reference to "Girl's Frontline: Field Agent with a certain person... check that series out you'll love Hadwin!
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Chapter 2: Commander's at odds
May 25th, 2030 First Japan Protection Zone
Standing before the walls of a city I calmly held my gun high and fired. ELID's that were once an assortment of people surging towards destroyed the gates and walls behind my back. Yet I do not have the slightest fear nor the slightest temptation to run away. I have a job, and that job must be carried out without fail. Blowing the head off of a ELID that got to close with a Colt 1911 loaded with explosive rounds in my left hand. My right hand holding steady while firing a Stoner 63 LMG with some serious kick to it because of the rounds. Yet its steady and ripping through the tide of turned Human's and Beast's touched by the infection which causes Red Zones.
With each one dead charging from Old Tokyo the mountain of corpses grows. Scab seeming to have enough of this all decides to play dirty using an orbital bombardment. A giant metal pylon striking the ground with a violent roaring hiss rippling shockwaves out across the area. Snorting I couldn't help but ask why that was needed.
[They're annoying, so I lessened them by bombarding Old Tokyo]
"Sure, sure thing Scabs… I totally believe yoooou."
[Negative]
"Fuck you."
Why does that ELID have a lasso? WHY IS IT DRESSED AS A COWBOY?! Wait wrong things to worry about right now! Its lasso wrapped up one of my arms and with these things quick reactions usually. They fuckin grabbed the rope and yanked me into them violently. Crashing into them with Scabs creating spikes that impale them my Stoner 63 sung with renewed vigor. An ELID child biting into my leg trying to gnaw it off while others joined in. The hidden surprises spring up on the charging ELID's not bothering with me. Cold Fusion Turrets lock onto them and riddle the mutated organisms with gun fire.
Growling at the one's still trying to gnaw my limbs off Scabs reacted to my anger. White flames bursting to life across my body as my purple mask lenses turned crimson. Reabsorbing my guns blades spring from my wrist covering my hands, white flames surging to the edges of the blades.
"COME ON FUCKING KILL ME YOU MOTHER FUCKERS! KILL ME! OH WAIT! YOU CAN'T BECAUSE FUCK DEATH! I'M STUCK TO LOOK AT YOUR UGLY MUGS EVEN IF YOU RIP MY GUTS OUT!"
[Vent it all out Colonel…. Vent it all out because you deserve it]
"RAAAAAGGGGHHH FUCK YOU ALL! FUCK YOU!!"
Diving into the very startled ELID swarm my training kicked in to ruthless levels of violence. Sweeping the legs from a doctor ELID my blades cut it into three separate cauterized pieces. Stabbing one through the head I spun cutting everything around me with my free blade, fire trailing after it burning the monstrosities. When the free blade met the first stabbed one the blades clinked together detonating. Fire consuming everything within thirty feet of the impact turning ELID's to ashes with me standing in the center losing my mind. The ELID's seem to notice this given that they turn and flee from me, but that's no fun.
"Stay a bit longer… I have so much APPRECIATION to show you for rubbing your deaths in my face."
Jaws snapping shut and opening flames spill out of the mouth section of my mask. Breathing the fire out heavily in a circular motion things just die screaming. Hahaha cute they have time to scream as they expire. By the time I snapped out of my rage at how USELESS the ELID's were at possibly killing me. They'd either fled or died in my fiery rampage. Trudging back to my turrets Scabs absorbed them before we took our payment in the form of a rather rare Harley Davidson Motorcycle.
Scabs absolutely loved it because we have ground transport now. Which was modified into a light but armored beast of a Motorcycle Tank.
March 2nd 2045, Afghanistan during WW3
Dodging and weaving through heavy ordinance fire on Harley a terrified US soldier clings onto the bike. Slanting sideways while turning sideways we skid under a line of armored APC's with confused Russian's screaming at us. Propping the bike back up with a kick once out from under the APC the terrified soldier screams like a little bitch. That I can't help but shout at them because their annoying.
"Would you shut the fuck up?! Your fucking annoying kid!"
"Your crazy! Your crazy! Who drives through this shit?! Why did you even save me?!"
"Got paid to. So don't get any funny ideas you're not important but what you carry is. So you can gladly die if you want to test me."
