There were cheers from most of the group, fists thrust in the air.
“My thought is that all of you, once you have taken your oaths, would run Cheyenne. Live in the stronghold, and grow crops, raise cattle or sheep or goats or whatever. We have chickens and rabbits at the Warren so far.” His sheepish grin as he said this earned him some laughs. “Go out and forage for items you can use or valuable items to sell. Right now Earth is a novelty, and we are the only ones with access to Earth’s goods. They’re selling for thousands of klax on the open market. Once the aliens arrive, the market will be flooded. So let’s take advantage while we can. And most importantly, find more survivors. People are now the most valuable resource on Earth, at least to us. And I will expect every single one of you to learn at least one craft - and get good at it! The land we will have at our disposal has plenty of room for farming, lakes and streams for fishing, mines, and quarries, everything we’ll need. But we need bodies to do all that work. And to defend ourselves when needed.”
He sat back in his chair to let them think. Helen caught his eye, giving him a smile and a thumbs-up. Dean clapped him on the back, then stood up.
“Alright, folks. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves. We’ll take a vote in an hour. For my two cents, Sarah and I will be joining Baron Allistor…” He grinned as Allistor rolled his eyes. “And moving into the Stronghold. I’m tired of worrying about real monsters spawning under my bed. And I can’t remember the last time I had a hot shower.” Sarah stood and moved next to him, taking his hand in a show of support.
Annie jumped up. “Me too! And I’m going to have a pet bear like Allistor.”
One by one, the others all stood. In less than a minute, it was unanimous. Helen spoke an oath, which they all repeated together and the green-blue light enveloped them all. Just like that, they had nine more citizens of Allistor’s little Barony.
When they’d all retaken their seats, Allistor said, “Thank you, all of you. And welcome! If you want to take some time to gather your essentials, we can go back to the mall and I’ll get you all authorized. Helen and I will stay in town tonight so we can talk some more. In the morning we’ll try the missile base one more time, then move on. I’m thinking Laramie or Casper is next.”
“What about the missile base?” One of the women asked, raising her hand.
“I’m sorry, please tell me your name again?” Allistor gave a little apologetic shrug. “I’m terrible with meeting new people.”
“I’m Andrea. Tech Sgt Andrea Miller. I worked at the base before all this.”
Allistor’s pulse quickened. “Well, helloooo, Tech Sergeant! You are just who we’ve been looking for. Helen and I have been calling the base on every radio channel, trying to raise somebody inside. I want to claim the base, most especially the silos and underground bunkers, as a Stronghold. And upgrade the mall to a Citadel. But nobody has answered. And we were afraid to approach too closely and get shot.”
Andrea looked at him, suspicion written all over her face. “Why do you want the base?”
“For several reasons. First, the bunkers sound like a good place to hunker down if we’re facing an enemy set on exterminating us. Second, we need to secure any WMD’s that are down there. Keep them out of the hands of any unstable elements that might go nuts and destroy us all. And I’m hoping there’s communication equipment down there we can use to find other survivors and coordinate. I don’t want us to be the only humans to thrive. If we can help others, and receive help in return…”
He stopped talking when she started nodding.
“I can maybe get you inside. We locked down the secure areas right before the Apocalypse. For much the same reason. There are forty techs, airmen, and guards down there, assuming nothing spawned inside and killed them. I can vouch for every one of them.”
Helen asked. “You haven’t been in touch with them?”
Andrea shook her head. “Commander’s orders. No contact with the outside world until he determines it’s safe, or he gets orders. He’s down there as well. They have surveillance systems with cameras, microphones, infrared, seismic, all kinds of sensors. And access to whatever is left of the military network. He will have been monitoring things topside. I’m not sure why they haven’t opened up yet, things aren’t all that bad out here.”
Helen followed up. “Well, if they’re locked down, how do you plan to get us in?”
