1600hrs, somewhere in Sector 09-2

The sky is slightly overcast, but the sun peeks out from the thick clouds every now and then, peppering the lightly wooded area with unique patterns of light and shadow. Val can feel the exhaustion slowly building up in her leg muscles, but she ignores it, instead tightening her grip on her rifle. She and M4A1 have been scouring the area for any sign of the remaining members of AR Team for the last six hours or so with only one break that lasted about fifteen minutes.

Just as Val feels her calf muscle start to twitch oddly, M4A1 taps her on the shoulder from behind.

"I'm thinking we might want to take a break soon. This time we'll make it a bit longer. After that, I suppose we had better head back to the base. Sangvis patrols normally come by this area around 1730, and we're in the thick of Sangvis territory. Since this is your first time out, it's best not to stray too far in since you are a high-risk target after all."

Val almost feels like collapsing in relief.

"Thank you, M4A1."

M4 nods and points to a rocky area up ahead.

"How about we make it to that ridge, and then we'll find somewhere in there to take cover while we rest."

"Sounds like a plan."

Val shifts her backpack and runs a hand across her sweaty forehead.

Why did I think it would be a smart idea to venture out here in heavy black combat pants and combat boots?

Ignoring the pain growing in her left calf, Val follows M4A1 along the treeline, keeping a close eye out for any unusual activity.

"If you ditched the combat gear, you could most definitely pass for a tactical doll."

Slightly taken aback by this comment, Val loses focus and almost stumbles on a loose rock.

"I'm sorry, what?"

M4A1 shakes her head. "I apologize. That was out of turn."

"No, no. Damn, do I really look that doll-ish?"

M4A1 gives Val a smile.

"You're one of the younger commanders - er, humans around this base. Most humans I come into contact with average around 35 years. And how old are you? Mid-twenties?"

"I'm 27. Close."

"27 with a doctorate degree. That's most unusual."

Val chuckles. "It's really not. I just got a head start on my peers and schooled year-round when most of the others were taking breaks over the winter and summer semesters. You'd be surprised how much those extra semesters make up for."

At this point, the two have reached their destination, and M4 gestures to a nearby rocky overhang with a conveniently human-sized hollow underneath as she keeps talking.

"What exactly is this college like?"

I have to keep remembering that these girls aren't humans with normal human lives.

"Um, I'm not quite sure how to explain it."

Val ducks under the ledge and takes a seat on the smooth stone, holding back a sigh as she relieves her tired muscles.

"Try your best Val, I am most curious."

Val reaches into her backpack for an energy bar as she thinks.

"You ever take classes, M4?"

"I have not. But I know Griffin offers some educational things to us dolls."

"Oh. Well, college is a lot of work. And by that I mean it's a lot of learning new information, studying it, doing homework - that's work we do outside of class to reinforce the concepts we learned - and then being tested on it. Exams make up a big part of the grade."

"Pardon my ignorance, what are exams?"

Val finishes chewing on her energy bar and swallows it before answering.

"It's just a fancy word for an academic test. Mostly it's just a sheet of paper with questions on it that you have to answer correctly for points, although some of them can be administered digitally. Hold on, M4, did you hear that sound?"

Both Val and M4A1 immediately fall silent. A few seconds later, the reverberation of footsteps in the distance and the grinding of metal gears can be heard in the distance.

M4 puts her finger over her mouth to indicate silence, then mouths something. It takes several tries for Val to realize what she's saying: Sangvis patrol.

Val instinctively reaches for her empty energy bar wrapper to put back in her backpack, but M4 quickly reaches out and grabs her wrist. Val nods in understanding as M4 shakes her head and then points to Val's rifle before letting go of Val's wrist and picking up her own rifle.

Val snatches up the carbine with clammy hands as her heart starts pounding out of her chest.

Thank God I didn't play with that while I was sitting down. I don't ever want to imagine what would happen if I were caught with that thing unloaded.

M4 quietly shifts her stance to a low ready position, positioning herself against the back of the ledge as far out of sight as she can be. Val follows her example, and M4 silently indicates Val's sector of fire.

The sounds of the patrol grow closer and closer until the footsteps are right over M4A1 and Val's position.

They're on the other side of the ledge.

Val's vision begins to tunnel. Her emotions are beginning to get the best of her, and she does her best to shove her anxiety down. Her hands begin to tremble, and she can feel a cold sweat beginning to build up in her palms.

All of those years training 3-gun and IDPA, and I've never felt like this before in my life.

Is this what it's like to be in combat? To just wait for the end to come?

Something moves out of the corner of Val's eye, and she instinctively jerks the trigger - except her finger isn't on the trigger. It's resting alongside the trigger guard. Nothing happens, and it takes Val a second to realize that the illusion was only a trick of the wind, the nearby foliage rustling in the light breeze.

Thank God for all that safety training that was drilled into me all those years.

Her arm had jerked, however, enough to alert M4A1 that something was clearly wrong. Val felt M4 brush her arm against her back, and the gentle touch was all Val needed to clear her mind and focus on the situation at hand. It was a touch that clearly said I'm here, and I've got your six.

The footsteps had faded into the distance. M4A1 waits for several more minutes before finally indicating for Val to move closer to her.

"I think they're gone," M4 whispers into Val's ear. "Val, I am so sorry. I should have noticed those Sangvis signals coming a long ways away."

Val opens her mouth to respond, but nothing comes out. Her throat is dry and her lips are parched, her hands still trembling and her heart still pounding.

"We need to go," M4 continues, keeping her voice down. "We have about thirty minutes before we hit Griffin territory. I'm going to send out a signal to any nearby friendlies to start heading our way. Until we do - follow my lead and do as I say, and I promise I'll get you out of here in one piece."

Val nods.

"I know you're scared, but at least you're not alone. Grab your backpack and prepare to move. We're going to be moving along at twice the speed we were, so get yourself ready."