April 15th, 2063
?
0450
The knocking at the door wakes Erika from her sweet dreams. She stretches out her arms and raises the nearby window's shades.
"Still dark…." She mumbles.
The knocking continues unabated. She lets out a loud groan and gets out of bed. She looks at her pants on the ground and grumbles at them. She stands up and walks to the door, scratching herself as she walks. She makes it to the door and opens it to reveal Def, who is fully dressed in his G&K attire.
"What?" Erika says, annoyed with her eyes half-closed.
"I forgot to ask yesterday, but what do you want to name the base?" Def asks, looking at his tablet. "We kinda need to spray paint a name on the wall…."
"It's 5 am, Def…." Erika wipes her eyes. "This couldn't have waited another two hours?"
"Afraid not ma'am," Def says. "Helian needs daily reports from us, and I can't very well send reports from an unnamed base."
Erika nods tiredly. "Alright, what was the last Commander's name for the base?"
"Wilderness," Def says. "Specifically Fort Wilderness. Of Sector 24."
"Alright, fine, then we'll keep that name," Erika says tiredly. "Now, can I go back to sleep?"
"Yes, ma'am, I won't keep you….." Def says, turning around. He stops himself halfway. "What time would you like me to wake you?"
"Wake me at nine. Alright?" Erika says, scratching her back.
"Understood, ma'am." Def smiles softly. "Have a nice rest." He turns and walks down the hallway opening the door to the lobby.
Erika watches as he leaves and turns back into her room. She lets out a sigh as she jumps back into bed. She quickly falls back to sleep.
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April 15th, 2063
Fort Wilderness
0900
Knocking on the door wakes Erika up again. She curses in various languages as she looks at the clock to see the time 9:00 am displayed on it. The knocking continues.
"I'm up!" She shouts at the door.
The knocking stops. "Breakfast is in the cafeteria, ma'am." A muffled voice comes from behind the door.
Erika sluggishly gets up and drags her feet as she puts on her pants and shirt. It's only when she puts on her shirt does she feel the sweaty arms of the shirt. She quickly takes it off and throws it on the ground. She walks into the hallway, only wearing her boots, pants, and the crop top she slept in.
Erika makes her way into the cafeteria and is assaulted by the bright lights of the room. It's her first time in the cafe, and she quickly looks around. It's more of a dining area than a cafeteria as there is a bar to the far left with stools and tables. The portion that functions as the dining area has multiple tables with detachable benches. Erika spots a table with food on it and takes a seat in front of it.
A simple breakfast of eggs and biscuits greets her with a side of what smells like black coffee. She slowly presses the eggs with a plastic fork to see that they crumble like bread when touched. The biscuit is hard, and from the bite, she takes out of it, it is quite stale. She washes down the stale biscuit with the ice-cold coffee.
"Christ, this is terrible…." Erika says, taking another bite of the biscuit.
"Unfortunately, it's all we got," Def says wearily.
"What the fuck!" Erika yelps as she looks next to her to see Def sitting looking at his tablet. She recovers, but her heavy breathing doesn't stop. "Scared the crap out of me."
"Sorry, ma'am," Def says, unfazed. "I had the same problem with the previous Commander. He said I was too light on my feet." He chuckles. "I'm not light-footed; it's just that you're not used to my footsteps." He scoffs.
Erika shakes her head. "Anyway, what have you got for me, Def?"
"Well… if I had to report anything," Def says. "Squad 1 left for their mission at 0330 under the leadership of M200, as you know."
"Good," Erika says, drinking the last of her coffee. "What else is there to be done."
"I'm glad you asked Commander," Def says, smiling. "You need to fill out so much paperwork." He laughs.
"Fuck." Erika lets out, putting a hand to her face.
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April 15th, 2063
Forest of Sector 24
0900
A loud gunshot is heard.
"Wunderbar," MG3 says ecstatically. "You are a great shot, M200!"
"Thanks," M200 says, seriously chambering a round. "What's that? 6 out of 7?
