Jessica13 finished working on the device as quickly as she could. It would interrupt comm signals broadcast from the kinds of short-range devices most mechs used.
She clambered down with Mini guiding her using the grappler she had used to climb to the top.
When she reached the bottom, she noted that three of the townsfolk hadn’t involved themselves in setting up the preparations.
No, they weren't locals. The tanned skin and the darker hair indicated that they were peddlers from outside and recent arrivals too. They were seated in a circle and spoke softly in a language she didn't understand.
"What are they saying?" Jessica13 asked.
Mini scanned the audio of their speech. "The language itself isn't in my databanks, but it does share some similarities with the desert folk. If I have translated it correctly…they appear to be praying."
"Praying? Like we do to Sagan?"
"Well, you mostly quote the words Sagan left behind but no, this is something different. They appear to be appealing for help from a higher power."
"What higher power?"
"None that I know of. And I know of none that would help us in the coming battle."
"How do you know?"
Mini displayed a small spike in processing power as he accessed his core for more data. "They have faith that something or someone will come to help. Faith ends up as a crutch to many and allows them to delay acting in hopes that something more powerful will intercede."
Jessica13 trudged to where the men continued to chant in their language. "I'm sorry, I don't want to interrupt but…"
The three turned to look at her with soft, inviting smiles.
"How can we help you, my child?" The man's accent was foreign to her, yet he still had a good grasp of the language.
"We'll need all the help we can get."
"And we are providing help," one of the others stated and his smile remained. "We ask for the Prophet to come. He always does. When there is imbalance, he will right it."
There didn’t seem to be any real answer to that, and they returned to their prayers, lowered their heads, and muttered again in the language she didn't understand.
She turned away, and Mini came alive on her HUD again. "Like I said, a crutch. And it can be spread like a disease, so I would suggest not catching it."
With so much still left to do, there seemed little point in continuing a fruitless discussion. She moved to join the fortification effort as the sun began to sink toward the horizon and cast a broad wave of reds and purples across the ever-darkening sky.
"It won't be long now," she said softly and gave the gorgeous expanse of color one last look before she focused on the work needed.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
The last of the sunlight faded from the sky. The clouds from the summoned storm in the first battle for Auburn still lingered, but they had begun to disperse. Their slow withdrawal gave her a view of the stars that had entranced her so much the first time she had been out of Sanctuary.
It felt right that they would be present for the second battle of Auburn.
Jessica13 settled herself beside the jammer and looked through the scope of her rifle.
For now, there wasn't much to see out there. The flickering light of the spire in the distance no longer illuminated Athena's fighters. If anything, it made it more difficult to peer deeper into the darkness.
The silence around them was palpable. All the preparations that could be completed were already in place. Those that needed more time were handled by some of the townsfolk, but most of the attention was focused outside the town. Everyone watched and waited for something to happen.
Despite the pervasive sense of expectancy, the moment still came as a shock.
The night sky's darkness was shattered when dozens of flares were launched, arced high above them, and hung there like gravity had no effect on them. Their brightness illuminated the town.
"Activate the jammer on my mark," Hammerhand shouted into her commlink. "Not a second before and not a second after, do you understand?"
"Roger that."
The flares began to descend slowly. Mini hastily adjusted the light filters in the HUD to provide her with a better view of what approached. The lights were meant to expose and illuminate the Knights and the town, but she could see them move into the trees around the town to use them for cover.
More rockets fired from the Raptors set up in the distance—not flares this time, and when they picked up speed, an unpleasant whine accompanied them. As they approached, it sounded more like screams and the deafening noise filled the air. Jessica13 couldn't do much except cover her ears as they soared over her head.
Mini was already working to filter the noise out, but it took a few seconds.
"Are you all right?" The AI ran a quick scan of her body.
"My ears are ringing but…"
Her voice trailed off when the missiles collided with the hills behind the town and set the trees on fire.
Hammerhand laughed into the shared comm channel. "Like I said. They have no intention to cause any harm to the town."
"And we all know that's the last time we'll hear of that," Tinker snapped.
"Stay steady. Activate the countermeasures on my mark and on my mark only," their leader continued without acknowledging the comment. "They're coming now and hope we'll be distracted when they arrive. Let's prove them wrong."
The blood rushed in her ears, louder than the ringing in them.
"How the hell does he do that?"
Mini popped up. "Who do what?"
"Nothing. Can you locate targets for me? I can't see anything."
The brightness from the flares played hell with her night vision and left almost nothing visible on the ground.
The AI responded immediately, brought up a handful of other protocols quickly, and within seconds, the vision from the HUD was improved and a handful of targets presented themselves. Most seemed to be Lancers, but a couple of Balthazars caught
