"So do these xenos have pigs?"

  "I'm not sure how that's relevant? Also I do not think so. They have neither police force, nor anything akin to the domestic pig. Why?"

  "Pnt based hot dogs."

  Conversation between Vanguard Dr. Luna Sol Doppler MSc and her AI Lyona, 2025

  "So 100 points for the catalogue and then what, 50 more for the actual armour?"

  Lyona had never expined to me how the whole catalogue system worked, but I would guess that I had to buy a catalogue before I could buy items from one.

  I can get you some ssh and puncture-restsiant clothing with additional reinforcements around your torso for 30 points. It won't be bullet-proof so it's a good thing Antithesis models you're likely to run into for the time being don't use guns.

  That was... moderately reassuring? That also meant I'd have to kill eight more model 3s to get some armour going. I cautiously stepped out of the building, while cursing the faculty for renovating the building right now. Those scaffoldings would be an excellent pce for some apparently pnts to hide. I stepped forward, holding my spear out in front of me.

  Suddenly the catwalk above me cttered. Swearing, I jumped to the side, and not a moment too soon. Some weird tentacled mess had nded right where I'd just been and promptly started twitching, as if being electrocuted. Wait. I checked my rail-gun and the half a meter of cord still attached to it. It looked pretty cleanly cut in half. And whatever just tried to jump me very clearly had never learned not to cut live wires.

  "Well, not going to look a gift horse in the mouth… What is that thing,anyways?"

  I emptied the capacitors one final time, shooting at where I guessed that thing's brain would be.

  That would be a model 4. They can be quite stealthy and as you just saw, excel at ambushing their prey.

  Lovely. Of course the aliens had ambush predators.

  Target eliminated!

  Model 4 x1: 15 points

  New point total: 73 points

  I stepped away from the building,making my way north towards Strudlhofstiege. The good thing was I'd be walking down the stairs, rather than the inverse. I hated ascending these stairs on a good day and since an alien invasion was happening, it certainly was not one of those.. Ducking at the railing of the stairs, I peeked ahead.

  The side-street looked clear as far as I could tell, but I still kept my head down as I moved towards Liechtensteinstra?e. Those model 4s were nasty. By some miracle, I actually made it all the way there without running into anymore aliens along the way.

  But my luck ran out as soon as I looked around the next corner. There didn't seem anything wrong ahead, so I was ready to move out further.

  Stop!

  I immediately froze mid-step; Lyona had been reliable and trustworthy thus far, seemingly having my best interests at heart. If she warned me of something, I probably should heed that warning.

  "What's wrong Lyona?"

  Do you see those little worms on the ground there? Those are model 7s. They burrow themselves into their target's nervous systems and take control of them to walk them back to the hive.

  "Fuck! No one told me these aliens had a zombie-virus!"

  The good news is that there's pills you can buy for very cheap to immunize yourself to them for a day. They cost 1 point for a pack of 10 pills. I suggest you kill every one of these worms you can see, they may only be worth 5 points, but they are easy points nonetheless. Should I buy some of the pills for you?

  I nodded. "Yes please."

  That was all the confirmation Lyona needed to plop down a box next to me. I opened it and found something that looked like most other medications, except individually wrapped. I took one of the pills and then stowed the rest away in my back pocket.

  Like I said, those will st you for about a day. It's highly recommended to not take more than one pill during that time.

  I decided not to question what would happen if I did, choosing instead to nod in affirmative, before moving to crush one of the worms under my shoe. I didn't know if it had been crawling towards me by coincidence or on purpose but it gave me the creeps anyways. I shook my head to attempt to remove the feelings, with mild success.

  I then moved on to find and crush more of the zombie-worms.

  Target eliminated!

  Model 7 x 7: 35 points

  New point total: 108 points

  Should I buy the light armours catalogue?

  "Yes please!"

  New purchase!

