.”
Kerdy turned to Nightshade, giving her a shove as well, though she was able to stay on her feet despite tripping several steps back. “Spar with him properly, or I’ll assume you’ve forgotten how, and I’ll teach you myself.”
Nightshade nodded, all trace of the previous smile gone from her face. I had to admit it was a comfort to see that Kerdy treated everyone this way and not just me.
Nightshade took a step forward without warning. I responded by grabbing for her paw, only to have her pivot on the very next step, grab my wrist with her other paw, twist into me, then roll under my stomach. This sent me flying over her back, landing to her side. She’d maintained the grip on my wrist, twisting my arm, making me roll onto my stomach. Placing her foot on my shoulder, it was clear the next move in a proper fight would be to rip it right out of the socket.
I held up my free paw. “I surrender.”
“There, little dog. Did you feel the difference?” Kerdy asked.
I rolled onto my back and massaged my shoulder. Even though she didn’t complete the move, it still felt like she had nearly ripped my arm off.
“That’s one way to put it,” I said.
“Feel free to continue lying there, so it can prove everyone right about how soft city-dwellers are. I’m not wrong often, but clearly this is one of those times.”
I clenched my teeth and stood to my feet. “I like you Kerdy, and I owe you a lot, but so help me if you don’t shut that mouth of yours, I’ll—”
“You’ll what, fleabag? File a complaint? Talk to the manager? Submit an article to the newspaper calling me a big meanie? Cry to your mother for your puppy milk?” Kerdy continued taunting, taking several steps toward me until we were nose-to-nose.
“I’m warning you, Kerdy…”
She shoved me again, hard, sending me back to the ground. “Oh, so that’s what you’re going to do? Warn me? Hear that, Nightshade? Your new partner will warn the machines trying to rip your limbs off, instead of jumping in to save you. What a joke. Go to the nursery and join the kittens while the warriors train. No wonder Lady nearly killed your friend. With a dog like you having his back, who needs enemies? Useless coward!”
I lunged at her, taking a swing at her face, which she easily dodged. With the other paw, I threw a pawful of dirt into her face. Temporarily stunned, I took another swing. Without even opening her eyes, she dodged the second punch and countered with a kick to the stomach that sent me crumbling to the ground.
“Oh, so the little mongrel has some fight in him after all. Or maybe not?” she said, rubbing her eyes once more before opening them again.
I jumped to my feet again, grabbing at her with both arms. Sidestepping me, she moved behind me, with the speed and grace of a dancer, but wrapping her arms around mine with the strength of a giant brawler. I flung my head back into her face and sunk my teeth into her arm. I closed my eyes, and continued biting in, but opened them a moment later to the sound of laughter all around.
Kerdy had released her grip on me and was shaking me around on her arm like a stylish accessory, smiling.
“So, who here owes me an apology, hmm?” she asked, looking over the rest of the warriors.
More than half spoke up, shouting as one voice.
“Apologies, Commander!”
Kerdy laughed again. “Alrig
ht Trigger, you can let go now. I’ve made my point, and you’ve made yours.”
I let go and spat several times trying to get the taste of blood and hair out of my mouth.
“Your point? Are you kidding me?” I shouted, nearly choking.
“You had me going there. You’ve been completely different from the hard-nosed detective I met in the city ever since you woke up here. Apologizing for this and that, acting like we need your pity, hanging your head and slumping your shoulders. I thought maybe I really had made a mistake bringing you here instead of letting you die from your injuries. Look at this bite wound. How savage!”
She pointed to the wound as though she were talking about a work of art. This cat really did have a few screws loose. Maybe all of them were loose.
“Well, if it’s any comfort, you’re exactly the mean, grouchy, insufferable old cat I remember.”
She laughed, ignoring the blood running down her arm and dripping onto the ground. “Alright, that’s enough for today. The two of you can follow me and we’ll discuss whatever you two wanted to discuss.”
Everyone started walking away, and Kerdy snapped back around. “Did I say everyone? Get back to your positions! Continue your sparring and drills as usual. You don’t need me standing there watching to perform basic training, do you?”
Without answering, everyone shuffled quickly back into position, initiating with their partners and ignoring us from that point forward.
Nightshade and I followed Kerdy to Joy’s tent, who immediately began shouting the moment she saw Kerdy’s arm.
“What is this? Kerdy! What have I told you? Do you think our entire stock of bandages and medicine is only for you? The nerve!” Joy said, grabbing Kerdy’s arm roughly and pouring some kind of liquid from a bottle onto the wound.
Sheesh. Everyone else acted afraid of Kerdy, but something was clearly different about Joy. She talked to Kerdy the same way Kerdy talked to everyone else. Strange, considering she was a doctor.