Tasteless
Twelfth Entry - Redacted Medical Assessment
January 28, 2063 - Early Morning
Maintenance Quarters - Repair Bay
Head Nurse's Office
Springfield sat in complete, albeit uneasy silence in the disinfectant-sterilized confines of Ribeyrolles' office. Sunlight permeated through the blinds of the room's sole window and illuminated the troubled adjutant -seated on an old yet comfortable armchair by the nurse's desk - and the peculiar ring that she still wore on her finger.
The announcement came so suddenly, Springfield recalled.
A station-wide checkup for the Parapluie virus from out of the blue - mere moments after her data upload to HQ in the Cafe was interrupted. The timing and the sequence of these events put Springfield and WA on edge as they presented themselves for their checkups.
The two of them were separated as they underwent their procedures.
Now, Springfield was waiting for the results - as a patient and as the adjutant.
Alone.
Springfield felt the ring on her finger warily and wondered just how much the Commander knew. This couldn't have been a coincidence, after all.
While Springfield racked her neural cloud, the sliding office door opened with a hiss of hydraulics. The adjutant turned to the door and watched Ribeyrolles walk in with her tablet device in hand.
The nurse, an old friend of hers, would have normally greeted her casually whenever they met. However, this time around, Ribeyrolles held her tongue and watched Springfield with distant, observant eyes.
She couldn't help but feel like Ribeyrolles was watching her every move. It made her incredibly uncomfortable.
Ribeyrolles then took her seat across the desk and faced Springfield with a cautious expression before she finally spoke,
"Sorry to keep you waiting… mademoiselle Springfield."
Springfield shook her head and hobbled together a smile as she reassured,
"It's alright, Ribey-chan. You're just doing your job."
The ancient French doll nodded curtly and laid her hands as she asked,
"Before we get down to business… may I ask you about how you feel?"
Springfield tilted her head and repeated,
"How I feel… about what, exactly, Ribey-chan?"
Ribeyrolles blinked and then expounded her curious question,
"This checkup is a nuisance, non? With every minute we waste… the enemy can fortify Area AW. The battleplans you have prepared… may no longer be valid. Wouldn't it be better… if we struck while the iron is hot?"
Springfield's green eyes watched Ribeyrolles' light blue ones regarding her and listened to her near monotone of a voice. To the untrained eye, Ribeyrolles' blank expression was a poker face that no one really knew how to read. Her voice, likewise, was a mystery to most in the station.
However, Ribeyrolles was one of Springfield's dear friends - a fellow wielder of a weapon from the First World War. She could tell that Ribeyrolles was testing her.
Knowing that, Springfield spoke earnestly,
"I understand what you're saying, Ribey-chan. You're right - I will have to draft up new battle plans now that our element of surprise is gone… but I believe that this is the right decision to have the checkup."
"Hmm…?" Ribeyrolles tested, "And why would you say that?"
"We're more than just androids repurposed to fight wars, Ribey-chan. We are girls who want to live peaceful lives - or as close to one as we can possibly have. A more difficult battle is worth it if we are sure that all of our girls are alright. Our girls come first. Always."
When Springfield said this, Ribeyrolles' expression mellowed ever so slightly as she remarked with great relief,
"I see. So, mademoiselle Springfield… is still mademoiselle Springfield. Tres bien."
Springfield heaved a sigh and groaned,
"So, you were testing me."
The smallest of smiles formed on Ribeyrolles' lips as she replied,
"Only mademoiselle Springfield… would have noticed it. My faith in you… has paid off."
That smile, however, faded away into Ribeyrolles' usual, serious expression. The nurse then grimly spoke,
"I shall be frank, mademoiselle. This announcement was a surprise to me… just like everyone else. I was informed... at 0630 hours… well before my alarm. However, these orders are… from le monsieur Commandant himself. We have no choice… but to oblige."
So it was the Commander's orders, Springfield thought. 0630 hours was also the time that she and WA were uploading the evidence files to Griffon HQ. Springfield was tempted to try and probe the nurse, but she decided to hold her tongue and let Ribeyrolles continue
"I understand that our station… was preparing to sortie. One last deployment… for Operation Arctic Warfare."
