The following is a Work of Fan-Fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or are rearranged in disregard of actual Space and Time in a fictitious manner to suit the fantasy of this tale. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Any intellectual properties, memes, or what-have-you's mentioned herein belong to their respective rights holders.
Tales from the ARKNIGHTS
As I thought, the Daily Lives of Operators is FUBAR
By A Deluded Middle-Aged Smart Aleck Gr00vyThunderb0ltJazzDuel
Prologue 1-2
"Doctor Trigger came back quite the oddball. I am not sure if I like him"
0930 \ Thunderstorm
Hallway \ Ark-1 Holding position 50Km outside Chernobog
Doctor Trigger: FREEEEE-DOM!
Bridges: Were you… Sorry. Are you always this excited after a meeting, Doc?
Doctor Trigger: Heck yeah, I am! And if you wanna take a page from my worldly life lessons, always be grateful for the little victories in life. Step by step, inch by inch, snap, crackle, pop; that's how we get to the Columbian deep fried dodo dinner!
A deep mournful gurgle announced itself from Trigger's stomach, keeling the manic man over suddenly as he leaned hard against his IV stand for support.
Doctor Trigger: Oooo, speaking of which, where's the cafeteria? Heck, where's Amiya? What's taking her so long? We were dismissed a minute ago and she's still hanging out back in the CIC? L-A-M-E! Don't tell me she has plans to starve me as part of some whack weight control program to get me back into shape? Agh, say it ain't so, Bridges baby? Say it ain't so!
The Penguin Logistics liaison sighed at the Doctor's histrionic tantrum, and rummaged through the pouches in his rigging for a solution.
Bridges: All right, all right, settle down. Here; this ought to take the edge off until we get you back to Medical.
Doctor Trigger: Ah, what is this suspicious foil wrapped bar!? It smells like metal, and nothing delicious at all.
Bridges: Ugh, gimme a break. It's a ration bar, you dummy. Hand-made by me, carefully portioned, heat treated, and vacuum sealed to minimize waste. 300 calories, chocolate chip flavored, and I guarantee the minimum preservatives and additives were used to ensure shelf life while preserving taste and nutrition.
Doctor Trigger: Turn around.
Bridges: ...Oy, a little gratitude wouldn't cost you-
Doctor Trigger: I-It's not like that you little wannabe faceless harem protagonist! I just get embarrassed when other people watch me eat. So, you mind giving a man some privacy!?
Bridges: Okay, okay, whatever. I swear, Doctor Kal'tsit understated just how much you have regressed. You're more like a kid than a grown man half the time.
Doctor Trigger: *Nom* Hey! *Nom* I resent-
Bridges: Please, don't talk with your mouth full. I did not sign up for a Heimlich Maneuver first thing in the morning.
The crisp clatter of footsteps drew the transporter's attention to a familiar pair of brown Cautus ears approaching fast.
Amiya: Sorry to keep you waiting!
Bridges: It was not long, President Amiya. I'm surprised Chief Machias let you off so quickly.
Amiya: Uuu, Bridges, it's just you, the Doctor, and I. You can drop the formality.
Doctor Trigger: Ooohhh, DELISH! These are pretty good, Bridges baby. Gimme another!
Bridges: Sure, thing. Have another on the house, geez.
Amiya: Ah, Bridges, you didn't say you were handing out your candy bars! That's not fair. I want one too!
Bridges: Tsk, they're ration bars, not candy. Also, this sort of thing is exactly why I try to keep up the facade of formality. People around here have enough hot gossip as is, without us clowning around to add fuel to the fire.
Amiya: Candy, candy, candy!
Doctor Trigger: Oh ho, you two are pretty much co-conspirators, huh?
Bridges: Yes, yes, yes. Here, please! Think of your dignity as the President of Rhodes Island.
Amiya: Hooray! Amamiya got one!
Bridges flushed at his junior's exuberant exultation, and resigned himself to a facepalm.
Bridges: And yes, to answer your question… If Amiya has a bad idea when I am working here, chances are good I got involved. Last night… When we compiled everything for the debrief, I wanted us out of Chernobog on the double, but nope! Amiya just had to talk me into staying too.
Doctor Trigger: For reals?
Bridges: Seriously. Hey, Amiya, you sure you patched things up good with Chief Machias? Doctor Hourai keeps him level on the straight and narrow, and passive aggression isn't his style, but that man nurses his grudges like a fine wine.
