November 12th, 2062

Forest Outside Hotel Base

2230

Three figures walk through the dark snowy forest. The snow falls heavily on the group. The subtle crunches of snow underneath their boots echo in the soundless night. They walk two next to each other and one behind. They walk for some time before one of the figures puts up a hand causing the others to halt.

"What is it?" A high-pitched female voice asks.

"Probably something spooked her…." Another more toned female voice says.

"Shut up you two." A mature voice commands. "Ya hear that?"

The other two figures quiet down and listen closely. As sure as she said there is a subtle sound of crunching following the three. The sound stops…...then rushes the three!

The three figures take up positions around the nearby trees and aim in the direction of the incoming sound.

"Easy girls. Identify then engage….." The mature voice assures.

A shot rings out. "Sorry!" The high-pitched voice says apologetically.

The mature lets out a very audible sigh then listens closely. Instead of snow crunching, the slight sound of wounded moaning is heard. She makes a hand sign and the other two figures move towards the moans.

The three figures move until they spot something in the snow. One of the figures takes out a flashlight and shines it on the spot. Red blood seeps out of white fur as a wounded wolf is illuminated by the flashlight.

"Dammit, 62 Shiki!" The mature voice says shining the light on the figure closest to it.

The small Japanese woman, carrying a heavy lmg, shudders at the mature woman's voice. The mature voice shines the flashlight on the other figure. The light reveals a woman with brownish hair with a red streak going down one of the bangs.

"M1887. Put it out of its misery."

The red streak woman salutes. "Affirmative Python."

Python looks at Shiki. "Incompetent….."

"Yes ma'am…" Shiki says sniffling.

A loud gunshot is heard as M1887 puts a slug in the wolf's skull silencing the moans. The group continues its walk. This time 887 stays next to Shiki as Python takes point.

"It's fine Shiki." 887 whispers. "Python's just mad she got assigned to patrol duty."

Shiki sniffles. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean she has to be so mean to me!"

"She's mean because she cares. Ever since the disappearance of Echelon 1 we've been working nonstop." 887 explains. "You just got off the assembly line…...she's been with the Commander since the beginning."

"Hey!" Python shouts. "If you're going to chit chat, get off the network." She shakes her head. "I can hear every damn word you say."

"Yes ma'am!" Both 887 and Shiki say embarrassedly.

The snow picks up coming down heavier than before. Naked sight becomes impossible as it comes down.

"Ma'am the snow is interfering with long-range scanners," Shiki reports.

"I know short-range scanners are about to go too," Python says. "Get back on the network you two before it gets any worse."

"Says that the network is down ma'am." 887 reports.

"Shit!" Python curses. "Alright stay within earshot of each other and let's return to base. Commander won't be happy, but it's better than being stuck out here."

"Ma'am!" Shiki shouts. "Short-range scanners are picking up something."

"Ignore it!" Python says. "Probably another wolf looking for a snack. Focus on getting back home!"

The group walks in a single file line, Python leading, Shiki in the middle, and 887 bringing up the rear.

The snow gets even heavier turns from a downfall to a storm.

"Jeez what luck huh, 887?" Shiki says, turning behind her.

Her face turns to dismay as 887 has disappeared from behind her. "Python!" Shiki shouts. "887 is missing."

"Don't worry about her!" Python shouts back trudging through the 4 feet of snow on the ground. "She'll find her own way back! Her core will keep her warm."

Shiki can feel herself getting stuck in the snow as her core starts to overheat from the strenuous work. "Wait, Python slow down, please!" Shiki drops her lmg.

"One of us has to make it back to report!" Python shouts continuing her trudge. "If we don't report they'll send another echelon and embarrass me further!"

"Python!"

"I was adjutant once and I refuse to be demoted further than I already have." She turns to Shiki who has completely stopped in the snow. "I won't be replaced!" She screams hoarsely.

Shiki looks at Python and stretches out a hand to grab onto her, but Python moves fast through the snow and within seconds disappears into the night. Nothing but the silence of the snowfall and the sound of Shiki's haggard breath.

Shiki doesn't know how much time has passed as the snow starts to clear up. She remains in a seated position trying to maintain her core's heat, but she can feel it failing.

"Just think, Shiki, rescue is on the way!" She assures herself sniffling. "I know what I can do! A song will lift my spirits!"

