The Fall of the City of Steel

The Raid on the Refinery

With Soren's gifts squared away and hidden in a disused hut and the guns thoroughly examined by Rico, the crew sat in a ring in the center of the village grounds. Outside of this ring, the entire population of the village listened as the collaborationists discussed with their leader what was to be done next. The early afternoon sun seared burning heat on the gathering, saddling them with an irrational sense of weariness. The gaiety that had heralded the arrival of the care package had by now completely evaporated.

"Nightfall is coming," Acridoidea began. "That means we can try another raid. The refinery beyond the mine is an obvious choice, but we have no idea what it looks like from within."

"Why don't we just have Rico do what Damon did with the mine?" asked Vespoidea, who sat next to Acridoidea. "He can fly a plane, can't he?"

"Can't do that," James vetoed sadly. "We lost the plane and the camera rig when Gottlieb traded it out for the Dragoon. They've almost certainly found and confiscated it by now."

"Do we have enough money to buy another camera?" proposed Rico. "Because, if we do, we can probably use the helicopter for the same purpose."

"Not with Buthoidea inside it, we can't," Acridoidea shot down.

The crew thought for a few silent moments, thinking.

"How much do we already know about the refinery's geography?" Emilia asked

"Almost nothing," Acridoidea replied. "We've concentrated our scouting on the iron mine over the years."

"Will we get very far exploring the refinery from outside?" Emilia persisted.

"We might," Acridoidea thought aloud, "Buthoidea won't be available, and she's one of the best we have. We didn't have many options to begin with, either."

"What about the attack?" Tony mentioned. "Soren said they might be attacking."

"What do you mean?" solicited Emilia. "Are you thinking of intercepting it?"

"No," Tony corrected, "But it makes sense for them to assemble at the refinery. There's a chance we'll get a look at what we'll be up against."

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Acridoidea shrugged. "Without Damon, we're back where we started in terms of tactics."

"Except for Soren and the gear he sent," Rico brought up.

"That won't do us much good," Acridoidea rejected. "Maybe we'll find a use for it, but, for now, we'll use our own equipment. I have it in good authority that the warriors are already prepared for another raid. We can attack the same night we go exploring, unless something demands that we wait."

"Hold on..." interrupted Waldo, who had been waiting for an opening. "You're all going to risk your lives, aren't you?"

Acridoidea looked at him as though he were insane.

"Of course we're going to risk our lives." She drew her crossbow. "What do you think this is? A pendant?"

Waldo scanned the crowd, as though taking it in for the first time.

"Gosh almighty, you're all in on this, aren't you?"

"Haven't you been listening?" Acridoidea retorted. "Yes!"

Remembering what Buthoidea had told her, she tried to have patience with this foreigner.

"I've never seen a woman doing stuff like this," Waldo remarked, eyes wide with innocent surprise. "Desperate times, I guess..."

"What do you mean by that?" Acridoidea interrogated, sounding more annoyed than offended. "Do you think we're all like this just for our men?"

"Well, I assumed so..."