Springfield nodded and confirmed,
"That's right, Ribey-chan. After this run, we can return to our normal operations."
"Vraiment, a return to peacetime… would be most welcome. I would very much like… to have the Repair Bay… all to myself again. However... we have pressing matters at hand."
The nurse's light blue eyes then met with Springfield's curious green as she asked,
"You are aware of… what the Parapluie virus is, oui?"
Springfield joined her hands together on top of Ribeyrolles' desk and answered to the best of her knowledge,
"I only know as much as HQ knows, Ribey-chan. Parapluie is still a mystery to us, but we know what it's capable of doing. It managed to affect some dolls of the legendary Anti-Rain squad of Station 794. I heard their commander, Ms. Gentiane, is scrambling to try and get her station back in order."
Ribeyrolles nodded and then folded her arms,
"All we know so far… is that Parapluie is SF malware. It is capable of… corrupting a T-Doll's unique core. This corruption can incapacitate a doll… just like M4A1. Or, it can turn a doll rogue… just like ST AR-15. This means that a G&K T-Doll… can unwittingly fall into SF control… and send sensitive information to the enemy."
The nurse turned on her device and then showed Springfield the screen while explaining,
"As the station's medical professional… I have access to some… additional notes on the matter. Apparently, a doll needs… to interface directly with Sangvis Ferri hardware… in order to contract the virus. The Anti-Rain squad…. regularly hacks into SF communication hubs. Our station's dolls, however… have no such experience."
Ribeyrolles then turned to Springfield again and continued,
"This begs the question. Why did our systems… issue a Parapluie alert?"
Springfield leaned back into the armchair and carefully chose her words. She had an idea about why the notification came about, but she held her tongue and reasoned,
"I was sending my regular reports to Ms. Helian at HQ. It was a larger file than usual, so perhaps our system flagged it. We were literally just minutes away from a major deployment after all… not to mention, we were planning to capture an SF ringleader.
"Exactement, mademoiselle." Ribeyrolles agreed wholeheartedly, "However, orders are orders. Due diligence… should not be frowned upon… at crucial times like this."
The French doll then turned to Springfield with a subtle yet complex expression as she revealed,
"But this diligence did help me… uncover some undesirable news."
Springfield's heart skipped a beat when she heard this. Then, she dared to ask,
"W-what do you mean by that, Ribey-chan?"
The nurse rubbed her brow as she tried to search for the words to say. She then turned to Springfield again and replied,
"I can confirm that none of us… are affected by Parapluie. However… I did find symptoms… that make some dolls… more susceptible to external interference. There are two such dolls… in our station."
Ribeyrolles flipped through the screen of her device again and then showed the results of the scan to the adjutant. Then, with a cautious tone, the nurse revealed,
"They would be… mademoiselle FNC… and yourself - mademoiselle Springfield."
Dull pain struck the senior American doll's heart as Ribeyrolles' words sank into her neural cloud.
Symptoms of Parapluie?
How in the world did she and FNC develop such things?
The nurse noticed her patient's sinking fear from across the table, so she promptly reassured,
"Your symptoms are... quite mild, mademoiselle Springfield. It barely even… registered on the scale. Poor mademoiselle FNC, on the other hand… her symptoms are far more… advanced."
"... what exactly are these symptoms, Ribey-chan?"
Ribeyrolles folded her arms to rack her neural cloud before she answered,
"The symptoms… as per my notes… include extreme stress… wild fluctuations of the emotion module… delirium… and mental instability. Etcetera. These symptoms… make a T-Doll more… susceptible to external interference. Even without Parapluie… this may cause a doll… to circumvent their inhibitors and… do things they would not have done… otherwise."
Springfield looked back to the combat data she saw just minutes ago at the Cafe projector. She recalled how M3, M1911 and IDW broke rank and ignored FNC's Command module.
More than that, she remembered how FNC intentionally shot IDW.
Griffon T-Dolls were programmed to never aim at, let alone shoot an allied T-Doll - regardless of the the situation. They weren't supposed to shoot deserters.