She lets out a soft cough to clear her throat.

"Akai ha na tsuunde

Ano hitoni akeyo"

She hears the telltale sound of snow crunching. "Rescue!" She thinks to herself. "Gotta sing louder so they know where I am!"

"Ano hitono kami ni

Konohana sashte akeyo"

Just as Shiki thought with the last bit of her song the sound of crunching gets closer to her, and before long she can see a figure in the darkness. She puts up an arm and waves.

"OVER HERE!" She shouts with all her might not even trying to hide her relief.

However, as the figure gets close the details of it become more unrecognizable. She can hear its heavy panting as it approaches her. She desperately tries to reconnect to the network to report in, but it still gives her the error from before.

The figure walks up to Shiki until it towers over the sitting T-doll. Shiki inspects the figure nervously. It wears all black except for the grey fur it wears by its neck. On its chest, the letters "SF" stand in bold. In one hand it holds a still electrifying part and in the other a handful of white fur. Its heavy breathing does nothing to calm down Shiki.

"One question." The figure asks plainly.

Shiki takes a big gulp as she looks as the figure squats down in front of her and places the white fur against her chest.

"Did you kill the wolf back there?"

"N-n-n-no." Shiki stutters. "I-I only wounded it."

"Ahhh." The figure lets out a breath of relief. "Good good." It pats her chest with the fur. "Now tell me…..who put a bullet in its head?" The figure says with a strange calm.

"My friend 887." Shiki blurts out without thinking.

"You talking about this one?" The figure says holding up the still sparking piece of metal. "I ripped this core out of a collapsed doll a while back," It says glancing over its shoulder. "No fun that was. She was barely responsive as I shoved my hand through her chest and ripped out her core….. Just barely.

Shiki desperately tries to connect back to the network, but now it gives her an out-of-range error. She starts to cry a little.

"Don't cry." The figure says with assurance. "You should sing that song you were singing before. Might soothe you…..for what comes next." The figure says throwing the part over its shoulder.

"What comes next?" Shiki asks wide-eyed.

"Well that's a surprise isn't it." The figure says scratching its head. "You wouldn't want to ruin the surprise. Would ya?" It says gently grabbing her chin. "Now I would suggest singing."

Shiki lets out a cough.

"Akai ha na tsuunde

Ano hitoni akeyo"

She watches as the figure slowly bobs its head with the song. She continues her voice shaking harder than a leaf in the wind.

"Ano hitono kami ni

Konohana sashte akeyo"

"Thank you for that." The figure says placing a hand on Shiki's head. "Now for the surprise." It unwraps the scarf that's part of her uniform and takes it in one hand. "Now I know you can't move with such an overheated core…"

Shiki has tears in her eyes. "Please…."

"Again with the crying?" The figure lets out a sigh. It wraps the scarf around Shiki's eyes, covering them in red. "There."

"I can't see. What are you going to do!?"

"Absolutely nothing." The figure says holding back a laugh. "You were good entertainment. Goodbye."

With that, the sound of snow crunching away from her is heard. Just like the figure said she can't remove the scarf around her eyes. She can only listen as the crunching gets more and more distant until she can't hear it anymore. Once the silence comes back to her she breaks down sobbing.

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November 13th, 2062

Hotel Base Front Gate

0000

The snow has ceased. Large walls protect the inner sanctum known as Hotel base. In a space between the walls, two guard posts stand with a barrier between the two to prevent unwanted vehicles from approaching. In one post a girl with her black hair done up in a ponytail and a distinguishable red scarf around her neck. In the other post a girl with blondish hair done in a high ponytail wearing a Russian maid uniform.

"Jeez, did you see Python, M12?" Vepr says sympathetically.

"Yeah, Vepr, she looked like shit!" M12 stifles her laugh. "Kinda serves her right." She gets serious. "Abandoning your squad is a serious offense. Especially a doll the Commander has his sights on."

"Who was it?" Vepr asks curiously.

"Apparently it was Shiki," M12 says. "Some would say she got lucky. Once the Commander has his sights on you you might as well just give it up."

"Give what up?" Vepr asks innocently.

M12 looks at her with a surprised expression. "Wait you don't know?"

"Know what?"

