The dormitory was cold and dark. SASS shut the door behind her and flicked the lights on, immediately turning down the intensity in reaction to the stark brightness of the overheads. The room was in disarray, abandoned at the last minute by all five dolls to attend the pre-battle briefing before heading off. SASS suddenly felt very, very tired. She had gotten very little rest besides the vague sleep while aboard the carrier riding back towards the base, the rest of the time spend at diagnostic centers and the debriefing, getting a drink with NTW-20.

SASS walked by the messy kitchen and straight for the bathroom. Thompson's advice was not given without reason, and she needed to wash the grime off of her. She had taken her shoes off at the door, and the bathroom tile was cold against her feet. Everything was cold, in fact, from the neatly folded towels to the metal handle on the shower controls. The power to heating had evidently been diverted away towards something else and not yet restored, likely on the commander's orders. SASS had never met the commander, but her methods seem unorthodox regardless. Right now, though, she just wanted to be warm.

Thankfully, the water was hot when she stepped in. Dirt immediately began washing off her skin, turning into brown water around her feet. SASS's eyelids drooped under the influence of the warmth. It would be so nice to just doze off like this, warm and comfortable…

The water pressure faltered for a second, and SASS felt a touch of cold, enough to wake her. She reached for the soap and began scrubbing herself down, and the bar of soap was much depleted by the end of that. Her hair proved a harder matter, but with enough effort it was cleaned as well. SASS felt a warmth return to her that she had lacked since the hilltop battle, and stayed in the hot water a minute longer before turning off the water and pulling a towel off the rack to dry herself with. The cloth was still cold to the touch, though soft. SASS wrapped it about her and stepped out of the bathroom to retrieve her second, clean uniform.

"Attention all Griffin dolls," said the dorm speakers, and SASS jumped. "If you or a squadmate is suffering from a combat-related injury, please report to the repair bays immediately. Repeat, if you or a squadmate is suffering from a combat-related injury, please report to the repair bays immediately."

"Injured, SASS?"

SASS jumped much more at Grizzly's voice than at the announcement. "N-n-no," she said, staring at the fresh Grizzly doll standing in the doorway.

"Relax," said Grizzly, smiling. "It's still me. I mean, back from the dead. But me."

"Ah…"

"Oh. Shower. Well, get dressed, and I'll talk to you then."

SASS hurriedly retrieved the spare uniform and underwear and retreated to the bathroom, getting dressed as quickly as she could. The used outfit piled on the floor was even more dirty when compared to the spare. SASS pushed her hairband up and pulled her hair back over her shoulders, taking steady breaths. It was weird to see Grizzly, despite knowing it would happen. The fresh-built doll acted, and was the exact same, but SASS could not unsee Grizzly's impalement on the bayonet of the Sangvis doll, and the gristle that her lower body had been turned into. She rummaged through the dirty uniform and extracted the combat data recorder Grizzly had asked her to give to her. She could not imagine how brutal it would be to relieve your own death… but it was also not SASS's problem.

"So, how'd it happen?" asked Grizzly when SASS emerged. The doll had taken a seat on the kitchen chairs, feet up on the table.

"What?"

"How'd I die?"

SASS bit her lip. "Erm… A Sangvis… stabbed you…"

"And M590?"

"I don't really know."

Grizzly sniffed unhappily. "Damn. Well, that sucks."

SASS rolled the data recorder between her fingers. It was smooth and unassuming, and she found it hard to believe that anything of significance was stored on it. "Ah… Grizzly… I have the data recorder you asked me to give you."

"Oh, really?" Grizzly held out her hand, and SASS crossed the room the place the recorder in her hands. "Superb. I'll take it later, see how it played out."

SASS nodded slowly and turned around, looking towards the bedroom. "Well, I-"

"SASS, you survived, didn't you?"

"B-barely," the doll replied. Grizzly was silent for a moment.

"But you did."

SASS pursed her lips in hesitation. "I was rescued."

