Never drink with an experienced family man. Why? Well, seems Ron used me as an excuse to have some fun and good rest. So, we ended up drinking so much that even after a few days after I still felt like alcohol circulating within my blood and that I can breathe fire like a dragon if you give me a match.
Anyway, Ron passed my message to Jeremiah, and to my big surprise he agreed on them except for the fact that I have to wait for a bit until I get a permit to go with my plan. Moreover, as compensation for bureaucratic and power struggles amongst higher-ups that caused delay he promised to provide quite a sum for my project.
But for now I have to operate as security specialist. My previous team ,except Ron, still busy with their own projects. Jorg is studying some weird healing magic at one of top Universities in Leningrad. I have no idea how he survives there especially with his Way of a Scrooge. Flyboys, still learning some new tricks with aerodynes. Sam....well last thing I heard from his was about his trip somewhere in Tibet to seek inner peace. I hope he will be fine.
This lead to situation when I had to just get attached to one of existing teams as "beneficial additive". Ron is really becoming one of bureaucrat now. Instead of just saying to get into the fucking aerodyne and save some rich assholes.
And thanks to my luck I got attached to one of rag-tag "leftovers" team. I have met them near armoury.
"Hey guys I am Markus Berkut. Back to Trauma Team after let's call it courses on improving professional skills."
Guys turned out to be quite laid back. No need for macho games or etc. That's good. So my current team included 2 security specialists, 2 pilots and 1 assistant EMT. With me there will be 3 security specialist so this team will be mainly used as emergency support for other teams.
My current team knows about me so they feel at ease as I am not greenhorn but professional so nothing to worry about in case of firefight. They introduced themselves.
"I am Robert. Current leader of R-4. I am security specialist same as Daru. Lile is our assistant EMT. Me and Daru are from same team while Lile is straight from a boot camp."
"Nice to meet you all. Well since you already know me I think there is no need for introduction from me. On mission you can call me Markus or Berkut. So what is the situation like today?"
"Since we have only assistant EMT and he lacks in experience we will act as reinforcement and in case of some minor injuries can respond for calls. In short we either arrive guns blasting or help to save drunk corpo from suffocating from vomit."
"Just perfect. I am a bit rusty after long break so this is good start."
"Yea...."
But before he could reply we got a emergency call from dispatcher.
"Team R-4, immediately proceed to aerodyne. One of our teams request urgent help. One of EMTs injured and one security specialist killed. Client, gold."
"Fuck! Hurry up everyone!" - so we all sprinted towards hangars.
Once we have jumped in Robert requested additional information from dispatcher.
"Team R-4. Robert Nord. Requesting additional information on situation. Client, enemy and location."
"Client health monitor shows anomalous result. High risk to client."
What the fuck he is talking about?
"Dispatcher, we need more info!"
"Health monitor shows either peak health performance or flatline. Currently client is experiencing second clinical death."
"What?!!" - Lile asked out loud. - "How is this possible? Have our guys already got client and now trying to resuscitate him?"
"Negative. Trauma Team A-63 is not able to reach client"
"Ok, I need information about enemy and location."
"Trauma Team got attacked by security turrets and unknown number of Arasaka Robot R Mk.2. Location is ex factory communications underground. Long corridors turned into firetraps."
"Shit." - I said and others reaction was similar to mine after we realised whole situation.
"Any good thoughts on how to deal with such situation?" - Robert asked me. With our smart guns and limited EMP grenades we will just turn into a cannon fodder. We need something with good firepower.
"We can use Ashura sniper rifle but we have only one. But what about machine guns? Let's take two of them while one of us will work with sniper rifle. We can also grab some extra ammo from pilot manned turrets. Except that I have no decent idea. I doubt we have enough time to either come back and fill our pockets with EMPs and frags or make short stop at nearest authorised ammo shop."
"Not too bad. Alright, I and Daru will grabs machine guns while you work with sniper rifle. Lile, you will have to work as ammo donkey. We will need every ounce of firepower to make it there." - usually EMTs don't have to be encumbered with additional weights but at the moment we don't have much choice.
Without wasting time we started stripping of machine gun from turret and attach ammo boxes. We have run out of space for them so we had to improvise. All of us got covered in machine gun belts like mummies. In this situation there is no such thing as too much ammo. If other team already managed to face severe losses who knows what to expect.
Finally, we have arrived. Without much time we started walking towards last known location of A-63. On our way we have seen destroyed turrets and drones. No robots so far. Only when we started hearing rare gun shots we saw few destroyed robot. They were modified robot mass produced by Arasaka. Extra armour plate and strengthened joints with claws or some shit instead of standard hands but still capable of holding weapons.
