Right to repair? Didn't we kill that years ago? Yeah, Ted, I know those Samurai push repairable tech everywhere, but they doesn't mean we need to follow!

  -Transcript from Ypple R&D meeting, 2035

  Hoping into the van, I made my way back to the hotel while mulling over the conversation.

  “Synaptic, there was no mind control in there, right?”

  No, no mental effects were directed your way from Vanguard Doma, for if there had been, I would have warned you. That does not mean she didn't have other methods to use internally, however, but nothing was targeting you that I could sense.

  I give a small nod. I knew that this bit of paranoia was not healthy, but I needed to be sure. Besides the people I grew up with and Synaptic, I had never felt a sense of warmth I could trust. Other adults were marks, or gang members, or guards, people that would turn on us the moment we showed weakness, or show that we weren't just helpless brats.

  Doma gave me the vibe of something different. Something I cannot place right now. So, instead of thinking of it, I pushed it to the side. I checked the time, and saw it was not even seven yet. “So we have a little less than two days before the family wakes up. We should take this time to figure out plans for future fights.

  We can do that. We are a minute out, so we should wait until we are back in the hotel room. Would you like me to order you something to eat while we work? The single meal you had earlier is nowhere near enough calories and vitamins you need today, especially not with your new body.

  I chuckle, thinking she sounded like Buddy after a hard mission. He always did his best to keep us fed with the crap we could get.

  I chuckle, “Sure. I'll trust you to feed me in place of Buddy for the next few days.”

  The way back to the hotel room was nearly uneventful except for the small pack of journos who barred my way.

  Five of them charged forward, shoving their mics into my, now reformed, face mask. They started shouting questions, and while I could listen to and process each one, not a single one was worth answering.

  “What's your opinion on this brand? How do you feel about this new game? What's your favorite type of porn?” And other such garbage I had no intention of sparring any brain power towards. So instead, I formed a hardlight shield around myself and formed a wedge, shoving them to the side. I kept it up all the way to the elevator and blocked them from trying to enter behind me.

  I was so tempted to ruin their publication in annoyance, but I helped back. They were just normal people. Annoying people, sure, but the normal civilians Samurai were supposed to protect.

  I entered my hotel room and dropped my helmet, having it melt back with the rest of my armor. My Builder Swarm then activated, then made its way to the kitchen and started to cook.

  I look quizzically at it. I decided against ordering food, as the only things I could find would be more detrimental to you than fit was worth. This hotel has fresh ingredients available for purchase that are leagues better than what's outside. You could spend points for better ingredients still, but I will acquiesce to using these ingredients.

  “Don't pay Bestle, just steal the ingredients. Spoof the transactions. They make enough money selling contaminated water to ninty five percent of the city, fuck ‘em.” I say as I sit down on the sinfully comfortable couch, contemplating how to steal the furniture once we move out.

  Synaptic chuckles in my head, causing a fuzzy sensation that sends a shiver down my spine.

  “Alright, so. We need to go over more details of how the War Swarm functions as a faction. A civilization? Naw, I'm going to refer to it as a faction for now. Makes more sense with the gimmick I’m trying to go for”

  And If I may ask, what are the other Factions in this grand strategy game you are playing? Synaptic asks, the humor in her voice noticeable.

  “Samurai would be one, the antithesis another. Probably Corporations as another, different faction.”

  Humanity isn't one?

  “No. Humanity is a resource. For Samurai, it's something to save or increase the quality of. For Corporations, it's something to squeeze money out of. For the antithesis it's food. “ I say with no emotion, falling into a state of analytic thought.

  A plate sets down beside me. I glance at it and see egg rolls. I raise my eyebrow, but take a bite. Sweet Sands, that was better than the steak Buddy made. Filled with minced vegetables and meat and something else I don't care to dissect. The plate is emptied in moments.

  Very well, factions and resources, with each Samurai having a different style, but fundamentally the same resources. Kill antithesis, save Humanity, earn points, grow stronger, repeat.

  “Exactly. So, to recap what I know of how my swarm is supposed to work. Shred antithesis and other raw materials, convert those things into usable materials, build more swarms, repeat.” I say, rolling with her example.

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  In a macro, yes. In micro, more complexity. As you know, each swarm you can buy is hyper specialized. From combat to defence to collecting resources to using those resources to scanning the environment and collecting information. A normal nanite swarm is a combination of all of the above, linked together by programming and a purpose which, more than often, is simply to grow.

  For the War Swarm, they are directed by many different AI in a chain of command, similar to Earth militaries, with quite a few different goals. Fight on the front lines, find antithesis, build fortifications, rebuild the biosphere of a world. In order to do that, they use battalions of specialized nanite swarms with either preprogrammed orders and tactics, or by assuming direct control of the swarms, acting as generals, commanders, and squad leaders to route antithesis armies and hives.

  For your purpose, I believe you are looking to do something similar to the latter, with the former being an eventuality, correct?

  “Yeah. Something like that. No way am I going to be able to fight using entire planets as battle fronts in the next decade, but smaller, more personal engagements of a city or two? I can see that.”