"By whom?"

"They said they were Hunter Squadron."

Grizzly turned around from her seat at the table to look at SASS. "Hunter rescued you."

"She said that they were ordered to by the commander."

Grizzly rubbed her brow. "No kidding. Well, how were they?"

"I didn't talk to many of them."

"Probably for the best."

"NTW-20 gave me a cranberry juice from the bar and offered to train me."

Grizzly nodded and turned her eyes to the floor. "Did you accept?"

"She didn't let me decline."

"I see." Grizzly turned back around and looked down at the data recorder in her hand. SASS cast her gaze down to her feet. The floor was cold.

"I think you best catch some sleep, SASS."

"All right."

The bed was soft, and despite the frigid sheets, SASS fell asleep rather quickly.

She awoke blessedly slow. It was quite silent in the bedroom, and throughout the dorm. Though she felt much healthier from the sleep, she still felt groggy, her body limp underneath the white and blue sheets on the bed. Perhaps if she merely rolled over, she could go back to sleep for a little while longer…

But the change in position only served to wake her up more. SASS lay with her eyes open, staring across the room. It was sparsely decorated, as she had not yet figured out what to put in it, and her roommate, RFB, kept the her detritus in the main room. RFB herself was not in the other bed, so SASS presumed that she was in the repair pool, or perhaps otherwise occupied. She herself could not fathom doing anything else besides sleeping, but RFB had much more energy than SASS, so the latter failed to pay much thought to it.

The floor was cold, but a bit warmer than the last time she had stepped foot on it. The heat must have been turned back on. SASS sat on the side of the bed for a few minutes, reluctant to leave. The room was not cold, but nor was it particular warm or welcoming, and SASS still felt sleepy enough to return to the bed without a second thought. She could probably get away with it too. The base was busy recuperating from the battle, and with Fireteam Grizzly likely still in repair bays or build queues, they would not be deployed for some time to come.

NTW-20, thought SASS, and she suddenly remembered her promise to meet the other doll at the range in the morning. It was early, sure, but NTW-20 had not specified what time to meet. SASS quickly stood up and walked over to the wardrobe, retrieving her uniform from the clothes hanger inside. She changed out of her pajamas, hastily folded them, and set them on a shelf in the closet. With luck, she could leave without talking to Grizzly, who would probably be asleep. It was not out of a dislike for the other doll, but SASS felt guilty at the prospect of training with NTW-20 nonetheless. Her leader had clearly been uncomfortable with something about Hunter Squadron when they had talked last night, but SASS wasn't sure exactly what the problem was.

Contrary to her expectations, the main dorm room was occupied, though quite dark. The overhead lights were turned off, but the television was turned on, and SASS presumed that it was RFB who was sitting on the floor in front of it. She had likely returned in the night and picked up a controller, playing through till morning

Despite SASS's best efforts to remain quiet, the closing door was evidently more than enough to attract RFB's attention. "SASS!" exclaimed the doll, pausing the game and tossing the controller onto the floor. Before she knew it, SASS felt RFB wrapping her arms around her and squeezing.

"That-that's enough," grimaced SASS, weakly patting RFB on the back.

"I'm so glad you survived!" said RFB. SASS privately pondered how the other doll even had the capacity to be so amiable when they had only gone on a single failed combat sortie together, but pushed the thought out of her mind.

"Well, barely," SASS said meekly. "I was saved."

"I heard all about it from the command and control dolls," said RFB. You talked to someone else? thought SASS. "Hunter sure is great, right? They're so heroic!"

The concept struck SASS as horribly incorrect. NTW-20 herself had told her that they had only shown up because the commander ordered them to. RFB seemed happy, though, so she said nothing.

"What time is it?" asked SASS.

"0945!" beamed RFB, still hugging SASS. That was late enough that NTW-20 may already be waiting for SASS to arrive. Her stomach turned at the thought. It was horrible manners to be late to any sort of appointment.

