November 14th, 2062

Hotel Base

0830

Lupus is the first to wake from unconsciousness. The pain all across his body and face make him wish he had stayed unconscious. He touches his face and feels the multiple bruises covering it. His eyes remain closed as he sinks into the couch and tries to sleep. The heavy feeling on his shoulder however demands his attention. He opens his eyes to see the still sleeping Gager peacefully resting on his shoulder.

Lupus looks at the workshop counter to see there is no line and that a repair droid stands there staring at the duo. Lupus lets out a gulp and purposely adjusts himself so he wakes Gager. His plan works and she stirs awake.

"Is the line clear?" She asks

"Yeah I think we're up next."

Gager reclines on the couch. "You can go first…..your face is unsightly."

"Okay." Lupus says begrudgingly as he gets off the couch. He walks over to the counter and places his hands on it. "I need repairs." He says to the repair droid.

"Understood." The droid says happily. "Your operator will be Vespid designation: Red. Please go to room 6."

Lupus can only manage an annoyed sigh as he walks to room 6. He enters the room and is greeted by Red who sits on a chair next to an operating table.

"Good morning, darling." Red says as Lupus enters.

"Ugh, shit." Lupus manages to say before unceremoniously collapsing on the bed. "Let's just get this over with."

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"Architect….There's nothing." Occidentalis says as he picks up a handful of papers.

Architect kneels next to Occidentalis and points with one finger at the papers. "There has to be some information about the Sister base defenses."

"Sorry ma'am, but I've scoured through these documents since yesterday." Occidentalis scratches his neck. "I can scour again…"

Architect jumps on Occidentalis's back. "What a hard worker you are!" She wraps her arms around his neck. "I was thinking…"

"Yes ma'am?"

Architect pushes off his back. "I think you and Lupus need a break. Especially Lupus. I feel as though he's expending too much of his energies." She makes a pouty face. "I don't want to break our new toy….."

Occidentalis looks back at the papers. "He'll be fine ma'am just give him an hour and he'll be good to go again."

"I dunno Occidentalis….." Architect starts. "His fight with Gager was a very close one, and he's currently in the workshop seeking a new arm."

Occidentalis shrugs. "So the pup got into a scrap. Like I said, give him a hour and he'll be back on his feet."

"No." Architect says quietly. "You guys deserve a break!" She shouts confidently. "Especially you Occidentalis! I haven't seen you sleep since we recruited you."

Occidentalis sighs. "I suppose it's true I haven't slept much…." He shrugs and looks at Architect. "If you insist ma'am we'll take a break from the missions."

Architect puts a thumbs up. "Good!" She moves towards the exit of the room. "We'll take care of the heavy lifting for a while." She touches the door. "Be sure to relay that to Lupus."

"As you say ma'am."

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November 14th, 2062

Hotel Base

1130

"Kinda reminds me of back at Mother Base." Lupus says leaning his head sideways towards Occidentalis.

"Yeah. Minus the oriental beds and wallpapers, huh?" Occidentalis responds unimpressed.

Lupus walks over to the bed. "How the fuck do you sleep on this." He says laughably. "It's basically sleeping on the floor."

Occidentalis searches in his pocket and pulls out a small pamphlet with a chibi Architect on it. "Says here it's called a futon."

"You mean fulton?"

"Nah futon you idiot. It's common in Japanese households."

"I'm mixed and you're Irish." Lupus says pointing to the two of them. "Japanese shit won't fly between us."

"Sure you don't have any japanese in you?"

"Deathly sure." Lupus says unimpressed kneeling by the futon. "So is this my room or…"

"Yeah, it's your room." Occidentalis says putting away the pamphlet. He points behind him. "I'm across the hall. The rec room is between us which I guess serves as a common area."

Lupus lets out a sigh. "So when's the next mission?"

"I don't know." Occidentalis shrugs. "Architect said to take a break and that's what we're doing. She said she wants to do the heavy lifting so I say let her lift." Occidentalis folds his arms. "Just relax for a bit maybe get to know your squad yeah?"

"I suppose." Lupus says flexing his new robotic arm. Unlike his previous one this one is completely unique. Clawed fingers and black paint with a purple stripe going down the middle. "It must be some cruel joke…" He starts glancing at the second futon near his.

"What was that?" Occidentalis says.

"Nothing."

Occidentalis lets out a breath. "Alright well I'm going to head to my room and rest." He turns towards the door and puts up a hand. "Enjoy the break."

Occidentalis leaves through the door leaving Lupus alone in the room. Lupus shakes his head and lets out a sigh. He shuffles underneath his shirt to pull out a dog tag. The tag reads "HYENA ECHELON 1". He can't help but sigh again as he reads the tag. The door to the room opens causing Lupus to look in its direction.

"Interesting decor." Gager says standing in the doorway examining the room. "Not what I would have chosen though."

"Lemme guess steel walls and steel floors with steel beds." Lupus says jokingly while standing up.

"Yes actually." Gager says walking into the room. "However this floor is acceptable."

"Tatami if I remember correctly." Lupus says taking off his boots.

Lupus starts to take off his jacket and pants. He is completely ignorant of Gager who is currently moving her futon closer to Lupus's. Lupus finishes taking off his gear leaving him in his boxers and t-shirt. It's only now does he realize how close Gager's futon is to his.

"Your bed is a bit close, no?" Lupus asks.

"A squad that fights together sleeps together." Gager says plainly.

Lupus can't help but feel the nostalgia wave. "Who told you that?" He asks.

"Occidentalis when we first met."

"What else did he tell you?"

"That a squad also showers, eats, fights, and pisses together."

"Ugh, the idiot." Lupus places a hand on his face. "Well he may be an idiot, but he wasn't wrong." Lupus sits on his futon. "So Gager…...What do you do on your off time."