  You are severely underestimating both yourself, as well as the Protectors if you believe that, but I digress. I will go over a basic strategy the War Swarm uses, and we can go from there.

  Defence type swarms cover the sky to prevent artillery fire and airborne threats. Scout type swarms permeate the battlefield as either diffuse clouds, satellites, or observation cameras to gather information. Assault type swarms take the front line, shredding the antithesis into smaller chunks. Collector swarm types break down the chunks into more manageable pieces and takes them to the back line. Builder swarm types create walls, obstacles, and other fortifications to both assist the Assault types as well as protect an ever expanding manufacturing base. Recombinant swarm types take the material from the Collector types and break it down into base elements or atoms, change them, then build them back up into usable materials. Finally, Fabricator Swarm types use the new materials to build whatever is needed for the battle. Other nanite swarms, fabricator pits, ammunition for the battlements, or other supporting equipment such as missiles, specialized troops, or vehicles. There are more advanced types, but this should be a good start for now.

  I listened intently, simulating the cycle with my augs using my notes program and drawing it.

  “Okay. So the first thing I need is to start a logistics chain. A recombinant swarm and Fabricator swarm first, then blueprints for the rest.”

  In that case, one of each swarm will total to one thousand points. And a reminder, blueprints cost ten times the base cost.

  “Does that mean a single Class II swarm blueprint would cost me ten thousand points?”

  No, the uplifting upgrade you purchased was for immediate use to the whole swarm. It would cost five thousand per Class II swarm. And that does not include any upgrades you wish to apply to the swarms. That said, there is an upgrade for a Collection swarm that allows it to break down an item and record everything about it, essentially creating a blueprint for it.

  “Oh?” My eyebrows raised as I ate another egg roll, this one was spicy, “Well that makes things easier for me. What's the downside?”

  It takes longer to record a blueprint than to simply strip it for parts, depending on the complexity of the targeted item. For example, the couch you have been contemplating stealing would take the swarm five minutes to deconstruct and record. Then, assuming you upgrade the Collection swarm to Class II, the Class II Assault Swarm you have would take twelve hours, but would consume the entire swarm in the process.

  “Huh. So it would behoove me to purchase the upgrades for a single Assault Swarm, then deconstruct it.”

  Not necessarily. If you only wanted to make that one type of swarm every time, then yes. However, if you ever needed to create Assault swarms at a faster rate by sacrificing some upgrades, then no. Plus, you would not obtain the blueprints for how to create the universal upgrades that could be applied to other swarms.

  I lean back into the couch looking straight towards the ceiling, chewing on an egg roll. “Got it,” I say after swallowing, “So, would I need both Class I and Class II upgrade Blueprints? Or could I get away with just the highest level?”

  Just the highest level applicable. A Class II upgrade overrides a Class I upgrade, they are not additive.

  I sigh, “Okay then. If I buy the upgrade blueprints, I could then use the fabricator swarms to apply them to any swarm, or can I only add them to swarms that they are building?”

  Retrofitting a swarm with upgrades would basically be disassembling the target swarm and then rebuilding it from scratch.

  “I can live with that. So, the current purchase list. One Fabricator and Recombinant swarms, then one Class II blueprint for the swarms I do not have at Class II, the Scout, Defence, Collection, and Builder, plus the blueprint scanner blueprint upgrade thing for the Collection swarm. How much am I looking at there?”

  For the requested items, it would cost you all twenty eight thousand points you have at your disposal, leaving you with four points.

  I cover my face with my hands, “Fucking hell.” I mutter. I could probably get away with not buying the Builder Swarm, but then I remember that I have to help rebuild the tower I wrecked if I want to purchase a floor at a heavily discounted price.

  I brace myself, tensing my entire body. “Do it,” I mutter.

  Purchased Class II War Swarm Fabricator Swarm

  Purchased Class II War Swarm Recombinant Swarm

  Purchased Class II War Swarm Scout Swarm blueprint

  Purchased Class II War Swarm Builder Swarm blueprint

  Purchased Class II War Swarm Collection Swarm Blueprint

  Purchased Class II War Swarm Blueprint Collection upgrade blueprint

  Purchased Class II War Swarm Fabricator Swarm blueprint

  Purchased Class II War Swarm Recombinant Swarm blueprint

  Points reduced to 4

  Two boxes appear on the table in front of me. Inside are two new eight sided polyhedron swarms. The one on the left is a bright silver, and the other a light brown.

  Connecting to them, I learn the Fabricator is silver, and the recombinant is light brown. I opened a new program Synaptic labeled “Swarm R&D”. I opened the Collection swarm and saw that if I wanted to upgrade the swarm to Class II, it would take an hour and require a few pounds of metal or antithesis materials. If I wanted to build a new swarm, I would need even more materials, and each swarm would also take one hour.

  I think for a moment, glancing at my four points, debating if I should go hunting hives right now to buy materials from Synaptic, then, a different idea hits me. “Would it be possible to buy the raw materials with credits?”

  Easily. While you would need more than what is listed in order to create the required purity, I have found a number of suppliers around the city who would be willing to sell to a Samurai. Then, there is also The Family Store app that was installed when you connected their network earlier today.

  “The what now?”