The desert looked the same as always. Endless dunes, hot wind, and a whole lot of nothing pretending to be something. We had been walking for hours when Cadence flickered to life beside me in a neat little hologram, walking in perfect step like she was cosplaying as my imaginary friend.
"You are walking faster than normal," she observed.
"There's smoke," I said. "Kind of motivates the legs."
Her projection rotated to face the horizon. "Correct. Combustion signatures confirmed. Settlement direction."
"Yeah," I muttered. "That would be the motivating part."
We kept going. The protectors we had passed early into our journey trudged behind somewhere far across the dunes, moving with the determination of old furniture being pushed uphill.
Cadence offered commentary that wasn't helpful. "Their pace is one point two times slower than yesterday."
"Why?"
"Dust accumulation."
"That's just rude."
"I agree."
We crested the last ridge. I still couldn't see the settlement. Nobody ever could from that distance. But the smell hit me first, burnt scrap, charred sand, and the particular aroma of panic.
"Speed increase advised," Cadence said.
"I was already planning on that."
I broke into a sprint.
By the time the settlement finally came into view, it looked like a kicked anthill. Smoke curled from a collapsed shed near the perimeter. People shouted. Something big slammed into metal. Someone screamed for water. Another person yelled not to use all the water.
"Scavs," Cadence confirmed calmly. "Six. Lightly armed. Aggression level shallow."
"Shallow for you is still a headache for everyone else."
"Accurate."
I didn't slow down. A scav leapt from behind a fence post like he thought he was dramatic. He swung a rusted machete at my neck.
I caught his wrist with my left hand and squeezed. Bone cracked. He dropped the blade. I sent him flying into the sand.
Another scav charged from the right. I met him with a knee to the jaw that threw him flat onto his back. Two more came from behind a broken shelter, yelling something that might have been war cries or indigestion.
I stepped between them, grabbed the nearest one by the collar and used him as a very uncooperative shield as the other swung wildly. When he hesitated, I punched him in the chest. Hard. He folded in half like bad laundry.
Cadence narrated cheerfully. "You are performing well."
"Thanks. I love positive reinforcement."
Another scav tried to climb a water tower for… reasons. I yanked him down by the ankle, let him hit the ground, then stepped on his makeshift spear until it snapped.
Two remaining scavs retreated, saw me coming, and immediately decided retreating faster was the better life choice. They disappeared beyond the fence, leaving behind a trail of curses and dust.
I exhaled, scanned the mess, then helped a villager put out a stubborn patch of fire near the generator shed. The elder jogged over, panting hard enough to vibrate.
"Iris!" he wheezed. "Thank the sands. Those bastards came out of nowhere. Where were the protectors?"
Cadence answered before I could. "Behind us. Far behind us."
The elder blinked. "Why?"
"Dust accumulation," I said.
"Dust."
"Yes, gets everywhere if you know what I mean."
"Inspiring."
"We do what we can."
He rubbed his face. "We could have been wiped out if you hadn't shown up."
I shrugged. "Call it good timing."
Some villagers dragged the unconscious scavs to the outer ditch. Someone patched the broken fence enough that it leaned in the correct direction again. Kids peered from doorways. Everyone looked exhausted.
Cadence scanned quietly. "No additional threats in the vicinity. Fires extinguished. Heart rates lowering to safer levels."
"Good," I said. "Now I'm going to charge before my battery decides it hates me."
The elder nodded fervently. "Yes, yes, go, go. Take whatever power you need. The whole place would be dust without you."
"That is an exaggeration," Cadence said.
"No it isn't," I replied.
I headed into a hut, plugged in, and let energy surge through my system in a slow, steady climb. The hum through my chest felt almost comfortable.
Almost.
Cadence appeared again, hands folded behind her back in her best imitation of calm. "You fought efficiently. Damage minimal."
"Compliment or performance review?"
"Both."
I smirked and leaned against the wall as the battery climbed. "Any idea why the scavs came this close? They don't usually push their luck."
"Fear, hunger, or opportunity," Cadence said.
"That's supposed to help?"
"No. It is simply accurate."
Battery eighty-four. Ninety-one. Ninety-six. One hundred.
I disconnected. My limbs felt steadier. Sharper. The nanites kept everything humming.
I stepped outside, stretching slightly. The elder spotted me instantly and hurried over like I'd just been promoted.
"Iris," he said. "I have to ask something."
I sighed. "Here we go."
"The protectors… they're not here yet. And those scavs hit hard. Maybe they come back again. We're vulnerable."
He looked genuinely embarrassed, like asking was painful. "Would you patrol the perimeter? Just until the protectors arrive?"
"You want me to babysit the settlement."
"Yes."
I looked around. Kids, elderly, people who hadn't slept in days. Scav marks on the sand. A village that only survived because I happened to arrive at the right minute, twice now.
Cadence spoke quietly. "He is correct. Their danger window remains open."
"I know."
The elder swallowed. "Please."
I exhaled sharply. "Fine. I'll treat it like track, loop after loop"
Relief washed over his face like he'd been holding his breath for an hour. "Thank you. Truly."
"Just don't let more BBQ's happen while I'm gone."
"No promises," he said.
Cadence gave me a small nod. "Logical choice."
"Yeah," I said. "Logical."
I stepped through the patched fence and onto the open sand again. The sun had started to sink, bleeding orange across the dunes. Wind brushed at the settlement walls like it wanted gossip.
I adjusted my wrist, checked my battery one last time, and began walking the perimeter.
"Patrolling," I muttered. "My favourite."
Cadence walked beside me in a neat blue hologram along time passed. "You sound bored."
"Oh, I'm thrilled. Nothing screams excitement like walking in a circle while hoping no one stabs me."
"Statistically, someone will attempt stabbing."
"See? You get me."
She folded her hands again, watching the dunes. "Stay alert."
"I am alert."
"That is not what your tone suggests."
"My tone is private."
We continued to walk in silence for a stretch. Sand crunched under my boots. The settlement shrank behind me.
Cadence monitored quietly. "You will likely encounter more scavs before dawn."
"Oh joy."
"Do not be sarcastic. It confuses civilians."
"Luckily, you're not a civilian."
"Correct. I cannot be confused."
"Except by your past."
She shot me a flat look. "Proceed with patrol."
I smirked but didn't push. The desert ahead stretched wide and quiet except for the hum of wind.
Then a flicker caught my eye far ahead. Movement. Low. Steady. Wrong.
Cadence recalibrated instantly. "Contact. Four signatures. Approaching your position."
"Scavs?"
"Unclear, assume so with signatures."
I cracked my neck, adjusted my stance, and watched shapes rise out of the sand like bad omens.