MG3 nods. "Six shots, six hits." She claps. "Impressive work, M200. We'll have enough rations to last a while because of you."
M200 blushes and lowers her gun. "I-its nothing."
MG3 wraps her arm around M200. "Don't be so humble, frau!" She lets out a hearty laugh.
M200 slides underneath MG3's embrace. "We should probably contact the others to let them know we were successful." M200 contacts the other team. " .M3. Status report."
"Caught nothing here, nya," IDW says sadly over comms.
"Nothing here either, chief." 191 says frustrated.
"I-I failed to catch anything….." M3 says sadly.
M200 lets out a sigh. "It's fine rendezvous on me. We got six deer and need help carrying back the haul."
The other girls give a hearty "Roger that" and disconnect from comms.
M200 sits down a branch with a tired drop. She rests her gun against her shoulder. MG3 takes a seat next to her. M200 puts a hand underneath her chin and closes her eyes, and thinks.
"Something on your mind, squad leader?" MG3 says, taking out a cleaning kit.
"Something's been bothering me MG3…." M200 sighs as she leans back on the branch. "We've been out here since 0400 hunting animals."
"Yes, that is true," MG3 says, detaching the barrel of her gun. "Is there a problem with that?"
"No, there's no problem." M200 waves her hands. "It's just that the adjutant said that we might encounter some resistance, but….."
"You're concerned by the fact that we've encountered nothing thus far," MG3 says.
"Exactly." M200 leans forward. "Isn't it a bit weird that we were told that there would definitely be resistance, but so far, there's been none?"
"Hmmm." MG3 thinks. "Well, it's better than there being resistance, right? A nice easy mission is exactly what we need since we were just recently produced." She explains. "Maybe the adjutant said that to keep us on our toes."
"Perhaps….." M200 says unconvinced.
Just then, a bush rustles near them. They both react with M200 grabbing her rifle while MG3 reattaches the barrel to her gun. The bushes rustle more violently.
"Come out if you don't want to be shot!" MG3 shouts.
"Don't shoot, nya!" IDW shouts from the bush.
M200 and MG3 slump their shoulders as their feline squad member bursts through the bushes with M3 and M1919 in tow. Behind them, they carry carcasses of deer.
"Oh, you picked them up," M200 says, surprised.
"Honestly, chief, that's how we found you," M1919 says, huffing as she carries two carcasses as well as her weapon. "Though some help would be appreciated."
M200 looks at M3, who also carries two bodies with her. She tilts her head at IDW, who holds nothing except her weapon.
"Don't look at me like that, nya!" IDW says, embarrassed. "They're too heavy for me to carry, nya!"
MG3 sighs. "I'll go collect the other two." She leaves the group and enters the forest.
M200 nods. "Alright. IDW, act as our escort."
"Understood, nya!" IDW smiles.
M200 checks her watch. "Alright, it's 1320." She shouts. "We should be heading back to base by 1340. Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am!" The girls respond.
M200 nods happily. MG3 comes out of the bushes with her haul and joins the group. With the group now together, they leave the clearing and head back to base.
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April 15th, 2063
Fort Wilderness
1300
"I want to kill myself," Erika says, looking at Def carrying a stack of papers.
"Not until you finish the paperwork for Helian," Def says seriously. "After that, you have her permission to die."
Erika sighs as she fills out another sheet of paper. "There, done," Erika says, placing the report to the side.
"Done as in finished, or have you given up?"
"You decide," Erika smirks. She stands up out of her office chair and walks over to the open window.
Outside is beautiful, minus the grey of the compound—a beautiful spring day of a comfortable seventy degrees and a nice breeze to couple with it. The nearby forest provides the ambiance of birds chirping and the sound of rustling trees.
"Before I forget…." Erika starts.
"Yes, ma'am?" Def asks.
"Schedule a meeting with the Wolf Clan," Erika says, stretching. "I want to meet this Oliver as quickly as possible."
"Right….the contract…." Def says absently. He turns to Erika. "With your permission, I'll go to my office and contact them."