Then again, their programming should have prevented desertion in the first place.
Knowing that only made FNC's condition painfully clear to Springfield.
While the adjutant pondered, the nurse continued her spiel,
"I employed a range of… tests… to check for Parapluie. Some are quite technical… but others are clearer to see. I took… hair samples… from the two of you."
Ribeyrolles flipped through her device again and then showed images taken by the Repair Bay machines during the test.
"One of the effects… of those symptoms… is hair discoloration. The pigmentation can intensify… into jet black - just like ringleader Architect. Or… it can drain… into pale white - like ringleader Gager. Both you and FNC… are suffering from the latter. Strands of white hair."
Springfield worriedly combed through her hair with her hands, searching for one of those discolored strands of hair. However, she couldn't find any - and the nurse gently reminded,
"Like I said, mademoiselle Springfield... your symptoms are mild. Please…. do not fret. Aside from the symptom… you have a clean bill of health. Your ability to lead… is not compromised - nor is your ability to fight. Mademoiselle FNC… on the other hand…"
Ribeyrolles frowned and urged Springfield,
"I strongly object… to mademoiselle FNC's deployment. Her position… as Echelon leader… is also dubious. She should stay here instead… for further testing…"
Springfield let go of her hair and then laid her hands on the table to say,
"I wish I could remove FNC from Echelon 8, but it was the Commander's decision to have her there. Even after the Parapluie notification, FNC remains the leader of E8."
"C'est absurde! Irrationel!" Ribeyrolles lashed, with a rare flare of frustration, "What in the world… could le monsieur be thinking!?"
Springfield knew the Commander's motives fairly well, but she held her tongue and let the nurse stew in her speculation. Then, she faced Ribeyrolles with a suggestion,
"I cannot remove FNC from her post in E8 - but it's my responsibility to assign the T-Dolls who will be accompanying her. G36 is already on board. I have also contacted some other veterans like yourself. How would you like to fight on the frontlines again, Ribey-chan?"
"The frontlines, huh…" Ribeyrolles spoke reminiscently, "Ah, mon dieu. It has been so long… since I last fought. If this is your wish… mademoiselle Springfield… I shall protect FNC. Let me just… finish the checkups, okay?"
"Please do what you have to do, Ribey-chan. I would be more comfortable knowing that you'll be near FNC in this battle. You can monitor her condition during the deployment - and you can keep an eye on me as well."
Springfield then paused and then chose her words carefully,
"There is one more thing I would like to ask you, Ribey-chan."
"What is it, mon ami?"
"Have you already reported the results of the check-up to the Commander?"
"Non. I will when I finish the checkups and…"
"Please don't tell the Commander about the symptoms that FNC and I have. I cannot tell you my reasons, but the Commander must absolutely not know about it."
Ribeyrolles' blank expression contorted into a frown as she sternly reminded,
"Je suis un professionnel de la santé, mademoiselle Springfield. I cannot withhold information… from the Commander. After all… he outranks an adjutant."
"R-Ribey-chan…!"
"But…!" The nurse interrupted her and raised up her hand as a cheeky smirk grew on her lips, "I am more than happy… to make an exception… for a friend."
Springfield heaved a sigh of relief and shook her head to chide the nurse,
"I can never tell when you're being serious or when you're joking, Ribey-chan."
The ancient French doll then keenly replied,
"We are dolls paired with weapons… from the First World War. Dark humor helped the soldiers that wielded us… to stay sane in the trenches."
Springfield lowered her eyes down to her hands on the table and muttered,
"Hopefully it can get us through Operation Arctic Warfare as well."
Once Ribeyrolles gave her the all-clear, Springfield rose up from the armchair and started to make her way out of the nurse's office. However, it was at this time that the nurse called out to her again,
"Oh by the way, mon ami…"
The adjutant turned around again and asked,
"What is it, Ribey-chan?"
A smirk formed on the nurse's lips as she simply said,
"Just so you know, mademoiselle Walther... also has a clean bill of health."