"RFB, I need to go," said SASS.

"Okay!" said RFB, who promptly let go of SASS and returned to the television. SASS grabbed her rifle off the weapons rack on the wall and crossed over to the door, taking one last look over her shoulder. RFB saw her and waved. SASS waved back half-heartedly before slipping out into the hallway.

Despite the mid-morning hour, the dormitory hallways were sparsely populated. SASS assumed that most dolls were spending the day recovering from the aftermath of the battle or helping others do the same, and only a few others paced the hallway now. SASS turned left and made for the firing range.

The PA system came active with a click and brief rush of static before its calm, feminine voice began echoing through the halls. "Attention all Griffin dolls. This is a reminder to report any and all suspicious activity to the nearest security doll, or to the official S17 information line, available on all handheld communication devices. Repeat, this is a reminder to report any and all suspicious activity to the nearest security doll, or to the official S17 information line."

SASS recognized the voice as belonging to Type 81, the commander's adjutant. She had never talked to the doll, but seen her numerous times and heard her speak at briefings and debriefings. She was oddly formal and unassuming, and SASS had noticed her penchant for disappearing immediately after briefings and only appearing on official briefings. Most knew her only through announcements and briefings, and SASS had yet to meet anyone who talked to Type 81 on a non-professional basis.

As she approached the base exit leading towards the firing range, SASS pulled her jacket closer about her. The range was located outside the building, and it would no doubt be chilly.

"Hey there!" waved the security dolls managing the door. SASS could tell that they were all the same model of doll – AR70.

"Hi," said SASS, meekly raising a hand to return the gesture. "I'm just heading out to the range."

"Copy that," said one of the dummies. SASS watched as the great, heavy blast doors groaned open enough for her to squeeze through.

The wind whipped SASS's hair across her face as she stood outside the exit, the blast door already closing behind her. In front of her was the view of the surrounding area. The S17 command center that Commander Kerr had chosen as her base of operations was situated on the side of a mountain, surrounded by an immense forest that served well as concealment. A paved road wound down to the foot of the slope, but it was rarely used, most traffic occurring on the helipads on the roof of the outstanding structure. SASS looked over her shoulder at the base itself. Though the two-story structure appeared quite large, most of it was actually inside the mountain itself, well protected underneath the stone. It was perhaps the most visually impressive aspect of S17 SASS had seen since being transferred, its sheer enormity dwarfing everyone and everything else save the mountain itself.

It was a short walk to the range. SASS stepped slowly along the gravel path, careful not to slip and fall into the scree on the mountainside below. The firing range was situated on one of the gentler slopes, facing down towards the foot of the mountain. As SASS approached, she caught a glimpse of red underneath the roof, and her spirits sank into her stomach. NTW-20 would be there before her.

"Howzit?" said NTW-20 when SASS passed through the entryway. The other doll had been leant over her own rifle in one of the firing lanes, but straightened up when SASS entered.

"Fine," murmured SASS. NTW-20 pointed to an ammunition box against the back wall.

"Spare bullets if you need them, but right now I just want to get a look at your shooting."

SASS bit her lip, but only nodded, quickly walking to the lane next to NTW-20's. The elder doll stood behind her as she set up, and moved over to the control panel as soon as she was done.

"Let's try for some moving targets at a hundred meters, just to warm up," suggested NTW-20, and the metal plates downrange began to move as she turned them on. SASS took a breath and sighted, carefully tracking the target. A simple task, for sure… she pulled the trigger, and the target fell, the peal of impact reverberating across the range.

The other targets were just as easy to take out. SASS took her hand off the grip and looked over her shoulder at NTW-20, who was still standing at the control panel, arms folded.

