"What did you do to piss off so many of them?" Vixen asked looking over the vast array of bodies.
"I was just being myself." Blaster replied as if that was all the more explanation required.
The total body count of their encounter was forty seven. Most of the weapons they carried were destroyed. The melee weapons were metal and most were decent. They weren't worth collecting. They scrounged up a handful of energy cells that weren't damaged.
"Let's go check on Ace. I haven't heard anything from over there for a while. Not since the rocket went off." Vixen said worriedly.
"He put up a good fight. I bet money he's ok." Blaster replied confidently.
The two walked briskly across the field. Scanning the area for any movement. It took about fifteen minutes for them to reach the other battle front. They saw Braxton sprawled out on his back. Icca was nuzzling his head against him trying to wake up his master.
Vixen rushed over to him. Blaster walked the killing field looking for any threats.
Vixen checked to make sure he was breathing. His breathe was shallow. Blood stained his mouth, nose and ears. His helmet was a wreck as was his armor. She had seen worse and knew the nanites would repair the damage. "He'll be fine Icca. He is just being lazy." She said as she rubbed his head softly.
Blaster collected all the useable hardware off the bodies. He didn't care that they weren't his kills. It had been a long time since he had been well equipped. He wasn't willing to pass up this small haul.
Vixen picked up the rocket launcher for the time being. It was near Braxton's body. She pulled out her hide blanket and covered Braxton up to wait for him to recover.
Blaster returned a while later and sat down. He pulled out his MRE and warmed up the meal. Vixen watched his reaction. She saw the joy it brought him. It became clear to her why Braxton had given her the second one that first day. She didn't give hers away though. She pulled it out and ate too.
"What brings you this way?" Vixen asked.
"Looking for survivors. Same as always." Blaster replied like there was no other possible reason.
"Have you found the base camp yet?" Vixen questioned calmly.
"What base camp?" He stopped eating and looked her square in the eye.
"Ace said he can take me there. He also said the gate is repaired. We should be able to return home. You know back to Earth." Vixen told him in between bites.
"Did he give you the coordinates?" Blaster asked intently.
"No, I didn't ask either. I just know it's on the other side of the desert. We were crossing when I ran into you. I'm not sure how much you remember of that. His extra water saved your life." Vixen said evenly.
"It a hard trip crossing on foot. My water is gone and my canteen got blasted. I don't relish the idea of dying from lack of water." Blaster said coldly.
"I've got more water. We can make it across as soon as he is recovered. They should have spare canteens at the camp. Even if they don't it doesn't matter if we can return to Earth right?" Vixen responded in kind.
"You're right on that count. I've been living out here alone more often than not. I'm not used to being around people anymore. I forget how to act, only thing I know well is how to survive." Blaster explained.
"We've shared mud and blood on more than one occasion. I wouldn't let you die if there was any way around it. We are heading across that desert tomorrow or the next day at the latest. You can travel with us. It's your best option right now, anyway you look at it." Vixen added.
"I'll travel with you. Like you said it makes the most sense. I don't see how crossing here makes much sense. But I'm a deadman without help anyway I look at it." Blaster confirmed.
The two finished eating and took turns on watch during the night. Braxton woke up the middle of the next day. He got his rocket launcher back from Vixen. Then gave both his companions the coordinates to the base camp. He gave three more water skins to Blaster.
The three companions started walking across the desert that night. They reached the far side just after dawn. The narrow section was only twenty miles wide. They passed north of the guard camp unnoticed. The return trip to the base camp took another ten days. They filled the water bladders every time they stopped. To keep producing enough water for the three of them. They took turns riding Icca too.
When they returned, the most surprised person of the three was Braxton. The place looked entirely different than it had when he left. In a month the place had completely changed. The charred and scarred battlefield he first entered had been leveled and wiped away. In its place, a new walled compound had been constructed.
The walls were ten feet high. On each of the four corners an automatic belt fed Gatling gun rested. It had a tower of its own. The charging station rested behind protective glass atop the central building of the compound. On the walls the Blackhawk gaming company logo resided. There was also a ridiculously large flag of the same design flapping in the breeze above the tower.
"It looks like they are trying to get ready to open it up to the public soon." Braxton muttered.
The three walked through the new gate together. "This place looks all new and fresh. When did this happen?" Vixen asked, her eyes were filled with wonder as she gazed at the new buildings.
"Your guess is almost as good as mine. It sure wasn't like this when I left." Braxton stated. He wasn't happy with this development at all. It was a clear sign his father was rushing this. People would come here and die for real. Unless they made progress on regeneration chambers or something. Not to mention this was a real world being turned into a battlefield for humans. It amounted to a full scale invasion.
Braxton wasn't sure what his next best move was. He was planing on making money. He still could easily. Many people would come here to spend money. People would come by the thousands maybe even millions. They would quickly overwhelm the resources of the area and spread like a plague.
Braxton decided he would have to fight it from inside the system. He would have to collect his reward and out himself. There was no way his father would stop pressing to make money off his investment. He knew that better than anyone.