Springfield raised her brow and wondered why she was being told about WA's condition. Ribeyrolles noticed her friend's puzzlement and explained,
"I found strands… of mademoiselle Walther's wine red hair… on your uniform. Naturellement… I also found… your flaxen hair on hers. Vous êtes une
'lady killer'. Ehehehe…"
The adjutant's cheeks suddenly flushed red as she stammered,
"... R-Ribey-chan!"
"Don't worry, mon ami. I will withhold this information… as well. I understand that… this is an affair… but I support you, mademoiselle Springfield. After all… you seem much happier today… than when I saw you yesterday."
For the first time since the Parapluie alert rocked the base, Springfield finally allowed herself to smile. That was all Ribeyrolles needed to see to know that her American friend was overjoyed by her new flame. So, the nurse smiled back and showed Springfield to the door.
When Springfield stepped out of Ribeyrolles' office, she brought out her tablet device and was about to start sending a message to WA. However, she found M14 waiting there on a bench across the hall.
So, Springfield put away her device and wore a smile for her fellow American rifle doll.
But, it was at that point that she noticed that something was odd.
The spry and and cheerful M14 seemed to be under the weather and was hanging her head low. A frown was etched upon her lips while her golden eyes were wandering about the hall.
Then, when her eyes met with Springfield's green, M14 suddenly wore a complex expression and turned away from the adjutant's gaze.
Did something happen to her?
Springfield was determined to ask her junior outright, but Ribeyrolles poked her head from her open door and called,
"Mademoiselle M14…?"
M14 promptly stood up from the bench and then marched past Springfield. She then disappeared into the nurse's office and closed the door behind her without saying a word.
January 28, 2063 - Late Morning
Maintenance Quarters - Repair Bay
Restoration Room 4 (FF FNC)
Hours later, FNC's consciousness slowly returned to her as she woke up in a daze. She felt the soft fabric of her hospital bed and heard the beeping of machines that matched the beat of her mechanical heart.
Then, she heard the voice of the station's nurse,
"Mademoiselle, s'ilt vous plait. She has… come to…"
FNC dared to open her eyes and then saw Ribeyrolles looking over her with an observant gaze. Moments later, Springfield joined the nurse at the bedside, tucked a lock of her flaxen hair behind her ear and greeted the patient with a warm smile,
"Good morning, FNC-chan. Welcome back to the land of the living."
The patient looked up to Springfield's green eyes and croaked,
"Onee-sama. I think… I think I saw you in my dream… and..."
A stray tear streaked down FNC's cheek and dripped down to the hospital gown she was wearing. When she felt this, however, she promptly wiped the tear and sat upright. She then forced herself to shore up her strength and apologize,
"Desole, onee-sama. I didn't mean to ramble nonsense. I will recalibrate my emotional module when I have time… but for now, we have important matters to discuss after all, non?"
Springfield's warm smile tarnished as she asked,
"... how did you know?"
By now, FNC's perplexed face dissolved into a blank, expressionless palette that rivaled Ribeyrolles'. She then worked her way to the edge of her bed and stood up on her two bare feet. The grim Belgian doll then replied in a stuffy businesslike manner,
"I have received orders for the Final Deployment through my neural cloud. Echelon 8 will be taking part and we will protect the flanks of onee-sama's Echelon 1 and mademoiselle Negev's Echelon 2. Are these directives correct, onee-sama?"
Springfield was taken aback by how little remained of the FNC she knew from just over a few days ago. When FNC was still a frontliner during Operation Cube, she almost always refused to get out of her hospital bed after her repairs were finished and demanded fifteen more minutes. After her little dramas, however, FNC would quickly regain the bright sparkle in her blue eyes and the spring in her step as she cheerfully led Echelon 8 to battle.
This FNC standing before her felt like someone almost completely different.
A shadow of her former self.
Still, Springfield kept her thoughts to herself and confirmed with a nod,
"That's correct, FNC-chan. Our sortie was scheduled for 0700 hours, but it has been delayed…"
"Because of me…?" FNC interrupted the adjutant with a question.
The Belgian doll lowered her head in apology even before Springfield could say anything. That gave the adjutant a clear view of the crown of FNC's head - the part that was normally covered by the Belgian's brown beret.
