"You'll find they add up quick in situations like this. There's an active hive in the area. That Model Eight, the giant worm, is a definite sign of that. I'm fairly sure it's nearby, but underground somewhere, possibly in the old train tunnels. It's going to need to go before things get better. You might even be able to deal with it yourself- Or with assistance- Once you've fought for longer and gotten more points."

You could just give me the points now though.

She doesn't say it. They hear that argument a lot and aren't moved by it. She's read blog posts.

"The more I think about this bio catalog, the Anura, the more I like it? It feels - soothing. It feels visceral and warm and real. I don't like chrome and plastic. I like that it's biology, not something - invasive in my body. I guess, I have my sword for now, and can try to save up for this catalog and the useful things in it? Anything you suggest I buy with my ten points right now?"

"You could buy a combat stimulant for five points, for use in emergencies, such as a sudden Antithesis swarm. Mind Krank Ultra. It's very, very strong. It will make you more effective with your sword. It also has extremely nasty side effects when over-used, but they're all things that you can easily make better with more Class I Medical Utilities or Anura Biosculptors utilities. And it will make you more effective in the immediate term. There are less potent options available, too. The Anura Biosculptors catalog itself costs one hundred and fifty points, and then useful items such as the enzyme grenades, armor suits, living mines, and biological augments start at ten points and go up from there. You currently have ten."

She looks in the mirror.

She rubs her face with her hands. She tries to produce - a thought, an opinion - and fails. Everything feels too bright and too loud and too crisp, and the knot of anxious tension in her gut swells and rises, with a pang of fear and panic...

...Close your eyes. Take a long, deep breath.

What are you doing crying, bitch! You're a fucking samurai! Put your game face on!

"...Sure. Whatever. Let's plan on that. Everything you just said. When I can afford it, I want those enzyme grenades, or armor, or strength mods... Or that bio power armor maybe, I think the biologic augments take a while to kick in... Whatever. Let's kill some goddamned plants."

She materializes an inhaler. It's covered in bold warnings.

"Don't use it until you're about to start fighting. It really is VERY strong. But it's possibly the best option at your budget if you want to fight with Foehammer and win."

The inhaler carefully goes into her hi-vis vest's pocket.

"-Foe hammer? Because I used a sledgehammer to kill my first Three? Hah."

"It's also a literary reference, but if you want to reduce it to that, I won't stop you..."

Lenora shakes her head, picks up her giant sword, and goes to check on the process of repairing the door electronics. Shouldn't be long now. Who knows what the Antithesis are up to, though...

They're up to no good, as always. At the moment, it takes the form of a pack of threes charging up the tunnel followed slowly by a five. A few flocks of ones have started dive-bombing runs. The five, a large, almost gorilla-shaped beast, is very durable, and studded with countless quills on its back and sides, ready to be fired off at targets. It stakes out the entrance tunnel as a guard.

This is pretty clearly audible throughout the shelter, given how the best shooter, equipped with that Hornet, starts firing aimed shots at Ones. And then everyone else joins in soon after. They're rationing ammo, only taking sure shots, but it's still a lot of noise.

Oh shit!

She glances at the door panel- Yeah, seems like that is in progress-

And then runs to the entrance. There are Model Ones flying around, and a few Threes spreading out from the hole- So it's time to fight.

She cleaves a diving One in twain with her sword. It feels good.

"That is a Model Five down the street. It's guarding the hole, which has turned into an Antithesis highway! It has ranged attacks, and poison. You should be careful."

"I can't fight that thing right now."

"You would have poor chances. Approaching it from the cover of cars might help, but you're unarmored. I advise against it. Once we can unlock the Anura Biosculptors catalog and get you some equipment, you'll fare better."

The police officers move out of her way as she stands out in front. There are more swarms of Ones around, but she's focusing on the Model Threes down the street now. Sword should do much better than hammer. If they start coming her way, and it looks like they'll keep coming this way, she'll take the combat drugs.

The Threes bound toward her, standing in front as she is, and two leap directly at her while another darts around from the side to attack her leg, and two more try to dash past her and hit the police officers playing anti-air defense.

...Upon seeing five Threes coming her way, she immediately scrabbles to press the very warning sign-festooned inhaler against her mouth and nose, and squeezes.

Mind Krank Ultra: It will make you feel invincible, heighten your senses, improve your perception of time, vastly enhance your reflexes, and will increase your pain and fatigue tolerance. Humans who used this drug have gone on to fight for upwards of thirty-two hours without pause, or until their cardiac system gives out.

HOLY SHIT THIS STUFF IS GREAT!

The Threes are slower now, this drug is like something right out of a video game. She can plan her moves ahead, kinesthetically, in motion more than words, and lunge forward to cleave one, then twist the sword to come up again and hit the second one, even as she steps away from the one at her side, to using the momentum from that swing to bring the blade down on the third, and then lunge dramatically at one of the two flankers, skewering it and twisting.

All those Threes die very abruptly and efficiently! Killing in close range is a great way to get sprayed with antithesis death pheromones, though, which is a great way to become a priority target. 

Four of the Ones swoop straight at her, turning off their previous approach toward the shelter, and another pack of Threes bounds up out of the hole toward her.

She'll charge forward to-

No she's defending the shelter!

It itches as she waits for the motion to line up. The world is so clear. She feels like she could cross the distance to that Five in an instant and cut it in half. She should be moving, not standing here waiting for all of two, five, however many seconds, waiting for the attacks to line up-

-She can see the motion and where it will collide, like heat seeking missiles questing for her flesh. Slow arcs, turning and meeting in midair. But the sword's arc will go here and she steps to the side, in time to intercept the next, and the last two will come at her one after another rather than simultaneously and-

Cut dodge cut cut- Grab with her free hand, ignoring the claws scrabbling on her arm and squeezing until she hears a crack and-

-Now the Threes, she'll charge forward to-

No she's defending the shelter! A glance that takes a whole, long second to complete shows the police still standing and shooting.

She steps away from the Three and One corpses so she won't slip when the next batch reaches her in three two - swing-

"Gloooory glory hallelujah!"

"You're going to attract even more Antithesis, covered in their death-pheromones like that. I suppose that might even be a good thing; It means they'll go for you and not anyone else."