Anno Zombus Year 1 (Book 9): September by Dave Rowlands Page B
Authors: Dave Rowlands
Tags: Zombie Apocalypse
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Terraformers swarming all over the place, invading AR-18, nightmares that I could not wake from. The screaming of terrified technicians haunted me until Apocalypse Dog began licking my face. In fright, I threw the poor mutt from the bed, waking Apocalypse Girl. She was not amused.
My squad awaited in the mess hall, already suited up and ready for action. This time we were to meet the Mech-Techs from Melbourne, guiding them the last fifty or so kilometres through the wastes surrounding our base. Viking looked pleased that we would be meeting up with his friends, and I confess to feeling happy about seeing Stutter and Nutter once again.
On the way up to the helipad, in the elevator, the pilot asked me what, if anything, he should keep an eye open for. I told him that he would likely see a large contingent of strange vehicles, many modifications designed for surviving the wasteland that Australia had become. As I spoke, the pilot noticed a massive cloud of dust to the south of us, turned that way without a word.
noon
The Mech-Techs had outdone themselves this time. Stutter and Nutter stood proudly at the base of an escalator that led up to the control station of what could only be described as The Elephant, an enormous conglomeration of assorted vehicular flotsam and jetsam that was essentially a small mobile city. The base of the beast was liberally coated in the remains of Dead that had been between Melbourne and us. The tank treads on the four base legs tore up any asphalt that they encountered, but Dead flesh simply turned to soup as The Elephant passed over them. The escalator served as the vehicular monstrosity’s trunk.
Maori and Giant stood and stared from the base for a moment as the rest of us ascended, then they began to move. The top of this damned thing felt uncomfortably high, then Nutter opened up a door for us and we were inside what had the feel of an old ship captain’s cabin. I said as much to the two Mech-Tech engineering geniuses and they blushed, Stutter eventually pointing out that had been their original intention.
Before long we were on our way back to the north. The six of us in my squad stayed in the cabin for the most part, though Viking and I went up front, standing between the solar panel ‘ears’ on either side of The Elephant’s head, to share a joint that one of his crew had passed to him on our way up. For such a large vehicle, and for being so high up on the damned thing, it was quite a smooth ride. Stutter and Nutter had definitely done well this time.
evening
Giant and Wall were arguing about whether we should incorporate The Mech-Techs into the AR-18 facility a couple of hours after Nutter called us down to dinner. He had, naturally, dreamed that this kind of vehicle was going to be needed at some stage, also that he and Stutter would be needed, as with all the rest of their group, and we discussed it at length as we ate. Giant wanted to keep as many people as was possible out of AR-18, where Wall saw incredible value in the creations that the pair of them had designed, especially when I told them of The Nightmare and The Tortoise.
In the end, though, Viking shut them both up by reminding them that it was The Boss’s decision in the end, but that he’d be formally applying for asylum on behalf of the entire group as soon as we get back to base. In any case, surely they could use several dozen assorted mechanics, engineers and technicians. That put an end to the discussion.
September 11 th Year 1 A.Z.
morning
The Elephant was almost painfully slow, lumbering along the land on either side of the road like its namesake. At this rate we might make it back home by tomorrow evening, not that I minded particularly, it was good to catch up with Stutter and Nutter, not to mention the rest of the Mech-Techs that we had left behind in Melbourne, many months ago.
The wind held a chill, a leftover from the
My squad awaited in the mess hall, already suited up and ready for action. This time we were to meet the Mech-Techs from Melbourne, guiding them the last fifty or so kilometres through the wastes surrounding our base. Viking looked pleased that we would be meeting up with his friends, and I confess to feeling happy about seeing Stutter and Nutter once again.
On the way up to the helipad, in the elevator, the pilot asked me what, if anything, he should keep an eye open for. I told him that he would likely see a large contingent of strange vehicles, many modifications designed for surviving the wasteland that Australia had become. As I spoke, the pilot noticed a massive cloud of dust to the south of us, turned that way without a word.
noon
The Mech-Techs had outdone themselves this time. Stutter and Nutter stood proudly at the base of an escalator that led up to the control station of what could only be described as The Elephant, an enormous conglomeration of assorted vehicular flotsam and jetsam that was essentially a small mobile city. The base of the beast was liberally coated in the remains of Dead that had been between Melbourne and us. The tank treads on the four base legs tore up any asphalt that they encountered, but Dead flesh simply turned to soup as The Elephant passed over them. The escalator served as the vehicular monstrosity’s trunk.
Maori and Giant stood and stared from the base for a moment as the rest of us ascended, then they began to move. The top of this damned thing felt uncomfortably high, then Nutter opened up a door for us and we were inside what had the feel of an old ship captain’s cabin. I said as much to the two Mech-Tech engineering geniuses and they blushed, Stutter eventually pointing out that had been their original intention.
Before long we were on our way back to the north. The six of us in my squad stayed in the cabin for the most part, though Viking and I went up front, standing between the solar panel ‘ears’ on either side of The Elephant’s head, to share a joint that one of his crew had passed to him on our way up. For such a large vehicle, and for being so high up on the damned thing, it was quite a smooth ride. Stutter and Nutter had definitely done well this time.
evening
Giant and Wall were arguing about whether we should incorporate The Mech-Techs into the AR-18 facility a couple of hours after Nutter called us down to dinner. He had, naturally, dreamed that this kind of vehicle was going to be needed at some stage, also that he and Stutter would be needed, as with all the rest of their group, and we discussed it at length as we ate. Giant wanted to keep as many people as was possible out of AR-18, where Wall saw incredible value in the creations that the pair of them had designed, especially when I told them of The Nightmare and The Tortoise.
In the end, though, Viking shut them both up by reminding them that it was The Boss’s decision in the end, but that he’d be formally applying for asylum on behalf of the entire group as soon as we get back to base. In any case, surely they could use several dozen assorted mechanics, engineers and technicians. That put an end to the discussion.
September 11 th Year 1 A.Z.
morning
The Elephant was almost painfully slow, lumbering along the land on either side of the road like its namesake. At this rate we might make it back home by tomorrow evening, not that I minded particularly, it was good to catch up with Stutter and Nutter, not to mention the rest of the Mech-Techs that we had left behind in Melbourne, many months ago.
The wind held a chill, a leftover from the
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