Erika nods. Def salutes then leaves the office. Erika lets out a deep breath as she feels the cool spring breeze wash over her from the window. As she gazes out the window, she spots the northern gate open. She watches as the metal gates open, revealing Echelon 1. She smiles as she watches them come in ecstatically carrying a big haul behind them. The group walks towards the Cafeteria side of HQ, but one breaks off from the pack and heads towards the front of HQ. As the figure gets closer, Erika can see that it's M200.
Erika holds back a smile as she takes a seat at her desk. She adjusts her position in the chair a lot before settling on hands folded on top of the desk. Before she can make any other adjustments, there is a knock at the door.
"Who is it?" Erika pretends to be writing something.
"M-M200 Commander…." The voice behind the door responds.
"Come in." Erika beckons at the closed door.
The small grey-haired girl enters the room. She gently closes the door behind her and carries her weapon on her shoulder. She walks up to Erika's desk then salutes.
"M200 reporting in!"
Erika fights a smile. "At ease." Erika folds her legs over one another and leans back. "Report."
M200 lets out a slight cough and stands at attention. "We succeeded in killing six deer and have transported them back to base in good condition."
"Any problems?"
"No, ma'am. We did not encounter any hostilities on the mission, and no member was injured."
"Good, an easy mission with an excellent payout," Erika says happily. "You and your squad can be on standby until I require you once more."
"Understood, ma'am," M200 says, turning towards the door.
"Oh, M200 before you go…." Erika stands up. She walks around the desk and stands directly in front of M200. She towers over the smaller girl. "I heard your unit type likes to play the guitar. Is that true?"
"Y-yes, ma'am," M200 says nervously as she looks up at Erika.
"Good." Erika walks away from M200 and stops in front of the window. "I'll see one requisitioned for your use, squad leader." She turns to look at M200. "Dismissed."
M200 salutes. "Understood, and thank you, ma'am." She rushes out the door, happily leaving Erika alone again.
"This is a chance to be different, Erika," Erika says to herself, looking out the window. "Treat them different….."
There's a knock at the door.
"Come in," Erika says, looking at the door.
Def opens the door and enters. "Commander, I scheduled a meeting with Oliver." He lets out a sigh. "As usual, he is ever the erratic animal…..but that is beside the point."
Erika tilts her head and looks at Def with a curious expression.
"Before the previous Commander came to terms with Oliver and his animals, we had come to blows multiple times," Def explains, walking over to the window. "It was only when SF entered the sector that Oliver was finally willing to talk peace." A grimace comes over his face. "We lost so many investments….."
Erika's head remains tilted. "Investments?"
Def lets out a cough. "Dolls, I mean." Def turns back to the window. "So many materials wasted and for what? An unsteady alliance?" Def lets out a scoff. "It's almost too stupid to believe…."
Erika lets out a loud cough.
"Sorry, ma'am." Def turns towards Erika. "Just thinking aloud." He looks at his tablet. "There was something else I needed to tell you, but I seem to have forgotten. Apologies, ma'am."
Erika waves a hand. "It's fine, Def." Erika stretches in her chair. "When is the meeting scheduled for."
"Oh, that's what I forgot!" Def says with fake surprise. He looks at Erika seriously. "They insisted on meeting at 20:00." Erika gives him a look. "It was not my choice, ma'am, but rather Oliver's," Def says, tapping away at his tablet. "Anyway, that's all I have to report." He glances at the pile of papers on Erika's desk. "I'll leave you to your work." Def salutes and quickly leaves.
Erika furrows her brow as she closes her eyes and breathes deeply. 'I don't want to fill out more paperwork." She quietly says, defeated.
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April 15th, 2063
Fort Wilderness
1950
Erika's head is on her desk, her face is pale, and her body is slumped over the wood desk. Her hand holds a pen. "Finished…." She mumbles under her breath.
The sound of crickets fills the room from the open window. Every now and then, a frog croaks, breaking the chorus of crickets. The night breeze gently funnels into the room, cooling down the exhausted Commander.
