Stray Cat Strut

Chapter Two - The Scrounger

Chapter Two - The Scrounger

Chapter Two - The Scrounger

People used to mock preppers a lot. To be fair, the entire culture around the movement--if you can even call it a movement--was pretty strange. Paranoia that was being acted upon, lots of conspiracy theories and strange people with too much time on their hands.

Then the aliens actually showed up, and the entire thing changed. Now its less a fringe group, and more just... something everyone with a lick of common sense does.

--Interview with Liz Maybirb, Director of the Ready Community group, 2029

***

Hey boss!

I jumped at the sound and turned to find a familiar face bouncing over to me. Raccoon looked healthy. Dirty, but healthy. She had overalls on, stained and covered in cuts and wrinkles. She was lugging around a backpack that looked like it would have been big on an adult man; it was huge on her, and entirely filled with a clanging assortment of metal trash.

Hey Rac, I said. I placed the metal ingot I had back onto the pile and reached down to rub the kids head.

She ducked under my hand and shot me a look that was soon replaced by a nearly feral grin. You like my work so far? she asked.

I glanced back at the stacks of metal. So far youve been doing great, I said. Is this all youve been doing?

Pretty much, yeah. Started with the trash in this building, and Ive been expanding out. The best thing about trash is that its a renewable resource. In a couple of days I can return to where I started, and therell be a whole new heap of it to dive through, you know?

Sounds... handy? I tried. Dumpster diving didnt sound like what Id call a fun past-time. Or a safe one, for that matter. Then again, lately my newest hobby was making things trying to eat me explode, so I was going to keep my stone collection firmly inside my glass house. I came over to see how you were doing, and to, ah, give you some news, I guess.

What sort? Rac asked. She slid past me and to the large machine dominating the end of the room. With practised ease she opened the hopper at the back of it, slid her back pack off, then started filling the empty receptacle up with scrap. The machine hummed, and a large progress bar appeared on its main screen, with smaller bars beneath labelled with the names of metals.

Well, first, were going to tear apart most of the top floor of this building. Im going to buy a new one outright. Itll be teleported in place. Should be pretty neat.

Whoa, Rac said. That does sound kind of awesome. Like just... zap-bang and theres a new building?

Part of a building, I said. Just the topmost floors. I asked the building crew to move the matter reconfiguration machine over to the room where Longbows gun is stored. I... need to send him a text about that, actually. Anyway, it should be safe.

Am I gonna be out of work then? Rac asked.

For a few hours, maybe, I said. You have a place to sleep?

Usually just sleep there, Rac said. She gestured to a corner of the room. I hadnt really noticed the blankets in the corner. Id kind of just assumed they were some random junk left behind. I can find a place, dont worry.

Right, I said. Youre welcome to stay here once everythings in place. Ah, thats the other thing. Were going to start producing prosthetics. Like, cheap but functional ones. I still need to talk to someone about that, but well probably start production tomorrow. Itll likely use up a lot of the materials youve collected.

The machine hissed, and the front opened to reveal a neat stack of bars next to some small, squarish tubes. Not all of them were metal. In fact, about half the ingots looked like they were plastic, and the tubes were clearly filled with some sort of liquid, or maybe gasses?

It kind of made sense, if the machine was breaking scrap down to basic elements, then it would have to deal with some elements being liquid or gaseous or whatever.

I can always collect more, Rac said. Its not a big deal.

Cool, I said. Besides, its for a good cause. You know, giving poor folk new limbs and shit?

Rac nodded. I couldnt tell if she was happy about that or not, not while she was meticulously placing the ingots she got into neat stacks.

One other thing, the worlds going to end in like, thirty-ish hours.

Racs stack of plastic ingots crashed to the floor with a clatter. Its gonna what? she asked.

Turns out the aliens have been building a lot of hidden hives, and theyre all going to activate at about the same time. So well be dealing with a massive surge of antithesis trying to attack... pretty much everyone everywhere, all at the same time.

Thats seriously fucked.

I know, I agreed. Were going to stop it, of course, but its going to ruin a bunch of plans, I bet. Its why I want to fortify this place before we get flooded with aliens.

Shit, Rac said. You need help with anything?

I was about to shake my head when I paused. I might. Can you take care of shit here for me? At least until Lucy and the kittens move over? Also, I wouldnt mind one more person keeping the kittens safe.

Rac nodded, but her eyes narrowed and she looked at me judgingly. Youre not just saying that so that Ill stay with the other kids where Ill be safe, right?

No?

Uh-huh.

I grinned and jerked my head towards the door. Ive got some calls to make, and some shit to look into. Stay safe, alright?

Yeah yeah, no worries, Rac said. I think Ive got time for another scrap run before I need to find food.

We didnt really say goodbye. Neither of us were formal enough for that kind of thing. I just headed out and paused in the corridor just outside of the room.

I need to make a call, I muttered as I opened up a phone app from my augs. I paused. Or maybe just send an email?

To whom?

Peter Silverbloom, the non-profit guy.

Hed been pretty nice during our last meeting. Even if that meeting had lasted all of a few minutes. If he was as legit as he wanted to appear, then hed be willing to bend a bit to let me help him better. Also, he knew a lot of the more community-based groups in the city. If anyone would know how to get people ready for the oncoming apocalypse, then it would be him.

I decided to call him. It was less impersonal than an email or a message. That, and I wasnt so great with words.

The line rang twice before Peter answered. Hello? he asked. He sounded out of breath.

Hey, Peter, its Cat, I said. You alright?

Huh? Oh, yes. I had to jog a bit to catch the train. Sorry. Im fine now. How can I help? Is this about the clinic?

Yeah, a bit, I said. Im getting things ready for that on my end, but we might have a bit of a problem.

What sort? Peter asked.

You know those aliens that like eating people? Were about to get swarmed by a fuckload of them from all sides across the entire planet, all at once. We have maybe a day to really prepare for it. So I was thinking that maybe we should focus on that kind of thing. I still want to set up a clinic, but I was thinking of maybe having it be at my place? Itll be safer. I think a lot more people will be needing medical attention in the coming weeks.

Uh, Peter said. Are you serious?

Deadly, yeah.

...Dang.

I blinked. Dang? Really? This guy needed to be less nice. Look, just call up whomever you think can help with this shit. I dont imagine things getting better anytime soon, but maybe we can soften the blow a bit.

Will you be fighting? he asked.

Yeah. I dont know the details on that yet. We might need volunteers to man the walls.. Or to build walls to man. Its going to be a whole thing.

Alright. Ill do what I can. Thanks for reaching out.

Youre welcome, I said. Get me the stuff for that clinic... say tomorrow afternoon? My place should be built by then.

Alright. Thank you, Stray Cat.

I shut the line, then leaned against the nearest wall, just basking in the sounds of the construction crew tearing the place apart. There were so many things to take care of at once.

I couldnt wait for the antithesis to arrive. At least then some of the weight on my shoulders would be lifted.

***