M12 smiles. "You must be fresh out the factory if you don't know!"

"Tell me M12!"

"Alright, alright just don't shout," M12 says. "He takes your first time."

"First time?" Vepr questions. "Does that have something to do with wild boars?"

M12 looks away. "Sure it does." She squats against the nearby wall. "Just let me give you some advice Vepr…."

"Of course M12."

"When he comes for you…." M12 says quietly. "Don't struggle."

"Why would I?" Vepr says. "We're just going to talk about wild boars, no?"

"Yeah, just a simple talk," M12 says sarcastically. "Just don't struggle, you don't wanna end up like G17 in the repair bay."

"Got it!" Vepr says. "Oh, now you got me excited to talk to the Commander." She says excitedly.

M12 sighs. She looks to her right to see a figure silently rushing the duo. She runs back to her post. She looks frantically for her gun, but can't find it. She looks back at the figure to see that it has come within the light of the guardpost. She tries to turn towards Vepr, but her scruff is grabbed by the figure and she is brought to her feet.

"Vepr!" She manages to shout before the figure closes her mouth.

Vepr looks over to see her friend in the grasp of the figure. She raises her gun and points it at both M12 and the figure. The figure lets out an audible sigh.

"Let her go!" Vepr shouts at the figure.

"Throw away your gun and I'll let her go." The figure says calmly putting M12 in a headlock.

"Don't listen to him, Vepr!" M12 says the figure tightening his grip around her neck.

"But M12….." Vepr whispers.

"This is taking too long." The figure says audibly annoyed.

The figure rushes Vepr using M12 as a body shield. Unable to fire, Vepr tries to run away but is slammed into the ground by the combined weight of M12 and the figure. The figure quickly recovers and reaches for Vepr's gun, but ends up having it kicked away by M12 who also recovered quickly. The figure is only successful in ejecting the clip.

"Vepr report in!" M12 says putting up her hands.

"I can't! Something is blocking communications!" Vepr says from the ground trying to stand up.

A loud thud is heard as Vepr looks to her side to see M12 next to her on the ground. Vepr tries to turn around but is subsequently punched in the face. Vepr can only watch as the figure picks up her gun and loads it. M12 gets up again and rushes the figure, but has the clip emptied into her before she makes any solid progress. She falls to the ground lifeless. Vepr gets up just in time to catch some of the bullets meant for M12.

"Huh. I guess the helmet helps my aim." The figure says. He walks over to Vepr. "But not by much." He stops just above the bleeding Vepr. "Shit." He squats down next to her. "Are you still alive? Where can I find the Commander?"

Vepr tries to get up but ends up coughing up blood causing her to fall back down.

"Don't move. Just talk." The figure says placing a hand on her bloody stomach.

Vepr coughs up blood. "Did you know….sometimes hunters call seven-year-old boars Grand Old Boars?"

"What?" The figure says completely perplexed.

"Sorry…..it's just I was just manufactured…" Vepr says sadly. "I never got to tell anybody about…...wild boars."

The figure puts a hand to his helmet and rubs it. He stands up and shuffles through his pockets. Vepr watches him closely as he removes a pouch from his pocket. He tosses it onto her chest.

"Medical….For dolls." The figure says plainly. "Use it. Then fuck off…" He turns towards the base. "If you know what's good for you…..You might live another day to talk about boars."

The figure walks into the base leaving Vepr alone.

"Thank you," Vepr whispers quietly as she closes her eyes.

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November 13th, 2062

Hotel Base

0200

A metal door opens revealing a small girl with long silverish hair. Her expression is a mixture of sadness and extreme discomfort. Before she can take a step through the door two hands come from behind her feeling her.

"Take a quick shower XM8….." The masculine voice behind her says. "...Then come back for more."

The hands grope her small breasts causing another wave of expression to come over XM8's face. She quickly escapes from the grasp of the man behind her and the door closes leaving her alone in the hallway. She walks down the hallway for a bit before her legs give in below her. She falls to her knees and starts to cry.

"Why did it have to be this Commander?" She pleads through tears.

She sobs for a bit before she gains the confidence to stand back up. She grips her shirt close as she leans against the walls for balance. She turns the corner and opens a door that leads to a white room with multiple showerheads and borders between them.