That got an indignant scream from the useless soldier riding behind me. So I didn't play nice I purposely would front wheelie then slam the back end back down into the ground. Whenever they screamed they met that but when they tried stabbing me? Scabs dropped being friendly impaling them with a sword through the mouth. Their eye's probably wide as fuck due to the sword sprouting from my back suddenly but who cares? They're dead.
Stopping my bike I dumped the corpse off of it then pilfered the body. Stealing everything, even their underwear, which wearing black laced panties and a bra to war is a stupid choice. Yet I took them, could get a good deal on them if I sell them to the right person. Sadly for them their superiors didn't exactly care they "took an enemy bullet" and passed away before giving me the requested goods. It's sad… although I don't particularly care I got what I wanted. A Sangvis Ferri canine looking Tactical Droid, because Scabs says I need a therapy dog.
So… Pancake is going to be said therapy dog once Scabs fixes it up to be a Pitbull T-Doll. She'll be large but that's fine as long as she can do what Scabs is planning.
2062, Pancake POV, Neo-Soviet Airspace
Today my master is a hundred twenty-five years old yet he looks miserable. While I can not see his face clearly due to SCABSAWS being in partial armor mode. His body is a mess… its actually disheartening to see him look so miserable. His tanned pale skinned arms riddled with scars caused by me are visibly tense with his muscles compressing in his sleep. His black armor plated gloves leaking fresh blood as the metallic clawed tips dug into his palms. His usually prestine gray muscle shirt and digital black gray camo pants are torn but mending slowly. Brown messy ungroomed hair burnt black in places from flames.
Scabs full face mask hiding his eyes and things but by how dull the purple tinted lenses are he's asleep. Yet he's possibly having a nightmare of something in the past. His black combat boots caked in blood, mud, and brain matter from what had happened hours earlier before we had been contracted by Griffon Kyruger. Something about being Field Commander's while a new Base Commander was flown in to sector nine.
"I wish I could be of more service…."
[You are helpful as is you have stabilized his PTSD episodes since you joined 17yrs ago]
"Oh! SCABSAWS how are you doing? I thought you'd be in standby while master slept?"
[I'm alright… just monitoring the Colonel's brainwaves incase I need to wake him up, so far whatever he's reliving is mild]
Master shifts in his sleep, suddenly punching the area next to the cockpit entrance with a growl. The pilot jumping a bit at the suddeness of it before adjusting our flight path. Seems that they were caught trying to take a scenic route by master in his sleep. I chuff a low chuckle softly at this because even asleep he's not going to be delayed.
"Does he constantly have this happen? I know of the few times he's woken up screaming but…"
[The Colonel tends to have mild replays or zero dreams as if he's just sitting in there in his head contemplating, he understandably has moments of suicidal tendencies because he WANTS to die…. Just because of me being around he's lost that option unless something extreme happens]
"Oh… do you really think I help any? I know WHY you made him get me and what you did. However, I'm unsure if I truly help him at times SCABSAWS."
The very personable Intelligence Unit goes quiet at this as if saying this is a stupid question. Which fair it probably is as I tend to over think when master looks like he's suffering. Funnily enough that wasn't in my normal Sangvis Ferri programming but with SCABSAWS meticulous care and upgrades. I have become something vastly different than a Sangvis Ferri unit. This makes me a bit giddy whenever I think about it because it's helped in making master calmer than before.
Granted when that weird signal tried to corrupt me SCABSAWS fixed it, master man handled me though. Violently. I scared his once scarless body through actions I'd NEVER want to take. Yet he waved it off saying something that made my ears lay flat.
"These scars I don't mind keeping, they show I finally did something for someone important to me."
Those words reminded me what all SCABSAWS had let me know. Its flattering that in seventeen years I've become someone he calls his own. Just… also makes me sad knowing how emotionally and mentally scared he is from everything. He had finally gotten rid of his physical scars, yet I gave him brand new ones when he deserved none. The nastiest one is over his heart where I had…. Eaten and clawed out his heart because of that strange signal from Sangvis Ferri.
However, I think the most important words he's ever said to me. That made a deep impression on my just conscious sentience were when SCABSAWS adapted and installed the first steps of an Emotional and Learning Core into me. Hard to believe that was fourteen years ago yet I still have marked as a high priority memory save.