Erika is about to close her eyes to sleep, but the sound of the northern gate opening wakes her. She looks from her desk to see an APC enter into the compound and stop right next to the HQ. Three men step out of the vehicle bearing weapons. They all wear some type of helmet, except for the middle one, whose black hair sways with the breeze.
"Oi! Is that Def! You cunt! How've you been!" The middle man shouts as Def approaches his Apc.
Erika doesn't even need to get up to tell that's Oliver. She lets out a sigh and gets up from her desk, and moves to the door. She opens it just in time for Oliver and Def to enter the lobby.
"Bloody ell! Oliver roars. "That's the tallest sheila I've ever seen!"
The two men behind Oliver let out muffled laughs. Def looks at Erika with apologetic eyes and does a slight inconspicuous bow.
Erika walks over to Oliver and puts out her hand. "Commander Erika Mitsuko of Fort Wilderness."
Oliver grabs her hand heartily and shakes it. "Oliver Jakobson of Fort Kanbar."
"Fort Kanbar?" Erika says, glancing at Def.
"Aye," Oliver says. "We don't actually call it a fort, but the fort makes it sound propa, don it?" He looks to the men behind him. "Ain't that right, lads?"
"Aye." The two men say, nodding.
"Anyway, if you'd follow me, I would like to get to business," Erika says, pointing to the door behind her.
"Straight to it then!" Oliver says. "Good on ya. I hate small talk."
Erika opens the door leading to the hallway and guides the party to the meeting room. She stops just in front of the door.
"Somethin the matta?" Oliver asks.
"Either your men leave their guns outside the room, or they wait outside," Erika says seriously.
"Ah ah." Oliver nods his head. He waves a hand. "You lot wait out ere."
The two armed men nod and start to idle.
"Glad you understand," Erika says, opening the door and walking into the room.
The trio walks into the room and takes positions within. Def takes a seat next to Erika while Oliver sits across the duo. It's only now Erika gets a good look at Oliver. Black short hair and blue eyes, as well as a clean-shaven face. He carries himself casually but has an air of importance. If he weren't a bandit, he would make a good soldier, Erika thinks to herself.
"Now then…." Oliver starts. "Are we renewing the contract, or are we making changes."
"Preferably changes." Erika states. "You have us at 15% power. We want that increased."
"By how much?" Oliver folds his hands on the table.
"We want 75%." Erika squints her eyes and leans forward.
"75% is a lot…" Oliver nods. "What are you willing to give for 75%?"
Erika glances to Def. Def nods and looks at Oliver from his tablet. "We are willing to give you shipments of unprogrammed tier 1 dolls."
"Only tier 1's?" Oliver looks at Def with a smirk. "C'mon Def we've known each other for how many months now? You know I won't accept that."
Def puts on a false smile. "Worth a try." He returns to his tablet.
Erika sighs at Def's defeat. "What will it take for 75%?" She says, placing a hand under her chin.
Oliver pretends to think. "We want tier 1-3….unprogrammed, of course." He looks towards the window of the meeting room. "We know you ave the capabilities of producing them."
"We can't do that." Erika folds her arms. "We need at least tier 2-3 to rebuild the echelons the previous Commander took." She leans forward. "Not to mention we need a garrison to defend against any Roughneck attacks."
Oliver scoffs. "Roughneck attacks?….Really?" Oliver waves his hand. "I wouldn't worry about that lot anymore."
"And why's that," Erika says, hiding her curiosity.
"That info is going to cost ya," Oliver smirks.
Erika thinks to herself. "How about we renegotiate."
"Oh?"
"50% power. Tier 1-2 unprogrammed, and an information share." Erika offers. "That's my only offer on the table."
"Hmmmmm….." Oliver thinks. "I'll only accept if we get to pick which dolls we get."
"Deal," Erika says. She glances at Def, who does a subtle nod.
"Good." Oliver nods. "Now about the Roughnecks….."