Just like Ribeyrolles said, there were prominent strands of white hairs in patches. They blended in well with FNC's blond hair, but Springfield saw those hairs clearly in that angle.
While Springfield was still regarding her hair, FNC raised her head and concluded,
"So it really is my fault, then…"
"No, no… not because of you." Springfield hastily corrected, "The deployment was delayed because of a checkup protocol issued by the Commander. The entire station had to be checked - so our deployment timetable was moved forward."
"... is that so."
Just like the white hairs on her head, FNC's emotional scars were plain for Springfield to see. In the corner of her eye, Springfield saw Ribeyrolles folding her arms and shaking her head. The nurse looked like she wanted to go and protest FNC's deployment again, but she held her tongue.
So, to break the silence, Springfield stepped back and then brought FNC a change of clothes - a brand new set of the Belgian's normal attire - and the personal effects that Springfield took custody of.
Springfield placed FNC's cracked tablet device in its owner's hands and then spoke mildly,
"The checkups are done now, so we're about to deploy soon. Please get changed and ready for combat, FNC-chan. Then, come outside to meet the team I've assembled for you."
FNC looked at her warped reflection on the cracked screen of her device. A shadow formed over the Belgian's eyes while her undone hair cascaded like a sorrowful veil as she replied,
"Of course, onee-sama. Please excuse me - I won't take long."
Repair Bay Waiting Room
The door of Restoration Room 4 slid open and a fully-clothed FNC stepped through the threshold. Springfield and Ribeyrolles accompanied the Belgian and then led her to the waiting room benches.
There were three T-Dolls gathered there waiting for FNC: Steyr AUG, an aloof 5-star AR doll, Suomi, an airheaded 5-star SMG doll and the famous barmaid of the Cafe Springfield herself, G36.
All three of them were level-100, fully dummy-linked veterans who were either assigned to logistics echelons or rotated to other roles throughout the base. More than that, all of them respected FNC as a fellow veteran who had served in a hell that none of them had seen for themselves - the treacherous, snow-swept mountains of Area AW.
So, all three of them gave FNC sharp salutes - completely different from the sloppy gestures that the two-star dolls she sacrificed gave her. All three of those girls were proud warriors who have had their fair share of time on the battlefield.
However, FNC turned to Springfield and flatly asked,
"Is this everyone in the echelon, onee-sama?"
When FNC asked this, the Ribeyrolles stepped forward and joined the ranks of the veterans. She gave FNC a sharp salute as well and announced,
"I am also a veteran… mademoiselle FNC. I shall fight to make sure… that everyone comes home. Alive."
FNC dismissively ignored Ribeyrolles' declaration and simply answered with a nod. She couldn't stand to listen to such unfettered idealism anymore. It reminded her too much of her old, naive self from before Operation Arctic Warfare.
So, with that introduction out of the way, Springfield began to introduce the other members of the team.
In truth, FNC didn't really care much for AUG or Suomi. She kept her silence as she let the two strangers take turns to introduce themselves.
However, when G36 introduced herself, FNC listened to the German maid with contemplative silence. Before long, G36 dutifully offered,
"With your permission, FNC-fraulein, I would like to be your protege for this Echelon."
Hearing that reminded FNC of the one hundred and eighty-eight MP40s who offered their services to her as well. Seeing the venerable G36 in that same position made FNC scoff,
"Protege? You're more experienced than I am, mademoiselle G36. There is nothing for me to teach you - nothing good, at least."
G36's brow furrowed as she clarified,
"I meant that I would like to be your second-in-command for this mission - your lieutenant, if you want to use official G&K terms."
A smirk formed on FNC's lips as she dismissively replied,
"Fine. You can be whatever you want to be, G36. In the end, it doesn't really matter, does it? But…"
FNC then paused and regarded G36's serious expression to add,
"It seems that after all this time, you've actually missed the battlefield too, mademoiselle G36. The home front must have been a painful assignment for you - perpetuating a Pre-War lifestyle and a false sense of peace while bitter wars consume whatever the hell is left of this world of ours. You prepared booze for drunks - food for gluttons - and hot chocolate for a useless louse like me. But deep inside, you wanted to be out there. You wanted to pick up your gun and fight again. You wanted to prove your worth - find your raison d'etre. Am I wrong?"