Blinking I take in the new sensations slowly flooding my programming. My white fur bristling at how forgein this all is then I see him and hear him cleaning Harley manually. I'm curious why he's doing such a thing then I remember he does this whenever he's distressed. Padding over to him carefully to avoid setting him off I gently nuzzled up under his right arm. Pushing and rubbing my head against him with a low mechanical growl. This catches his attention enough to wrap said arm around me, stroking my head a bit.
"Guessing your liking this new feeling? That's good… you know for a heavily modified currently Sangvis Ferri unit. With future modifications to be made likely till you look completely like a pitbull. You have been with us only three years, as for some forsaken reason as a therapy dog, but you've helped edge out some of my more recent issues. Haven't blown up screaming fir death in three years so far at least. So while I thought Scabs idea was ludicrous…. You've turned out to be rather helpful to have around."
My ears perked at this before releasing I had been complimented by my handler. This causes something strange in my programming that I couldn't really control myself. Licking the side of his face with my metallic tongue he gruffs out a chuckle. His next words making my code freeze and process the rather strange words.
"Pfff I love ya too girl."
Those last words had confused me that day so I studied…. Things indepthly about Human culture. Young me was very surprised by what I had learned but nowadays? What I've learnt makes me appreciate the small tender moments with master. So the fact I had hurt him really fragmented my coding for a while that our roles reversed. The therapy dog became the one getting therapy dogged. Ironically hilarious.
Looking out the small plexiglass window on the helicopter door I sigh. Though I start seeing the the GK base in the distance. Glancing at master I shake my head deciding to let him sleep a little longer. The pilot thinking I didn't catch the glances he's back at me so I just make them spit it out. The poor Human Female jumping like I had just caught her looking at porn. Which I had caught her doing so when she picked us up.
"Would you stop peaking like a child? Just ask what you want to ask Human."
"U-uh… you seem pretty close to the guy that frankly scares the shit out of me. Along with being a more animal T-Doll…"
"Heh I would like to think so as I've been with him for seventeen years through a lot of things, given him anything he needed even if… questionable. As for my design? I'm a heavily modified Sangvis Ferri unit that I'm practically no longer Sangvis Ferri."
This seems to surprise the pilot and here comes the question. This will be hilarious as always.
"Have you done…. THAT with him?"
Chuckling slowly I gave the pilot a fanged smile while looking at them seriously.
"Yes, though I haven't asked for a WF because its a very rare occurrence."
"... Guess that fantasy can now be described."
"Did…. Did you just admit you have a kink for that?"
The pilot shut up and didn't speak, her heart rate increasing showing that she's highly embarrassed right now. My logic circuits skipping a bit however at how this turned out. Mission failed as the master says. SCABSAWS though I know is CACKLING the shift in the lense tinting is a give away. It is fairly odd though that a living arms system is so personable, I'm a T-Doll I get why I'd be so.
"Three mikes from touchdown!"
Curious, I look back out the window at the base which is closing in. Seeing it being used as a regional post office is amusing but also concerning. Why are they taking care of this region's more mundane operations like mail? Did something happen that's caused all deliveries of various types to be diverted to this base?
My pondering didn't last long as suddenly the master was awake and alert. SCABSAWS covering his body entirely in an instant, the living arms taking on a new style of choice. GK commanders wear red fancy military coats usually but it seems SCABSAWS decided that it was not combat viable. So there are armor platings, spikes along some of the platings for shredding things I assume. Deciding to be a bit fair the living arms decided to only cover the lower half of his face eventually. The insignia of his rank though is rosemary gold in color, the rank being that of a Sergeant Major. A big rank increase from his old Colonel status apparently, all so that he can override any of the Base Commander's commands if needed.
SPRINGFIELD POV
The new Commander was late and poor M14 was being childish as she waited for his arrival. Though didn't the higher up Commander's say there would be another Commander coming as well? Humming in thought at this I poured BAR some whiskey while thinking about why there'd be two Commander's. That's when the doors open letting in the other Echelon leader's into the room. They stare at M14 with mild amusement at her childish actions given how the young T-Doll acts usually. Smiling softly I watched them all.
"Hey Springy, what do you think the new Commander is going to be like?"
Looking towards BAR I hum softly before answering her question.
"There's actually going to be two coming in soon actually. The second one though is someone who seemed very… disliked by the Commander's I talked to in sector one."
This seems to catch everyone's attention BAR sitting up straighter her usual mood gone. Even the childish M14 seems to have quieted down.
"What did they say exactly about the second one? Why hate them?