"I sleep and maintain myself."

Lupus gently shakes his head. "Is that it?"

"Affirmative." Gager says. "Is there anything else I must do?"

"I dunno…." Lupus scratches his head. "I thought you might have a hobby or something."

"I have no hobbies other than killing Griffon dolls." Gager says confidently.

Lupus sighs. "If you're joining me on my break you're going to pick up at least one hobby."

Gager looks down and thinks. She looks back up at Lupus. "Very well."

Lupus can't help but chuckle. "That is assuming we don't get a mission, but I doubt we'll be resting for more than a few days." Lupus leans back. "I mean Architect needs me and Occi don't she? We'll be back in the fight in two days tops." He smiles.

Gager does a slight smile. "I look forward to it."

December 17th, 2062

Hotel Base

1425

The common area is quite big as it functions as a junction for the four rooms that surround it. In the room there is a big couch facing a TV and a terminal with a chair across from it. The whole room is carpeted in dark grey and the walls are wood paneled. A singular door to the south of the room leads to the main base.

Occidentalis sits by the computer desk and uses the terminal. Lupus on the other hand lies on the couch using a paddle ball. Gager sits on the long portion of the couch on her own personal terminal.

Plink Plink Plink

Occidentalis flinches with each paddle of the ball.

PInk Plunk Plink

Occidentalis turns in his chair. "Lupus will you stop."

"No." Lupus says continuing his game.

Plink Plnk Plnk

"I swear to god man." Occidentalis says gritting his teeth.

"Gager." Lupus calls out.

Gager turns to look at Lupus. "What?"

"Does this annoy you?" Lupus asks paddling the ball.

Gager looks at Occidentalis. "No." She says going back to her terminal.

Lupus looks at Occidentalis and shrugs. He continues playing.

"Alright that's it." Occidentalis gets up causing Lupus to get up too.

Occidentalis hops the couch, but he's too slow as Lupus has already abandoned the couch. Lupus runs around the common area paddling the ball as Occidentalis chases him. Gager pays them no mind.

"Dammit Hanzee stop!" Occidentalis shouts as he grabs hold of Lupus's shirt.

The room goes quiet. Lupus turns around and faces Occidentalis. Gager can't help but turn to face the duo.

"You used my real name…." Lupus says quietly.

"Listen man it just slip-"

"Fuckin Derrick!" Lupus says bursting out laughing.

Occidentalis's normally cheerful face goes bashful. "Don't use my fuckin name!" He grabs hold of Lupus and puts him in a headlock.

"Oh boo hoo Derrick! You used real names first!" Lupus tattles as he gets choked out by Occidentalis.

"Grah!" Occidentalis lets go of Lupus's neck. "Just stop paddling you clown."

"Whatever you say Derrick." Lupus blows a raspberry at Occidentalis.

Lupus returns to his position on the couch while Occidentalis returns to his by the computer. Both go silent as they return to what they were doing. Gager can't help but look at the duo.

"Human interaction is strange….." Gager says solemnly. "You showed hostility to each other, but neither of you came out harmed."

"It's called sibling rivalry, or some shit like that." Occidentalis says.

"Are you of blood?" Gager asks, genuinely curious.

"What me and this mutt?" Occidentalis questions. "Not a fuckin chance."

"Amen to that." Lupus chimes in. "Who would want to be siblings with this pale mother fucker?" Lupus says pointing to Occidentalis. "We're siblings by brotherhood."

"Brotherhood?" Gager asks.

"As in we've seen the same shit and gone through so much together that our bond transcends blood." Occidentalis says. "Siblings by consequence."

"That's pretty much how it is." Lupus chimes in again.

Gager points at Lupus. "And your real name is Hanzee." She points to Occidentalis. "And his is Derrick."

"As much as I hate to agree…" Occidentalis says. "Yes those are our real names before we joined the boss."

"I see." Gager returns to her terminal. "I quite like your real names."

"Well if you like it so much you can use it for me." Lupus says gleefully. "I don't seem to mind it anymore."

Occidentalis leans back in his chair. "It has been some time since the Peace Day incident."

"Is that what you're calling it?" Lupus asks.

"Might as well give it a name." Occidentalis says leaning forward towards his terminal.

"Peace Day Incident….I like it." Lupus says scratching his chin.

"Good news." Gager says.

Lupus looks at her. "Yeah?"

Gager turns to look at the duo. "The sister bases have been captured as well as surrounding bases. We now own 75% of this sector." Gager faces her terminal. "The remaining bases are designated as follows: Echo and Alpha base."

Hanzee feels a shiver up his spine and Derrick is quick to pick up on it. Gager fails to notice Hanzee's general discomfort with the base names.

"These bases shall fall easily." Gager continues. "Already Destroyer is sieging Alpha base while Architect sieges Echo." She stands up. "It falls to us to decide where we want to attack."

Derrick stands up and moves behind Hanzee who shakes like a leaf. He places a hand on Hanzee's back. "Don't worry I'll take Alpha." Derrick whispers. Hanzee slightly nods and places his face in his hands.

Hanzee looks up. "Gager we go to Echo base." He stands up. "Be ready in five."

"Understood." Gager says leaving into their shared room.

Hanzee quickly sits back on the couch.

"You sure you're up to this." Derrick says with concern.

"I'm a mercenary…" Lupus starts. "Killing friends is part of the job description." He lets out a sigh. "Though I'm loath to do it." He stands back up. "The more I think about it the worst it'll get so let's just get it over with, yeah?"

Derrick nods and gives a reassuring smile. "I'll be leaving later." He says extending a fist. "Till we meet again brother?"

"Till we meet again." Hanzee bumps fists with Derrick.