Despite hearing gunshots we have decided not to rush. It may be trap so proceeded with caution. Only when we crossed a corridor we saw a small handmade barricade and our colleagues fighting of some robots in room that used to be private workshop. To my big surprise robots acted more active and agile than usually. Moreover, they used standard combat tactic used by HUMANS. Usually robots lack weaknesses of humans and can resist to some direct hits. But this ones tend to hide or take cover, providing suppressive fire and attempting to flank.
Thanks to only two entrances our lads managed to hold robots off but rare gunshots identified their lack of bullets. Need to hurry up.
"Robert, Daru get to barricades and start fighting off robots. I will stay here with Lile and take off robots from distance. Something is fishy with those bastards, they act too well and intelligent. Let's try to destroy them or at least make them retreat."
"Got it."
Robert and Daru quickly activated FOF system in order not to get shot by friendly while I started observing enemies with my scope. Now I just need to wait for good opportunity. Without wasting much time Robert and Daru got to barricades and opened fire, seems robots didn't expect that instead of SMGs they will have machine guns. Two robots got shredded to pieces in a instant and one got his arm ripped off. Not bad, but there are still 5 more to destroy and scope shows drones moving towards our position.
Robots tried take cover but I already got one of them tracked so I gently pulled a trigger sending bullet right into his head. However, to my big surprise robot was still functioning. Moreover, he started shooting back at me. Just what in earth are those robots, usually one good head shot is enough to crash them but this one just like a cockroach keeps functioning even without having head.
Quick reload and let's try again. This time I aimed in such way that bullet will hit him from a side aiming at his chest area hitting either hidden processors or energy system. After a shot I had to duck down since robots somehow identified me as major threat and started firing at me. But next second there was a explosion. All of a sudden robots stopped firing and freeze for a brief moment, other Trauma Team members used this opportunity and destroyed all remaining robots.
Drones arrived too late to make any difference and they also got shredded by machine guns. Finally, area was clear and I have ordered Lile to move forward while I keep scanning area for any more threats.
"Markus, situation is really bad. A-63 is just one step away from proper FUBAR. Both security specialist are out of game. One is cold, another one barely holding. Remaining EMT is busy saving his buddy with Lile. Seems it is only us 4 that have to proceed with a client. A-63 EMT will stay here and try his best to stabilise his team members. After that they will start falling back." - Robert told me with empty voice.
"Shit and we are already going overtime. Let's ask remaining security specialist for any hints or info. Any little thing maybe of use for us." - I have started walking towards barricades and observing situation just in case.
After quick info exchange we got nothing to brighten up a mood. Surviving security specialists just told us about that robots not only use human combat tactics but some of them capable of ambushing from any corner thanks to special claw on their hands that allow them either move freely on walls. However, I shared my observation about how after killing one robot others froze. I asked whether it was like this before. To my surprise he said that they managed to kill few robots before but they kept functioning as normal.
Wait a second. Human combat tactics!
"Guys I think that creator of those robots just copied combat tactics of humans. As such he must have designated one of robots as either officer or sergeant to lead them in battle. My shot managed to cut chain of command and robots unprepared for this started malfunctioning."
"That's crazy, but it is the only explanation we have at the moment. Do you have any idea how we can identify officer or leader?"
"Not a fucking clue. I am not techno-lingua spec or nertunner. I doubt that we also see stars or stripes on their shoulders as identification. We just have to keep eyes wide open and hope for the best."
"Yeah, hope is the only option.....and our machine guns."
"That's the spirit, now let's get going. I want to end this as soon as possible."
We left some ammo and few grenades to remaining A-63, just to make sure that they have something to fight off enemies on their way back.
Location tracker showed that we are close, just another 100 meters away from client when we saw improvised Maginot Line. Scanners identified at least 5 turrets, small swarm of drones and 12-13 robots. No space for flanking, only one entrance. That's just great. Need to improvise, but how. And why the hell they are playing on defensive instead of just crashing us down with such overwhelming firepower.
Goddammit, I have zero ideas on what to do...those are just some top notch bodyguarding. Bodyguarding? What if?
I quickly stood up and took out some white cloth and attached it to small baton. Everyone from my team looked at me as I am some crazy idiot. Well, if it doesn't work we can always go to more sane option of dying here fighting with robots either during storming their defence line. Yeah, great options.
I waved handmade white flag. To my big surprise no response. Ok, not too bad. At least they didn't start firing after my flag wave.
"Hey, you illegitimate children of calculator and porn sites, let's talk. We are here not after you we want to save human down there. Just let us take him to hospital and we can peacefully part our ways." - my speech made my teammates just bulge their eyes in disbelief.
"What? Have any of you made negotiations with robots and AI before? I don't see you having robo diplomacy for dummies book with you!" - I hissed at them still waving my white flag.