Looking towards the voice that spoke I see NZ75 sitting on the far end of the bar counter. Her coat hung limply around her shoulders with her having adjusted it after removing her arms from the sleeves. Her brown hair being a mess currently as if she had just woken up. Her clothes though are different today she's wearing a black tanktop and jeans today. Her amber gold eyes looked curiously in my direction to answer her question.
Sighing I can't keep the troubled smile off my lips recounting everything that was said.
"The most used phrases were "Machine bastard", "Not Human", "Deranged soldier", "Old Monster", as some of the more venomous ones yet Mr. Kyruger said something over the video call that was curious. "You hate them yet you shamelessly use their services? I won't make you like them but be professional." Which made them all stop saying anything negative before I left."
The Echelons seem to ponder what I shared with them. Smiling wryly I shook my head, the door opening once more with G36 guiding in a man wearing the usual GK maroon peacoat covering a black tie and white dress shirt, silver epaulets on his shoulders, marking him as a Commander. Although a lower ranked one than Senior Commander's who have gold epaulets. His red hair long and disorderly as bangs slightly cover his eyes that have dark rings under them. The interested or disinterested gleam in his green eyes as he studied everyone present made me a bit uncomfortable. Skin tone wise he's got a healthy pigmentation of a Caucasian.
"Ah! Commander! Welcome to sector nine!"
Picking up a plate of prepared brownies I walk out from behind the bar counter carrying it over to him. His eyes looked at me with dull disinterest as if disappointed with me for some reason. He takes a brownie and seems genuinely surprised before putting it back with a frown.
"Hello I am Commander Jackoby, starting today I am in charge of this base."
His voice was deep but dull sounding with no real enthusiasm behind it. Smiling wryly I am about to walk away when the door opens once more. A man wearing the same maroon peacoat walking in but he has some differences in his uniform. Mainly the armor platings, the black and purple striped tie and black dress shirt, and rosemary gold epaulets of a higher rank than the first Commander. A chromatic black lower face mask with teeth that would seem to move when speaking has a purple light leaking through the cracks. His face has four horrible jagged scars running down the left side of his face.
By his side is a very large pure white pitbull with glowing red eyes that scan around the room. A modified maroon peacoat with a tactical harness covering most of the dog's frame. However, I get the feeling that the dog isn't a flesh and blood one but a T-Doll. The second Commander looks no older than twenty yet he gives off an air of being old. It's strange.
"Names Kaiser Lockhart, this is Pancake, we're here to help take care of things. Well mostly make sure you lot live and don't have problems with life."
"IT'S YOU?! HAVEN'T SEEN YA SINCE THAT PANZER TANK INCIDENT IN BERLIN!"
BAR's rather excited yell makes me blink at how she seems to already know this man. Who owlishly looks at the brownies in my hands and gingerly takes a few even the half eaten one. Giving two to his companion he takes a bite and his eyes which seemed dead light up. Appraising the brownies in his hands he chuckles very softly with a tired tone.
"Damn, that tastes better than most shit I've had or made. Ah… thank you for these though they probably weren't for us."
"Master, don't apologize you haven't eaten in a while so you ate subconsciously. But they are good I admit… better than that mush you called brownies."
A soft voice sounds from the large canine who gives Commander Lockhart an affectionate glance. He chuckles at this, face mask moving to form a playful smirk. Giggling my eyes light up seeing that these two enjoy my cooking.
"Their fudge brownies, thank you though for the compliments! My name is Springfield, I run this cafe."
"Why are you two here? Isn't this MY base?"
Ah… Commander Jackoby is glaring at Commander Lockhart for some reason. His gaze is extremely cold but not seeming to have any effect on the other who sighs. His eyes go back to looking at the world with a dead gaze as he looks back at Commander Jackoby.
"Griffon contacted my sorry old decrepit ass and told me to come here as a Field Commander. Meaning I'll be out on the front lines slaughtering things with the T-Dolls. However, I'm also to monitor things and override anything that puts anyone at risk. Pancake is mostly my therapy dog to calm my PTSD, help me with certain things, and quell or direct rage. Touch my dog in an unwanted way though, and I'll gut you before pinning your intestines to the ceiling like a banner to hang you."
"Master your hormones related to anger spiked too high. You had a minor episode almost acting on impulse to maim something didn't you?"