“I know the codes to open the doors. Assuming they haven’t been changed. And I know a pass-phrase that should get the commander to respond on the radio, at least. Even if both fail, we might be able to gain access through ventilation and maintenance shafts. But that would take some explosives and a week or two of hard work.”
“Then let’s hope they answer your radio call. Or that your codes still work!” Allistor was back on his feet, excited at the prospect of claiming the base. “Let’s get all you guys settled this afternoon, have a nice meal this evening – thank you, Dean, by the way. This was delicious! – and tomorrow we can go see if we can’t claim ourselves a missile base!”
It took a bit longer than expected for folks to gather up their things, but two hours later a small convoy of trucks passed through the Stronghold gate. Allistor took some time to add the locals as well as his own people from the Warren to the authorized list as they all gathered outside the door. With Fuzzy at his side, holding the green doll and somehow grinning at everyone at the same time, he called out, “Welcome to your new home!”
The gates behind him opened, and the survivors filed inside. He’d chosen to bring them in the former food court entrance, reserving the big box store they had slept in the night before as his own quarters. He was the only one authorized to enter there.
There were a few laughs and gasps of surprise as the group entered the mall. They had, of course, all been there before, but it looked much different now. A few moved to sit by the fountain, running their fingers through the water. Others explored up and down the main concourse. When they’d all had a good look, Allistor called them back together. With the place so empty, his shout easily reached everyone.
As they all took seats in the dining area, he said, “As you can see, there are living quarters upstairs. Choose the one you want and move on in. There’s also the crafting hall, with plenty of space for you guys to practice your skills. And if any of you are motivated to do so, you can claim a shop space down here to market your wares. I will not be instituting any taxes during this first year, as I think you should put whatever resources you earn back into improving your skills.” This earned smiles from everyone. No taxes was always good news.
“There’s plenty of sunlight in here, so if you want to grow herbs and such, I’m sure we can find or build some planters. We can also construct a greenhouse outside when the Stronghold has earned some more points. Same with other types of buildings, like a garage. And there’s plenty of grass area inside the wall, as well as a paved area that you could break up and turn into cropland, fruit groves, whatever. And if we’re successful in claiming the base tomorrow, we can eventually upgrade this place to a Citadel. A whole little town inside a wall.”
Helen stepped in. “We can talk about future plans this evening. For now, here’s what’s most important. You’re safe in here. Nothing will spawn inside the walls while you sleep. There are large monsters out there, like the void titans and dragons that could still be a threat. But the sensors will warn you they’re coming, even if your guards don’t see or feel a sixty-foot monster stomping this direction.” There were a few chuckles, and several people looked over at one particular man, who blushed.
She continued, “But the single most important thing is this: Do us all a favor and go grab a hot shower! Some of you are a bit… ripe. We’ll gather back here to talk more when everyone has settled in.”
Allistor decided to follow Helen’s advice and grab a shower himself. He headed down the promenade to his own quarters, Fuzzy at his heels. After just a few steps he noticed Helen following.
A brief moment of panic ensued, as the thought of her wanting to join him in the shower crossed his mind. Whether they’d formalized it or not, he felt committed to Amanda. Things might be about to get awkward.
He slowed his pace, allowing Helen to catch up. She said, “A hot shower really does sound good right now,” letting out a wistful sigh. “Even at the cabin, the water heater pilot went out half the time. The other night at the cabin I was grateful for even the cold shower. But I’m gonna crank up the heat and scour myself clean right now!”
Allistor resisted contemplating that visual as he responded, “I saw a tub in one of the bathrooms. Might feel better to soak a while.”
She clapped her hands and grinned at him. “I’ll do both!”
When they reached his quarters the doors opened as he approached, the biometric scanners recognizing him. Once inside, he was relieved to see her split off and head across the main floor area for one of the bathrooms that had previously been a public restroom, rather than his ‘master suite’. She grabbed her bag and the clean clothes she had claimed the day before, calling over her shoulder, “See you in an hour!”
