Beyond The Frontline

Fragment Hotel

A few more days passed, and it had finally been a week since the Black Dogs attacked the village. There were no signs of another wave of attacks from them. The blacksmiths had completed their part of the plan, creating the casings and copper-jacketed projectiles. Now, it was a matter of assembling the components into functioning bullets, which was where the craftsmen came into play.

For the remainder of the week, the craftsmen worked diligently inside the workshop, carefully assembling Colt's ammunition using the tools he had instructed them to make. Initially, it was challenging, and it took a few tries to assemble the first few bullets, even with Colt's assistance. However, with persistence and practice, they eventually got the hang of it, and the process became much smoother.

With the craftsmen handling the ammunition assembly, Colt was able to focus on another important matter on hand: the machine gun's ammo links.

For that, Colt went to the blacksmiths again, explaining their functions and how he wanted them made. He provided some existing links as references and specified the material he wanted to use: steel.

Schmit, the head blacksmith, questioned why these small links needed to be made from steel instead of regular metal. Colt, not wanting to complicate the explanation, simply told him he wanted them to be reusable in the long run.

But the real reason was that steel provided the necessary strength and durability to withstand the forces involved in feeding ammunition through his M249. Although it may not be exactly like the high-quality, heat-treated alloy used in his old ammo links from Earth, which resisted wear and corrosion, Colt had to settle for something with similar properties. The locally sourced steel might not be as refined, but it would serve the purpose effectively.

After finishing with the blacksmith, it was afternoon, and Colt made his way to the village gate, as if expecting someone to show up. Once he arrived, he didn't have to wait long before he heard the galloping of an approaching horse. It was none other than Dani, returning from his scouting and reconnaissance mission.

A few days prior, Colt had suggested that Dani and Ody take turns scouting for any signs of the Black Dogs. Since they both had their horses, they could provide early warnings, allowing others—mainly Colt—to prepare for an attack. He made it clear that if they didn't want to risk their lives, it was understandable, but to his surprise, they both agreed without hesitation.

Today, it was Dani's turn to scout. As he neared the village entrance, he saw Colt standing near the gate as if right on cue. Dani reined in his horse and dismounted to greet Colt and give his report for the day. He was about to speak when Colt cut him off.

"Let me guess, same as usual?" Colt asked.

"Heh, you took the words right out of my mouth, Colt. You reading minds now?" Dani replied sarcastically.

Colt chuckled in response before adding, "So, you got anything?"

Dani shook his head, "Nothing out of the ordinary. The area's clear as always."

"Good to hear," Colt said, patting Dani on the shoulder.

As Dani entered the village and began to tie his horse, Colt noticed a look of skepticism on his face. "You got something on your mind?" Colt asked.

After securing his horse, Dani turned to face Colt. He took a deep breath before voicing his thoughts, "You know, Colt, don't you think that maybe, just maybe, there won't be another attack and that we're just overthinking this whole thing? Don't get me wrong, I'm not doubting your judgment or anything, it's just that...I don't know. It's been a whole week, and there's not a single trace or presence of the Black Dogs near the area."