Florin: I’m trying to talk Lucia into going into the guild. Wish me luck.
An announcement came over the system. This was a new male voice I’d never heard before. He didn’t identify himself, but both Pontiff and Nester jerked at the announcement. This did not sound like a kua-tin but was more humanlike.
Hello, Crawlers.
I hope you’re all getting properly settled. Just a reminder that safe room access is not available while you prepare for the final heat. I have a few updates for you about this last heat and the next floor.
“Carl, who is that?” Donut demanded. “Where’s Zev?”
Pontiff snorted. “That’s Damien. Must be running low on employees. He’s one of the few that’s always around, no matter who is running the season. Does a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff.”
Donut: ZEV, ARE YOU OKAY?
While all this was happening, Damien continued.
The Outreach Guilds are now open. Theywillclose once the final heat starts, so if that’s your plan, get going now. Despite rumors, I assure you that it’s completely safe to take a deal, and you are very much encouraged to do so. Remember, all former crawlers who aren’t deemed terrorists are given center system citizenship post-indentureship. This is an opportunity very few in the galaxy are afforded, and you should consider yourself lucky for the privilege.
Also, I have been asked to directly address this so-called Pineapple Cabaret exploit many of you are using to shirk your duties as a crawler. We, the showrunners, do not endorse any such methods and we are not responsible for anything that may happen to crawlers who venture into unauthorized areas of the World Dungeon infrastructure.
Now, on to the business at hand.
For survivors of this next heat, your garage and the contents will transfer to the 11th floor. Because of this change, special dispensation has been made for just this level. Any hired NPCs that you wish to keep for the 11th floor will transfer with you if they are in your garage or your vehicle when you descend. Furthermore, once the heat begins, safe room access will open back up.
Upon arrival at the 11th floor, you will have 90 minutes to create a themed parade float using the resources within your garage and safe room.
Donut gasped. “A parade float!”
That is all. Good luck, Crawlers. And seriously, between you and me, I’ve been doing this a long time.Take a deal. You willnotsurvive this next heat. There are a lot of those bugs in that building right now. Yes, things are fucked. But trust me on this. It’s better to get shuffled away into pre-indentureship.
“That guy is a little bitch,” Pontiff said. He opened the door to the truck and stepped out.
I shook my head. A goddamned parade float.
Hedy was standing there with her tablet along with several mercenaries, plus Samantha, Bigs, Jamal, Rosetta, Bucket Boy, and even Tipid. Only Mordecai remained inside the safe room, and I realized belatedly that we’d never had a chance to say goodbye to him for this floor. Which, honestly, was a relief. I did not like his strange form.
Carl: Who has keys to the other garages? Make sure you steal the other vehicles!
Donut: STUPID DWIGHT HAS TWO, AND I DON’T THINK HE USED THEM.
Zev: Sorry, Donut. I’m fine. Things are a little chaotic here in the headquarters. Cascadia “accidentally” took too much of her medicine, and when the AI intervened, a goddess nobody has heard of appeared inside the submerged wings and caused an uproar. I’m currently on lockdown, waiting for it all to be sorted out. One of the satellite headquarters on the surface is temporarily in control of everything.
Donut: OMG, BE SAFE.
“Okay, so no Golden upgrade for the last heat,” Hedy said, all business, as I pulled myself out and stretched my back. “What’s your pleasure?”
Donut released Mongo as gremlins swarmed. I held up my hand as more updates came in. Imani was in the chat coordinating our response to this final heat, taking note of allthe heats that currently had more than one crawler team. There were several.
Imani: Did you place the explosives? Unless it gets changed again at the last minute, it sounds like your Tower of Power plan might work.
Carl: I have them all in place, mostly in a vertical line. Unless they’ve changed the integrity of the apartment complex itself, it’ll work.
Everyone who was taking a deal was first upgrading their vehicles and then allowing those of us with Thief class upgrade engineers into their garages to steal as many upgrades as possible. It was a massive, complicated effort being spearheaded by Imani, with Mistress Tiatha, Rosetta, and Tipid helping.
I wondered, once again, how we would’ve gotten any of this done without her. Without Imani.
That alien had been correct to target her for assassination. As much as Donut and I were figureheads in this, it’d become clear since the beginning of Faction Wars that Imani and Katia were the true bedrocks of our ability to stay organized. Without them, none of this would’ve been even remotely possible.
Look for the helpers.It was a goddamned Mr. Rogers quote, told to a child to comfort them during times of upheaval. But damn if it wasn’t true.