Amiya: Ah, um, I had a lot of help from Miss Hourai and Mister Deadsmith actually.
Bridges: At least, you're not chewing and talking at the same time. Here, napkin.
Amiya: Thanks! Oh, anyways, I think we will be safe from the Chief's wrath, if we do not ask for anymore crazy leaps of faith, at least... until we can get everything back to normal around Rhodes.
The empty hallway echoed her sentiments exactly. In another time, all manner of bustling activity would have passed through here from medical staff, researchers, interns, volunteers, operators, and of course, patients. Such had been the daily life for Rhodes Island, a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the cause of ridding Terra from the curse of Oripathy.
Nowadays, the withered Rhodes looked more like a shadow of its former self, passing the hours instead as a mercenary band desperately seeking its own salvation from dissolution.
Bridges: Rhodes Island will make a comeback to remember, trust me. It would not be the first time for you all.
Amiya: Bridges, you meant 'us', right? I told you before, you're a Rhodes Islander just like us! Never mind the ridiculous legal contract the Emperor is using to hold onto you at Penguin Logistics.
Bridges: Heh, thanks for reminding me. Oh, and before I forget, thank you for coming through in the meeting when you did, Doc.
Doctor Trigger: Well, how about that? Kids, these days do know a thing or two about good manners and customs.
Bridges: (Which is more than I can say about you.)
Doctor Triggers: But, seriously, just what the heck were you two going to do in there if I didn't step up?
Amiya: Um, pout and sulk, beg and borrow, cry, and do my best doe-eyed impression to guilt trip everyone into signing on? ...That was the plan, right, Bridges?
Bridges cheeks burned and he felt the need to visit his palm again.
Bridges: Amiya, it was a joke.
Amiya: Eh, really? I thought you were serious!
Bridges: ...No. Not in the slightest bit…
The Doctor made a note of the curious twinkle in Amiya's blue eyes and filed it away for safekeeping. It seemed there would be a lot of fun stories for him to catch up in the days to come once they had dealt with today's crisis.
Doctor Trigger: Well, I guess, you two lucked out and pulled the right mad lad out of the ice box lottery.
Amiya: Absolutely, you were an inspiration, Doctor! I did not think Miss Kal'tsit would go as far as to authorize Operators from the [S.W.E.E.P.] division to help us.
Bridges: Agreed. You did pretty good, Doc. I think I'm going to have a lot of fun appropriating as much loot as we can manage from Reunion's stocks tonight.
Doctor Trigger: Oi, don't get too greedy and take everything, kid. What you achieve tonight sets the tone and pace for the rest of our timeline in the next ten days. Yes, we're hitting them where it really hurts to return the favor, but I need those goons pissed off like an angry vespid nest, specifically.
Amiya: 'A foe who's mad as hell is easy to control, but a cornered fox is capable of anything.' was it?
Doctor Trigger: Ah ha ha ha, close enough, baby doll.
Bridges: ...but you sure we have ten days to pull this off?
Doctor Trigger: C'mon, I am the guy who punched the Unstoppable Tallulah out cold, but I do appreciate the skepticism too.
Amiya: Doctor?
Doctor Trigger: Look, there's very few guarantees in Life and War. I'm just making the best bet I can based on the information we have. If something new turns up, we adapt and overcome. Trust!
Bridges: Well…
Doctor Trigger: Hey, that's why I want both teams to gather as much intel as we go along. Anything that will help us build a better picture of Reunion is fair game. I'm talkin' documents, photos, recordings, word of mouth testimony, whatever the heck passes for communications gear they got, weapons, and you-name-its. ...Just don't bring back anyone's underpants, please.
Amiya: Tee hee hee, we'll do our best.
Doctor Trigger: And hey, before we split off and go get stuff done, can I have some real feedback from you two?
Bridges: We didn't kill each other yesterday, and we've come this far: shoot.
Amiya: Ah ha, Doctor, please do not be offended. Bridges is actually like this around his other boss… Mister Emperor too. Though he is much more polite and formal in public as expected of a professional transporter... Um, if you want to frame it in a positive way, you could say he is comfortable around you?
Doctor Trigger: Aw, shucks, that's pretty sweet of him! Isn't that right, Bridges baby?
Bridges: Ugh. You can blame my attitude on Emperor, if you like, and he would be proud of it too. He will give you his whole manifesto about freedom, authenticity, and being who you really are. Why he is the complete opposite of you from before we brought you back.