He keeps silent at this, shaking his head prompting the canine to push her head up under a palm. Getting the man to scratch behind one of her ears idly that he sags his shoulders just a bit. Giggling a little loudly the scene makes my smile grow wider, the other T-Dolls behind me sharing some opinions through level two about them. Most agree that the pair are happy to have the other's company given how they act. Looking at the Commander's I think I know how they're going to interact mostly.
Commander Jackoby's eyes glaze over slightly while watching Pancake. A shiver runs through my body until Commander Lockhart suddenly moves. His right arm jutting out suddenly with his grasping the Commander's face. Lifting Commander Jackoby with no effort startling him from his thoughts. An emotionless tone slipping out of Commander Lockhart's mouth.
"Watch those thoughts, they aren't pretty. Act on them you'll learn to take my words seriously, CHILD."
Letting go of Commander Jackoby, the Commander hit the ground with a thud from being dropped suddenly. Commander Lockhart rubbed his eyes tiredly as he looked back towards the door.
"If you can please have someone bring me something for lunch…. I'll go check out the command center…. Sorry."
With that he quietly left the cafe seemingly tired. Looking towards his companion about to ask something she beats me to it. Smiling wryly towards the door. When she looks at Commander Jackoby though her face becomes devoid of emotion.
"Please just make something like a teriyaki chicken sandwich with some hot chocolate, that'll help his mind ease up. As for why he seemed so tired? Master rarely gets to talk and work with people for a long time so he actually wanted to make a good impression. He was having me help make sure his mood was going to be alright on the way here. Which knowing how he works given my role, his tiredness is from losing motivation to keep trying if he's going to possibly go berserk."
Hearing that a lot of the girls go quiet a shared thought of sadness being communicated. He did seem delighted at my food and talking briefly before he started having trouble. M14, the poor girl looked confused though before asking something that had an unexpected answer.
"If he has PTSD and anger problems why is here?"
"While master is quite old as he was born in nineteen thirty-seven, he's lived through a lot of things involving war that have traumatized him. But give him a job or a he suddenly starts to do something and he's usually focused. Anger wise its mostly because he…. No I'll let you figure that out. Why he was contracted by Griffon though is because of he's trustworthy with you girls."
BAR seemed to deflate at the anger part with a troubled smile. She knows a big part of his rather disguised anger then I take it. The other's all seemed to question something else though… he's over a hundred year's old. But no one's eager to push it seeing that he probably won't be up to answering. Blinking I remember what was wanted so I hurried back to the kitchen with Commander Jackoby sounding rather displeased as I passed him.
"So a caveman and his bitch are allowed to intrude on my base to undermine me? I don't think so…. Get off my base."
That elected a rather deep chuckle from Pancake as the canine sat on her haunches. From what I can see, her words though are cold like a knife cutting through meat.
"No. You're sharing weather you like it or not Commander Jackoby. However, you and the Human staff don't need to worry about him a sleeping near you. He's likely to sleep outside more likely than not."
"Why would you two sleep outside?! You may be unwelcomed in my base but that's just ludicrous! He has a room why would he not use it?!"
"Because you hate him already. He'll avoid your general area as to not hurt you like I have helped advise him to avoid doing. Because if he goes off its not safe for the targeted. Plus he's used to sleeping outside from traveling or made to sleep outside because of some…."
She seemed to trail off but from how it sounded its like… oh like people who don't like Dolls…. My thoughts seemed shared by the others expect for Commander Jackoby who looks indignant with a scowl. Before he can say something else M14 stands up from where she'd been sitting. Walking over to Commander Jackoby she kicked him the face with frown on her face.
"Stop it. You almost triggered him with how you acted and now your making her sad. So stop it, your rude and creepy."
Commander Jackoby tries to respond but M14 kicked his face harder. Looking at the canine she seemed grateful towards the young T-Doll. However, the random suggestion by someone got everyone to nod and discuss the topic.
'Commander Lockhart living in the Doll area, huh? It'd be better than having him sleep outside for no real reason if he's going to avoid the Human Staff.'
Quietly wrapping the Commander's sandwich up I set it on a tray with his hot chocolate. Carrying the tray over to Pancake M14 stopped me by taking the tray from me. The young Doll promptly leaving with the lunch as the large canine T-Doll following after her.
Things are going to be interesting around here I can tell. Just I wish he had stayed here he would've had a great time I imagine.
