Chapter 278: Borrowing a sword.
The mutant cattle had been still for about an hour; their black hides crusted with frost and dart punctures. The snipers continued shooting at them even after the hour was up and they lay still, immobile like corpses.
It seemed safe enough to venture outside, but Sunshine did not relax just yet. Every instinct screamed that the calm was wrong, this had been way to easy. The frost around the animals was not as thick as that around the areas surrounding them.
Why was that, she wondered. Was it heat from their bodies? She also worried that the mist would be back with the beasts that had retreated or maybe even worse.
Another thing that worried her were the watchers. The birds had not shifted from their positions, it was like they were waiting for something else to happen. They lounged in the snow like statues, eyes blinking slowly, postures loose, bored even. If their goal was to keep her guessing, they had accomplished it splendidly.
Sunshine stood at the window, watching them through the reinforced glass. The air hummed with the faint electrical charge of the walls still powered from the last defense. She could feel the eyes of the comms officers and others in the room who kept glancing her way, waiting for a signal to tell them what to do next.
Finally, she turned from the window and said into the walkie-talkie. "Elio, keep your eyes on the watchers, if there is any change in behavior let me know." Then she faced the rest of the people in the room and said clearly, "I know that you are all probably tired of waiting but I suggest that we wait a bit longer. I am afraid that if we rush we might crush, so keep shooting. No one should open the gates without my order. Turn the dragonoids on and see if the flames are finally strong enough to burn through those hides. "
She left before anyone could argue or ask a question. The only one she glanced at as she left the room was her husband. To him, she mouthed that she would be back shortly.
Quickly, she made her way to the office she maintained in the information center of the first wall. Once there, she did not bother sitting and vanished into her space immediately.
"System, I want to talk to Bjorn, can you connect me to her?"
[Yes host. I do not guarantee that she will respond to your request to initiate a conversation.]
"I am aware, do it anyway." She answered.
Silence followed. As she waited, Sunshine drunk some water to clear her perched throat. Then, she inserted a coconut bean seed in her mouth and licked it slowly, allowing it to melt on her tongue.
She was reaching for a second one when the virtual screen in her space flickered to life projecting the image of the middleman.
"Hello Bjorn." Sunshine greeted first.
Bjorn’s eyes widened in delight the moment she heard Sunshine’s voice.
"Sunlight!" Bjorn’s voice rolled out in amusement and warmth. "It is always a pleasure hearing from you. What is the purpose of this call, is it meat? I already sent a message to you that I want more of those birds and I received no response. I was worried that you had changed your mind about trading with me."
"I think your message was misplaced." Sunshine replied. "I have the birds and I will send them over. But, I think I may have something even better than the birds."
"You know what to say to bring a smile to my face." Bjorn laughed. "What could be better? Is it super quality meat?"
Sunshine nodded. "I want to surprise you. But first, I need a weapon."
Bjorn blinked, not surprised because this was not the first time she was buying weapons from her. "What do you need? You still have the catalogue but I also have new ones to choose from."
"Nothing from the catalogue. I need to borrow your sword," Sunshine said. "The same I repaired, the one that could cut through anything."
Bjorn tilted her head, her golden pupils narrowing. "My sword? May I ask what for?"
Sunshine decided to be honest. She would accomplish her goal faster that way. "To kill mutant cattle."
Bjorn’s stillness lasted only a second, before a grin cracked her face. "Mutant cattle?"
Sunshine had already prepared a picture of the herd, captured when the animals were holding still. "I have this many at least."
Bjorn screamed. "Grazer horn beasts, and an entire herd! How did you come across them?" Her excitement was palpable. "I would never tell this to a clueless supplier but you are different. Grazer horn meat is one of the highest valued resources in the trade. Mutants pay highly for it. The hide, horns and hooves as well. Not just mutants but everyone loves it. The taste is superior and the benefits of eating such meat is high. Hunting them is risky though. One horn in the wrong place and it is lights out for you."
"Then I take it that you will pay a hefty price for them." Sunshine said arching an eyebrow. She could already tell that this was about to be a wonderful transaction.
A laugh escaped Bjorn’s lips. "I did not tell you this such that you can over charge me, I expect a fair trade."
"Very well." Sunshine replied. "But the beasts are why I am in need your sword. If you allow me to borrow it for a few hours, you get first rights to buy every carcass. What is left after you choose will be traded else where." From the straight face she pulled, Bjorn could not tell that she was lying, she didn’t have any other buyers.
Bjorn leaned forward. "Consider me invested. You will have the sword but also you should know that I have such swords in the new weapon armory that I wanted to show you. I can get you as many as you want, I can be your permanent supplier for such swords."
Sunshine’s lips twitched. "At what cost?"
"Hundred and fifty gold coins per sword, that price is just for you and no one else." Bjorn lied.
Sunshine let out a long sigh. "Sounds fair."
"Then are you taking them?" Bjorn asked.
Sunshine shook her head. "Not yet, I do not like wasting coin yet I can repair those that others throw away. Are there broken swords that I can mend myself?"
Bjorn paused considering, then she nodded, teeth flashing. "Since they have increased in supply over here, those discarded are many. Some warriors throw the swords away now even after a hairline crack. But new ones are better, stronger and cleaner."
"For today’s job, I will need to buy only four new ones. As for broken ones, send at least one thousand later at half the cost of the new ones."
Bjorn chuckled. "Always practical, very well Sunlight, expecting a delivery within the next minute."
The screen blinked out, the system sent an alert after the delivery arrived. It was a long box which she checked immediately.
She took out the sword on top, it had Bjorn’s name at the back. It was just as she remembered; light and balanced. She called the two soldiers that stood outside the door and told them to take it to the command center.
Everyone turned when she entered, the exhaustion shifted to curiosity.
"Time to open the gates and begin the permanent slaughter." She declared.