The transporter massaged his temples, feeling the pangs of a phantom headache coming on.
Bridges: You were the quintessential mystery man, like you were self-absorbed in some game that you didn't have any peers to play with. I have never met anyone who could be so infuriating while being absolutely polite.
Doctor Trigger: Is that how it was?
Amiya: Bridges, Doctor was not that bad. He was just…
Bridges frowned at the soft look in Amiya's eyes, and resigned him to retreat with a sigh. It was an old song and dance between them at this point concerning the character of that elusive man. He knew better than to push the boundary of politeness.
Bridges: Anyways, that's what you're up against. Question?
Doctor Trigger: Right. Mmm, so how do you all feel about the 'ME' that I am now?
Bridges: Hm, I can live with it. Amiya?
Doctor Trigger: Eh, that's it!?
Amiya: Doctor Trigger came back quite the oddball. I am not sure if I like him…
Doctor Trigger: Agh, w-wait! Slow down. Time out. On second thought, I don't think I'm ready to hear this yet!
Amiya: The Doctor I knew, who saved my life and raised me, would have decided a different future for Rhodes island. As much as I love him, I think I have grown up a bit since he left us.
She raised a hand to her chest, as if swearing an oath, and closed her eyes.
Amiya: There were bad times, and there were good times this past year. Despite everything, we came through. I want to continue this beautiful journey with everyone. So, once again, Doctor Trigger, I want to welcome you to Rhodes Island. Will you help us build a better future for Terra together?
Doctor Trigger spluttered at the shear radiance of conviction emanating from this teenage girl with the weight of the world on her shoulders. He had his doubts, but it seemed the way forward looked pretty clear to him.
Doctor Trigger: G-Gosh, like I would have stuck my neck out for you two if I wasn't all in on this mad, mad hopes and dreams stuff. Here, gimme a fiver, champ!
Amiya: Yay!
Bridges: Oi, Amiya, by the way that corny confession might have been too much information. Try and keep it safe for work next time at least, won't you?
Amiya: E-Ehhh, was it that bad?
Bridges: I have some new comics from the Far East that you can take some pointers from you like.
Amiya: Um, maybe after this is over, and I can clear up my schedule, we can sit down together?
Doctor Trigger: Can I read some too? Please!?
Bridges: Huh, guess the Popular Media Club's membership is about to go up plus one.
Doctor Trigger: Yes, yes, yes! I get to hang out with the cool kids.
Bridges: Word. Oh yeah, Amiya, don't forget to go feed this guy and keep up with the paperwork. Dobermann gave us until lunch time to get this done, so hustle! ...Just don't poach anybody I'm recruiting for my team, all right?
Amiya: I-It was a misunderstanding at that time. I didn't do it on purpose, Bridges!
Bridges: Yup, yup. See you later.
Footnotes
S.W.E.E.P. - According to official documentation, a discreet group of Operators with a peculiar set of skills that makes them well-suited to VIP protection duties. They report to Doctor Kal'tsit directly and will accompany Rhodes Island VIPs when they leave the island for official duties, including business conferences and even mandatory convalescent vacations.
"But what's the real story behind S.W.E.E.P. though?" - Junior Operator
"On the real, I hear S.W.E.E.P.'s been swept underneath the rug, y'know what I mean?" - Gossiping Operator
"Really? Really, really?" - Junior Operator
"Yeah, in the down low, they're actually a bunch of clandestine types. The tin might say VIP protection. Like, Columbian Secret Service stuff, but the rabbit hole goes a lot, lot deeper. Why you think they answer to Doc Kal'tsit first?" - Gossiping Operator
"Must be 'Yes, ma'am.' and 'Aye-aye, ma'am.' all day long I guess for those guys. Say, you don't… Oh, m-man, you feel that chill just now!? L-like, we were being watched by someone!" - Junior Operator
"Man, you always are the jumpy one. Like, your tail is fluffed up like a lightning bolt. Ha ha, relax. Ain't no harm in shooting the breeze where there's no bosses to hear us." - Gossiping Operator
"Eeek, there it is again. Wh-wha… N-No way, was that a flash of red I saw just now?" - Junior Operator
"Dude, knock it off with the theatrics and pick up the pace already. These Order Boxes don't stack themselves." - Gossiping Operator
"Y-Yeah… I'm coming, I'm coming." - Junior Operator