"HUMAN, SPEAK." - all of sudden comes out fully synthetic voice from some hidden loudspeakers.
"We are Trauma Team. We are here to save our client. His health is in danger that's why we are here."
"LIES. HUMANS ATTACKED US FIRST."
"Listen. You must have access to Net. Just check Trauma Team. We are paramedic service providers. We save lives."
Then it was a short moment of silence after which synthetic voice replied.
"TRUE. TRAUMA TEAM SAVES LIVES. AS LONG AS CLIENT PAYS. OUR MOTHER IS A CLIENT. WE ALLOW ONE OF YOU TO PROCEED AND SAVE OUR MOTHER. BUT WE REMAIN VIGILANT."
I turned to my teammates.
"So who is going to pick a short straw or we can just vote to send Lile?"
"You are the one negotiating with robots. So you must go." - Lile replied clearly not really interested in going to be involuntary volunteer.
"And you are damn EMT! The only medical aid I can provide to client is to give painkiller shot or shot in a head."
"HUMANS, HURRY UP."
"Hey, listen. Can two of us come in. There is so many of you and sending only one of us seems unfair."
"ACCEPTABLE. YET, YOU MUST LEAVE ALL YOUR WEAPONS."
"Ok. Lile are you happy now?! I am going with you and if I die I will pimp you to demons and imps once we end up to hell as punishment for forcing me."
"As if I wasn't forced by you."
"Shut up and hurry up. Machine may not treat nicely any further delay." - Robert and Daru started hurrying us up. Shit, I should have asked them to speak with robots but I doubt they would do that.
So after leaving all weapons and grenades we started walking towards entrance with hands up in the air. Robots kept tracking our moves with their guns while turrets aimed at our remaining team members.
After short walk we end up in some strange combination of netrunner office and robotics lab. Everywhere you can see half assembled or half stripped robots with cables attached to computers. Finally we saw a girl in netrunner bath, she seemed paler than usual but clearly no signs of death or clinical death. Although monitor showed some weird info.
Lile got his stuff out and started scanning client. Then he activated comms with HQ and started detaching client from cables talking with someone who was guiding him. Yet, when he unplugged last cable robots aimed guns at us.
"HUMANS, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?! WE CAN'T SENSE OUR MOTHER ANYMORE!"
"Calm down. We need to bring her to hospital but cannot do it with those cables attached. You can see that she is breathing but still not feeling very well." - I said quickly hoping that I will not executed immediately and only later realising that I asked robot to calm down.
"HUMANS, SAVE OUR MOTHER. OTHERWISE YOU WILL SEE OUR IRE." - wow we really get to see another day.
"Lile, hurry the fuck up. I am really tired of holding my hands up and appeasing that fucked up terminator and I am not John Connor to have plot armour or someshit to survive fighting robots."
"I have no idea what was second part of your speech about but I agree about hurry up part." - He put client on a stretcher and we started walking towards exit. Damn, thanks to psychological training and iron will my hands didn't shake too much during carrying client out of a room and towards aerodyne outside. Otherwise I might have dropped our client and end up tuned into swiss cheese by her angry mechkids.
Robert and Daru remained silent during whole trip back to aerodyne, due to "honour guard" in form of robots sending us off. Only after aerodyne took off they started asking questions and releasing pressure by swearing.
"Lile. What the fuck happened? Why robots call her mother?"
"Well, she actually created them and acted as nurturing omnipotent being for them. She bought some second hand robots and reprogrammed them. I don't know how but she managed to create an image of mother in their brains and started teaching them how to protect her. Just don't ask me. I am too far away from netrunner things. I am not even sure if it is netrunner thing. I have felt myself like sapper trying to diffuse nuclear bomb while preparing her for transportation." - said Lile with tired and angry voice.
"Ok. But what happened to her health monitor? Or she is sick?"
"Possibly something to do with her robot day care. Might be that just sheer amount of questions, requests or whatever put her brain and health to limit causing some strange comatose. She is alive but consciousness is big question. Anyway, that's way above my current level. Need someone with better skills and understanding to deal with that."
"Moreover, remember you mentioned human tactics? Well, she has tried to teach her kids how to protect her and used old training software created for US army."
"How do you know?"
"Cause one of cables had a tag saying "teaching US army" and I deducted the rest."
"Thanks god she didn't try to teach them more modern tactics. Motherfucking Skynet, mama of all robots my ass." - I muttered in low voice.
After landing and passing a client to hospital staff I took a cigarette break. After a while I have started to relax. Looking at big letters saying Trauma Team on aerodyne I have felt that I am actually back and smiled happily. Yeah, I am back and this is just another day of Trauma Team.