"Perhaps some Sangvis dummies," said NTW-20, inputting another command into the console. SASS returned her gaze downrange, gripping the rifle again. At a much farther range, perhaps 500 meters, she saw repurposed Sangvis dolls emerging from storage and beginning to move about the range. Though these were battered from dozens of different dolls using them to practice, they were still easily recognizable as Sangvis models. SASS sighted on one and fired. The doll toppled to the ground, struck lifeless by the bullet. Unlike the metal targets she had started with, there were many more Sangvis dolls, and for the next several shots SASS had no trouble finding targets to fire at.

The chamber was empty. SASS quickly removed the magazine and inserted a fresh one into the magazine well, releasing the bolt and sighting again. When she peered downrange, though, the Sangvis dolls had all disappeared.

"...senpai?" SASS said in askance, though NTW-20 said nothing. SASS peered down for the scope for a few seconds more. "What's this about–"

Her breath was caught in her throat as her collar was pulled back, her shirt seized by an unseen hand. SASS felt herself pulled away from where she was laying, thrown against the back wall of the range. A Sangvis doll, Vespid model, stood where she had been prone, helmeted head leering down at her. SASS felt her senses slow for a moment. She was back on the hilltop of point Yelena, back against the wall of the bombed-out communications outpost as a horde of Sangvis dolls approached. The Sangvis doll began walking across the range to her, and SASS lunged for her rifle, fallen on the ground near her. I won't be able to get a shot off, SASS thought as she brought the rifle to bear. The Sangvis swatted for it, and SASS pulled the trigger. A sharp crack rent the air, and the Sangvis doll suddenly had a neat hole in its abdomen, and it staggered back, still standing. SASS quickly struggled to her feet and began backing up, her mind overclocking in anxiety. Aim… head… fire… the Vespid crumpled to the floor.

SASS felt as if she had fallen down a pit of considerable depth. What had Tokarev said about shell shock… take deep breaths. She tried that now, inhaling through the nose and out the mouth. I wasn't on the hill, thought SASS, but the memory made her knees weak regardless.

NTW-20 poked SASS in the forehead, and the doll looked up at her teacher.

"...are you alright?" asked NTW-20. SASS bent her head back slightly to look up at the other doll, somewhat awed by the height difference, something she had only gotten the chance to appreciate now.

"I-I'm fine," stammered SASS, taking a step back to put some space between her and NTW-20. "It just caught me off guard."

"Evidently," said NTW-20, who looked down her nose at SASS, eyes slightly narrowed in apprehension. "Do you have much experience with close quarters?"

"Not really. I do use a DMR, after all."

"Well, it's a skill you need to learn, for cases like that. You won't always be fighting with someone to watch your back, and there might be more than one Sangvis coming after you. You can't really aim the same way you do at long ranges, you know. When you're fighting in close quarters, you fire from the hip. I know that there are some dolls who put canted iron sights on their guns, but that's really just personal preference."

SASS looked down at her rifle. Its length made it unwieldy when used so tightly, and she suspected that it had only been from luck and ease of circumstance that she had successfully killed the Sangvis doll.

"...of course, I can't really do that," NTW-20 was saying, looking at her own rifle. "So I use a knife instead."

"Isn't that a bit primitive?" asked SASS.

"A little," shrugged NTW-20. "But it's better than bare hands, or bludgeoning someone to death with the rifle. It's a pain to move." The doll reached around her back and extracted a sheathed knife, which she held out to SASS.

"What is it?"

"Okapi. It's a bit bigger than the original versions, and it's fixed blade instead of slipjoint, but better to have a big blade than one that's too small."

SASS took the knife, pulling it out of the sheath, wrapping her hand about the rough polymer grip. The parkerized blade reflected little light across its deep blue-black surface, but SASS could tell that the edge was quite sharp, sharpened to a fine edge. She had really only held kitchen knives before, and it took a little to get used to the weight and balance.

"Don't you need a knife?" she asked NTW-20.

"I've got another to use," replied the doll. "You should learn to use that." She bent over by the collapsed Sangvis doll and lifted it up by the armpits, and SASS frowned, then giggled at the grotesqueness of the situation as NTW-20 briefly disappeared behind the Sangvis corpse. "Try stabbing it."