Left to himself, Allistor opened his interface and found Fuzzy’s Companion tab. The first thing he noticed was that his bear cub had a new level now. He was in fact level six already. The fights with the snake, the creepers, and maybe Twitch and his guys had granted him some experience. Out of curiosity, he tried adding Fuzzy to the Stronghold’s authorized list. The System let him add his pet’s name, much to his delight.
“Okay, buddy, you can let yourself in and out now. No waking me up or sticking your nose into the shower if you need to go out. You just go take care of business.”
Clearly understanding his words, the bear cub ambled toward the exit and let himself out. Allistor felt a strange sense of pride at this. “My little guy is growing up so fast!” he muttered to himself. Turning toward his quarters, he went to hit the shower.
Chapter Sixteen
What Happens in the Silo…
The next morning, after the group had a nice breakfast together, Allistor and Helen set off with Andrea and Fuzzy to see about the base. Helen rode in back with the bear cub, scratching his belly as Andrea navigated for Allistor. She brought them through the front gate and across the base, pointing out buildings like the motor pool, commissary, and the med clinic. A few minutes later they were parked before a low mound of concrete and earth, a single metal pedestal mounted out front.
Andrea tried the radio first. She tuned it to a specific channel, then keyed the microphone. “Redwing One, this is Tech Sergeant Miller, do you copy?” After a short pause, she added, “Redwing One, please respond. Hippopotamus can fly, over.”
Helen snorted behind her. “Nice one.”
A voice came over the radio. “Sarge, is that really you?”
Andrea smiled at the microphone. “Jenkins! Of course it’s me! For the ALLIANCE!” she shouted.
“For the Horde!” Jenkins’ voice came back. “Damn I’m glad to hear from you.” Then his voice grew suspicious. “I see folks in that truck with you. Is there a problem?”
She laughed into the mic. “Everything’s good. These are friends. Allistor and Helen. And Fuzzy the bear. We came to get you out of there. Please let the boss know we’re here.”
There was a long silence, then Jenkins replied. “The boss is gone, Sarge. These things appeared down here and took out a bunch of us before we got them. Been a little… rough down here.”
Andrea bowed her head. “How many have we lost? And who’s in charge now?”
Jenkins’ voice caught as he spoke. “Besides the captain, we lost twelve others. Mostly the guards, and a couple of techs who were working down in one of the pits when these things appeared. As for who’s in charge… well, now that you’re here, I guess that’s you, boss.”
Andrea rolled her eyes. “Alright, Jenkins. Send the lift up. We’ll join you in a few.”
“Roger that, boss. Welcome back!”
Andrea and the others exited the vehicle, and she led them over to one side of the bunker. A moment later the parking area near their feet split apart, two horizontal slabs separating like a giant maw opening in the earth. Allistor moved to the edge and peered down into a deep tunnel that ran straight down a few hundred feet. “Is this… a missile silo?”
Andrea shook her head. “Nope. That would be much larger. This is an access shaft. Mostly used for moving supplies up and down. Like a freight elevator.” As she finished talking, a wide metal platform rose up to ground level and stopped. “All aboard!” she called out, stepping over the small gap onto the lift. The others joined in, Fuzzy a little hesitant as he sniffed at everything. When he finally got aboard, she placed a hand on a sensor pad attached to the metal frame of the lift. A green light came on, and she hit the ‘down’ button. As the lift began to descend, the roof above them slid closed. The deep clang that echoed down to them as the two doors connected was more than a little ominous.
It took a full two minutes for the lift to descend to the next landing and a set of heavy-looking doors. When it came to rest, Andrea pressed her palm to another sensor, and the doors opened. Inside were four men with automatic rifles and body armor. The rifles were pointed toward the floor, but the men were clearly ready to raise them and fire at need.