XM8 slowly takes off her clothes and turns on the water. The water feels cold against her body, but she doesn't care as she quickly uses soap and water to clean her lower region thoroughly.

"Be clean, be clean….Please!" She cries quietly.

She scrubs her body next and is so focused she doesn't hear the door to the showers open. She does however hear them close. She freezes up as she hears heavy boots against the tile floor. The boots come close to her, but stay behind her some amount. She can hear a masculine sigh and the sound of someone leaning against something.

"C-commander I haven't finished yet….." XM8 says looking forward. "Please go back to the bedroom." She pleads. "I'll be there in just a moment."

"Is that where I can find him?" The masculine voice says unsurprised. "Should have guessed."

XM8 turns completely around to see a figure leaning on the wall behind her. The figure wears all black except for a grey wolf fur collar. It's equipped with a knife in one hand and Glock in the other with a silencer attachment. The figure notices her gaze and waves at her with his knife-hand.

"Hola, señorita." The figure says. "You mind leading me to the bedroom."

XM8 stays silent.

"Don't bother trying to communicate… I'm a walking disrupter." The figure says calmly. "I would suggest doing what I ask."

"You're going to kill the Commander?"

The figure snickers. "I just wanna talk to him. That's all."

The figure sheathes his knife and holsters the Glock. He reaches into his pocket and shuffles around causing XM8 to flinch. He sees her flinch and puts a hand up as reassurance. Out of his pocket he pulls out a medical pouch.

"Here." He slides over the pouch on the ground towards XM8. "For the bruises and black eye."

"The-." As he mentions it XM8 feels the pain on her ass as she glances over her shoulder to see it has a hue of purple over it. From the puddle on the ground, she can see her black eye. She looks at the figure who looks at her expectantly. "Thank you."

The figure nods with arms folded. "Willing to tell me how to get to him?"

"To talk right?"

"Yeah to talk."

XM8 looks at the figure and smiles solemnly. "Could you do me a favor?"

"Depends."

"I want you to take out my combat module." She says. "Then I'll take you to him."

"Where is it located?"

XM8 points to a location on her body just above her stomach. "You'll need some tools though….." She says, not noticing the figure approaching her.

The figure grabs her shoulder. "Take a deep breath."

XM8 does as commanded and takes a deep breath. Without warning the figure shoves his hand through XM8's chest and rips out a metal part. Before she can even scream the figure covers her mouth and with his other hand places a bandage over the spot. He gently lowers her to the floor. Satisfied with her lack of screaming he removes his hand from her mouth and focuses on bandaging her.

"Ouch." XM8 lets out through heavy breaths. "How did you do that?"

"I'm only partially human." The figure says flexing his bloody hand. "Robotic." He waves it.

"Your human?" XM8 questions. She looks at the obvious SF badge on his chest. "But you work for SF?"

"Enough questions." The figure growls.

The figure lifts her up causing her to wince in pain. He drags her out of the shower room and into the hallway. She points in the direction of the bedroom which sits at the end of the hallway. The figure nods and places her against the wall.

XM8 watches as the figure walks down the hallway and stands in front of the door. The figure knocks.

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November 13th, 2062

Hotel Base

0250

The Commander's room is quite basic. A simple wooden desk and console are the most prominent features while the king-sized bed over to the side dominates the other half of the room. The room itself is dimly lit only being illuminated by a bedside lamp which is currently turned on. Lying in the bed is the Commander of Hotel base himself.

The Commander is easily in his early 20s. His face and body are pudgy, easily never seeing a day of exercise in his life. He lies naked on the bed, his hand exploring his lower region as he starts to jerk off.

"Dammit XM8." He whispers to himself. "Where the hell are you! I need round two!"

As if to answer him there is the sound of knocking at his room's door.

"Ugh. Finally!" He says loud enough for the person on the other side to hear. "You're going to get punished for this XM8!" He gets out of the bed and marches over to the door. He opens the door. "Well, helloooo-" He stops himself as a figure that definitely is not XM8 stands in front of him.

The figure tilts its head and kicks the Commander straight in the chest knocking him over with a loud thud.

"Morning you fat fuck." The figure says calmly.

"Ugh." The Commander groans. "Who the fuck are you? Where is XM8?"