  Light armours catalogue -100 points

  New point total: 8 points

  Alright now I just had to kill 3 more model 3s. How hard could it be?

  I jolted around as I heard some leaves crunch behind me.

  Well, looks like I was about to find out.

  Three model 3s were stalking up to me. On one hand, that was exactly what I'd been looking for - On the other hand, I was outnumbered three to one.

  I wasn't going to win this by punching my way out. My strengths lie in my brains, not my brawn. So I just had to figure out how to outsmart three pnt alien dogs. I looked at the useless rail gun in my left hand with contemption. Would these dogs be down to py fetch?

  It has a decent chance of working. The gun is just as covered in dead Antithesis pheromones as you are. If you throw it far enough, some of the model 3s may decide to go after it rather than you. Of course that only really helps you if it splits them up. But I have heard anecdotes of worse pns working out.

  I decided that was all the encouragement I needed and started running towards the xenos, hurling my gun over their heads as hard as I could. Luckily it did end up working, as one of the dogs immediately started running after it, while the other two seemingly took a moment to decide. One of them didn't get a chance to make up its mind. I smmed into it, spearhead first.

  Quickly putting my foot on its head next to my spear, I quickly retrieved it, then used the end of my spear to knock away the other model 3 as it tried to maul me. I used the weapon for the thing it was best at: to put distance between me and the enemy. I wasn't terribly accurate with my stabs, but I was accurate enough to keep it from attacking me.

  I duly made note of the fact that with a spear I could win the 1v1 against a model 3. Unfortunately, I didn't know how long this would continue to be a duel for. Ideally I could whittle down and finish off this one, hopefully before the third figured out that gun was a dud.

  Even more unfortunately, the grace-period was over. The model 3 that had run after my gun grabbed it into its maw, biting through it like it was some sort of candy. It did recoil from the action a little, so the capacitors were apparently not fully discharged, but I doubted I could have gotten them to fire again anyways. Even if, it was a moot point by now. It started running towards me.

  "Lyona, I don't suppose you can summon a spear between me and that one with one end sticking into the ground so it impales itself on it?"

  Well we can certainly try!

  New purchase!

  Regur Titanium Spear

  Points reduced to 13

  I watched in amazement as a spear materialized wedged between the cobblestones of the street like I had described it, just in front of the beast which had no way of dodging away in time. Well, that made things easier. I could now focus my full undivided attention to the st remaining beast trying to murderize me. It was long, it was not pretty, but eventually, I finally won.

  "Lyona, I would like that armour now please!" I picked up the second spear as I said that. I bought it, who knows when I might need it?

  Certainly. You said foxes, right? Any particur reason you like them?

  "Well what's not to like about foxes? They're cute and fluffy and they can and will yell at absolutely anything for absolutely any reason. They're awesome!"

  I see. It would be less stealthy, but I could just put a fox onto it. Or, I could make it so the entire thing makes you look akin to an anthropomorphized fox?

  Why the fuck was my AI trying to sell me armour that looked like a fursuit?

  "Right, let's put a pin in becoming more furry for now and focus on the important bits. I guess some fox-motifs on it would be pretty cool? Maybe a tail printed on the back?"

  Certainly! Regarding that pin, you might have some interest in the tier 1 Snow Pouncers Technologies catalogue. They are a mostly humanoid species whose main difference setting them apart from humanity is that they evolved to have thick fur to keep themselves warm on their icy pnet, as well as fox-like ears to locate prey burrowing in the ice and rge tails to keep them banced while doing so.It is a bit expensive at 150 points, but I believe you will find some nice equipment in it.

  New purchase!

  Simple light body armour

  New point total: 3 points

  I grabbed the overall out of the box that had appeared next to me and ducked into one of the buildings to put it on. It did look pretty nice, it had a fox-head halfway through biting down on something in the front and as specified a print-out of a tail in the back. The rest of the suit was a camo-pattern. I was positively surprised by the many pockets it had.

  "Sure, put it on the list!"