SASS was horrified by the prospect. "I don't even know how! I could miss and hit you."

NTW-20's head peeked out from behind the Sangvis corpse. "If you miss with a knife at this range, I think we'll have bigger problems on our hands."

"Fine," SASS said hesitantly, approaching the corpse and sticking the knife sheath in the waistband of her skirt. The pale white skin of the Sangvis was ugly from up close, limbs hanging loosely and head sagging. NTW-20's red side cap was visible over the top of the grey helmet. SASS grimaced, but raised the knife, looking for the right spot to attack.

"Stab it in the stomach," suggested NTW-20 playfully. SASS opened her mouth to protest against being helped, but then she was on the hilltop again, and Grizzly was throwing herself at the Sangvis doll, its bayonet through her gut. SASS's knees felt weak for the second time, but she grabbed the shoulder of the Sangvis corpse and threw her hand forward. For all the hardness in the appearance of the Sangvis dolls, the flesh was soft as her own, soft enough that SASS pulled up as hard as she could, until she hit the ribcage. She was still in the moment when she shoved it as hard as she could, and then SASS remembered that NTW-20 had been holding up. The pink-haired doll stumbled back as the Sangvis corpse fell, and any semblance of humor had vanished from her face, replaced by that queer look of apprehension.

SASS suddenly gasped in air, realizing that she had briefly stopped breathing. Her hand was cold, she noticed. Purple coolant covered the knife and her hand, more of it seeping out of the jagged knife wound in the Sangvis's abdomen.

"That works," NTW-20 said quietly. SASS placed her clean hand on her head; she had just brutalized a Sangvis corpse. Maybe that was something Ingram would do, but SASS was abhorred by the gore, shocked that she had just done that herself.

"I… I never meant to do that," said SASS. NTW-20 walked over to her.

"I guess you've really never used a knife like that before," she said, gingerly taking the okapi from SASS's hand and kneeling by the Sangvis corpse to wipe the coolant off the blade and handle. "Next time, you don't need to overdo it like that."

"I wasn't thinking," said SASS. NTW-20 stood up and stepped back to SASS, pushing the knife into the sheath at the doll's waist. "I got… lost."

NTW-20 raised an eyebrow. "Well, next time I suggest you go up through the throat. I know I said the stomach, but, cutting the spine through the neck is much more effective. Sangvis dolls aren't really affected by pain or coolant loss the way humans are by blood, so…"

SASS stared. "You seem to know a lot about this, senpai."

"There it is again," said NTW-20. "Senpai."

The demand for an explanation went unsaid. "It's what you call a superior colleague," SASS said. "It's what they do in Japan."

"Huh," said NTW-20, and SASS suddenly worried that she had given the wrong impression. "Colleague?"

"Well, we're both in Griffin and are rifle-class dolls…"

NTW-20 seemed satisfied with the answer. "All right then. Well, I think that's enough work for today, wouldn't you agree?"

"If you say so," SASS said, but she was privately pleased with ending the session there. A dirty hand was more than enough for a week, let alone a day, but that she didn't say. NTW-20 grabbed the Sangvis corpsed by the arms and started dragging it over to a disposal bin on the far wall of the firing range, lifting the lid and dumping the body in it.

"I think you can do well," said NTW-20 as she returned to SASS. "You shoot well, and given enough practice, you can handle the enemy at short range too."

"So what else is there for you to teach me?"

NTW-20 placed a gloved hand on SASS's shoulder. "A great deal," she smiled, oddly enigmatic. SASS furrowed her brow.

"That's not very helpful, senpai."

"You should go wash up. Sangvis coolant dries quick. I'll handle the range." NTW-20 bent over and picked up SASS's rifle, and SASS took it from the other doll and slung it over her shoulder.

"Thanks for the lesson," she said, and started for the exit to the path back to the base.

"Same time tomorrow," said NTW-20.