The figure walks over to the desk of the Commander and picks up a nameplate from it. "Commander Zav." The figure says. "So that's the name of the rapist before my eyes."

"Wha-Who are you?" Zav says sitting up. "Did Griffon send you?"

The figure walks over to Zav slowly.

"I assure you I've been doing a good job out here!" Zav shouts. "What I do to my dolls is none of your business!"

The figure stands over Zav and roundhouse kicks him in the face. Zav does a full spin into the wall. Before he can sit himself up again the figure grabs hold of the back of his head and slams his face into the floor.

"I'm not with Griffon." The figure says gleefully.

"Then-" Zav is interrupted by his face being slammed into the floor again.

"I'm talking. So . ." The figure says through gritted teeth as he slams Zav's face into the floor again.

Zav lets out a whimper of acknowledgement.

"Good." The figure lets go of his head and stands up. He starts to walk around the room. "You've gotten weak….." The figure stretches his arms. "So weak that the already weak SF presence here has made it their mission to attack and claim this base." The figure sounds more angry than happy.

Zav looks at the figure to see an SF badge on its chest. "B-But aren't you SF?"

"I am." The figure lowers his arms. "Through want not of my own." The figure spins on his heels and looks at Zav. "Now tell me Commander is there anything on base I should be worried about."

"Like I would tell SF scum like you!" Zav shouts from the floor.

The figure unsheathes a knife from his chest.

"W-Wait." Zav pleads. "I'll tell you everything."

"Unfortunate." The figure says sheathing his knife. He moves over to the bed and sits on it. He immediately gets up upon touching something sticky. "Your fucking disgusting piggy." The figure says wiping his hand against Zav's face.

"Please…."

"Couldn't even reach for the condom for these girls, huh?" The figure says. "Fuckin disgusting. You're lucky you have some use for SF or else I would have killed you already." The figure kicks Zav in the stomach. "Start fuckin talkin!"

Zav coughs and clutches his stomach. "Echelons 2 and 4 are on a mission and won't be back until early tomorrow morning." The figure unsheathes his knife. "We recently acquired a HOC unit that is in the garage deactivated," Zav says scared.

"What else?"

"Please….that's it…." Zav begs.

"I know about the gems piggy….Where the fuck are they." The figure gets to his knees and places the knife against Zav's face.

"Gems…..What gems." Zav cracks a nervous smile.

"Don't think I didn't see the oath rings you gave those girls." The figure says angrily. "Which was first piggy? The rape then the ring? Or the other way around?"

"If you know that then you know I spent all the gems!" Zav shouts the knife inching closer to his face.

"You're fuckin lying!" The figure slashes Zav across his cheek causing a cut to appear. "Lie to me again and I'll do the same to your throat."

"Alright! Alright!" Zav squeals. "They are located near the HOC unit garage."

"How much?"

"I dunno…"

The figure kicks Zav in the shin.

"Alright! Four thousand gems!"

The figure whistles. "That's a lot of rings eh piggy?" He grabs hold of Zav's hair. "Where'd you get 'em?"

"They're not all mine," Zav explains. "They're the combined amount from surrounding bases sent here for safekeeping."

The figure nods. "I see good. Very good!" The figure lets go of Zav's hair. "That means if we take this base we cut off the surrounding bases both their gem and part supply." The figure spots something above Zav. "What's that?"

Zav turns around. "T-T-That's my family chokuto."

The figure stands up and goes over to it taking it off its podium. He inspects it closely.

"It has a heat blade w-w-which means it can cut through metal with ease and cauterizes wounds," Zav explains.

"Very nice." The figure says taking the sheath off the podium. He sheathes the blade and holds it in one hand. "Anything else you want to tell me?"

"I dunno…."

The figure sighs. "Really? I DuNnO." The figure mocks and sighs. "No cool last words for me?"

"Wait las-"

He unsheathes the blade lightning-fast and decapitates Zav in a flash. True to his word the chokuto's blade glows orange and the neck of Zav has been cauterized.

"Huh. He did tell the truth." The figure says somewhat surprised. He places a hand against his helmet. "Guess I need to see what this HOC unit is about." The figure takes a step. "Oh wait I should probably report in."

The figure steps over Zav's body and walks to the desk taking a seat in the leather chair. He puts his legs up on the desk.

"Mission complete." Lupus says with a huff.