“Airman Bjurstrom, Campbell, McCoy, and Goodrich. Good to see you guys in one piece. Jenkins said it was bad down here.”
“Welcome back, Sarge,” the one with Bjurstrom stitched on his chest replied. “And yeah. We lost a good bit of the complex down here. The lower levels aren’t safe. We fought a running retreat until we could seal off the bottom four levels at one of the blast doors. Lost some good men. The captain sacrificed himself, stayed to distract them while we got the doors shut.”
Allistor spoke up. “Let me guess. Octopoids? The things with the stubby legs and tentacles?”
The airman nodded. “Yes, sir. Those and some nasty lil white goblin-looking things. Like a hundred of them. All sharp teeth and claws. Also, these jello-looking slimy things that burn like acid when you touch them. They kept eating through the lower doors. It’s why we had to keep retreating. But they can’t seem to get through the blast door. At least, not yet.”
Goodrich added, “It’s like a damn video game dungeon down here, Sarge. Please tell me it’s safer out there?”
Andrea shook her head. “It’s a video game out there too, fellas. Nasty monsters, even worse than you’ve seen down here. But yeah, it’s safer, if only because there’s room to run away. Baron Allistor here has built a Stronghold over at the mall. Nothing spawns inside the walls. And there are other survivors there as well.” All four men grinned and fist-bumped each other.
“That’s the good news.” Their faces fell at that phrase. Every soldier knew what was coming when an NCO started talking good news/bad news.
Allistor took over. “The bad news isn’t so bad. I plan to turn this place into a Stronghold too. So that nothing bad can spawn down here. But in order to do that, we need to clear the place. Remove every living thing other than ourselves.”
The four men began shaking their heads. “No can do, sir. Even when there was a dozen of us, we didn’t have the firepower to take them all out. We’re the last of the guard unit.”
Helen grinned at them. “I’m Helen. Park ranger and badass monster killer. You might have heard me on the radio in the last few days?” McCoy nodded. “Well, Allistor here is good at killing monsters. And with a little backup from us, I’m sure he can get it done.”
To reinforce her statement, he summoned a fireball in his hand, then let it dissipate. “Part of this new game world is the ability to learn magic. To make yourselves stronger, and faster and smarter…”
All four men were grinning at him now. “We know, sir.” Campbell thumped his chest. “Lots of us are gamers. Not much else to do when you’re trapped down here for weeks at a time. Especially since we have access to one of the highest speed network
s on the planet!” The others all gave thumbs-up and shouted, “For the Horde!”
Andrea snorted. “Bunch of PvP animals. Everybody knows the best way to play is PvE, and for the Alliance!”
Bjurstrom tilted his head, looking behind Allistor. “Uh… you guys know a bear followed you down here?”
Helen grinned. “That’s Fuzzy - he’s bonded to Allistor.” Fuzzy nodded his head, the green goblin doll’s arms waggling.
“Is that a frog in its mouth?” Goodrich squinted at the bear cub.
“Nope. Goblin.” Allistor laughed when they raised their weapons. “Stuffed Goblin. Any of you guys remember Fibble?”
“Ha! I do,” Bjurstrom said. “The bear’s got good taste.”
Andrea said, “You geeks wouldn’t know good taste if it bit you on the ass.”
The four men joked around with their sergeant for a bit longer, clearly happy to see her. Then at her command, they led her deeper into the complex. After several turns, they came upon a mess hall, where another half dozen men and women were gathered.
When Andrea walked in, they all shot to their feet, standing at attention. She patted her hands at the air, saying, “At ease, at ease. Those days are over, I’m afraid. Unless you’ve had contact with our command? Or any command?” She waited for one of them to reply, but there was only the shaking of heads and hopeless looks.
“Right! So then we’re on our own.” She looked at each of the group one by one. Then she pointed to Allistor. “This is the new boss - Baron Allistor. He’s gonna help us all survive for the next year and beyond.”
Shadow Sun Survival Page 34