"FNC-chan!" Springfield intervened, displeased by the path their conversation was going in.
However, G36 felt the agony in FNC's words. The FNC standing before her had changed so much that G36 barely recognized her - but there was still a sliver of the old Belgian doll left behind that cold, dismissive shell.
The German's blue eyes turned from FNC's lifeless eyes to Springfield's distressed ones for guidance. Then, she realized something.
This must have been part of the 'danger' that Springfield wanted her to protect FNC from - the danger that her master couldn't reveal to her.
There must have been a way to save FNC from this spiralling decline. So, G36 decided to play along.
She took a deep breath to shield herself from FNC's uncharacteristically sharp words and reassured Springfield,
"It's okay, master. FNC-fraulein isn't wrong."
She then turned back to FNC and continued,
"That is how you felt as well, ja? You worked so hard in Logistics for the sake of the station - a thankless routine. I used to see you in the Cafe all the time, and very few dolls ever thanked you for the food you brought home. I understand how you feel… I also wish to become useful and serve others. So please let me help you shine as brightly as you can in battle. I will do whatever it takes. That is my promise to you."
FNC hummed with amusement at G36's words and replied,
"Very well then, mademoiselle G36. I'll take you up on your offer - and I expect each and every one of you in this Echelon to follow me. I sure hope that your dedication won't waver on that mountain of death."
G36 gave FNC another salute and the other girls followed suit as she declared,
"We will follow you to hell itself, FNC-fraulein. You have my word."
Epilogue
January 28, 2063 - Noon
Area AW3-4E - Mountaintop Fortress
Sangvis Ferri Command Post
The heavy double doors of the Sangvis Ferri fortress opened and a long-legged, pale-skinned SF doll walked out into the snow. The SF doll, scantily clad with a black-and-white pinstripe corset-type top and dangerously short shorts, was greeted by the snow flurries of Area AW blew through the fortress courtyard, but she didn't seem bothered by the cold. All the while, the frigid winds blew through her long, black hair tied into a side-tail and whipped it to and fro.
From that vantage point, the SF doll had a clear view of the Western side of Area AW3-4E where she spotted the distant silhouettes of Griffon helicopters flying towards her position.
A devilish grin grew on the doll's lips as she lifted up the weapon she was carrying with her with one hand - a complicated rocket launcher paired with an armor-piercing machine gun at the underbarrel. That weapon was emblazoned with SF markings and its electronic attachments glowed shocking pink - just like the doll's two, fiendish eyes.
The doll then spoke to her distant foes with great, feverish excitement,
"Oooh! They're finally here~! Here I was thinking that I scared them off already. Looks like I'll get a lot of target practice today too! Fufufu~"
The happy-go-lucky SF doll then heard her earpiece buzz with a report,
"I have a visual on them, Architect - enemy reinforcements. It's Station 56586 leading the charge."
The SF ringleader, Architect then hummed,
"56586? That's the station that's been throwing all those two-star dolls at us lately, huh? My Jupiters have wasted a lot of artillery shells on those small fries as it is… But no worries, we've got this - right, Gager?"
Architect's earpiece buzzed again,
"Right. I'm setting up our defense now. Over and out."
The SF ringleader heaved a sigh and then raised up her unwieldy weapon with both of her hands. Once she did, the dormant Jupiter Cannon emplacements throughout the entire map awakened and started whirring back to life. All the while, she saw Gager and her dummies marshall the mobile units of SF combat dolls started taking their positions to greet the G&K invaders.
Seeing this sight filled Architect with great excitement as she started to hum a tune.
Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.
To Be Continued
Author's Notes: "56586" is my Commander's UID. Feel free to add me~ Echelon 1 (Springfield, WA-chan, M14, Welrod Mk. II and Five-Seven) will lend you a hand for daytime battles! Echelon 2 (Negev, M1918 BAR, PK, M590 and Type 97s) will suport you at night!
