Note: And now for something different, both writing style and character-wise. I know the last chapter came off as confusing and had some mistakes but bear with me here. This is probably more how the rest of the story will be written, as the last chapter was flawed.
"Alright, listen up AR Team. The following is a confirmation of standing orders, as well as intelligence updates. Your objective is to infiltrate and gather any intelligence you can from this Sangvis Ferri command post. Thanks to reverse engineering their technology, we've intercepted a distress signal. We don't know what happened, but not much can make the Sangvis send out uncoded distress calls. From here on, there will be enforced radio silence, at least until you find something substantial…"
"We need the element of surprise here, so do NOT attract undue attention to yourselves."
…..
"That means you, SOPMOD. HQ out."
The T-Doll winced as M16 chuckled. "Oh come on~ Miss Helian! That was only the last time~"
"She can't hear you anymore, dummy," AR15 said, elbowing her in the ribs. Running a hand through her long, pinkish hair, the T-Doll glanced over her shoulder. "M4, have you rechecked the facility schematics?"
The Anti-Rain Team was currently overlooking the small Sangvis outpost, just beneath the far ridgeline. It was frigid, in the predawn hours of the forest. Above, the moon crested just above the horizon, painting the snowy ground an eerie blue.
Opening her eyes, M4A1 nodded, "Yes, I've gone over what limited information our deep scans have picked up, but there's not much other than a power generator and some doll storage units."
"It isn't much," M16 said, hefting her weapon upwards, barrel resting on her shoulder. "But, it will have to do. Oscar Mike."
They moved quickly and quietly, packing light on supplies. This was supposed to be a light recon mission, in and out for the hopes of finding intel on Sangvis Ferri. They dashed from tree to tree, carefully coordinating and covering as they went.
Keeping to the shadows, they arrived at a clearing. A single, abnormally small structure sat in the middle.
It was on M4's command that they moved to the entrance, single file and weapons readied. The structure was made of the strange Sangvis alloy, a void-like purple.
The entrance was left open as if pounded by a sledgehammer, or perhaps by explosives.
"What the hell…" AR15 muttered, peering around the corner. "I can't even tell what happened here. Just what was trying to get into a Sangvis base, other than us?"
"ELIDS?" SOPII asked, tilting her head.
M4 shook her head. "Negative, there are no traces of radiation in this area. It must have been something else.
The inside was pitch black, ominous compared to the moonlit snow and trees outside. The first thing they noticed was the guards...or what was left of them. Several Vespids were strewn like broken ragdolls, leaking different mechanical fluids. The single flickering emergency light above them didn't help the situation. It looked like something from the massacre shows SOP II would always watch.
Many of them were facedown towards the entrance as if attempting to flee.
SOP II leaned down prodding at the parts. She picked up an arm and sniffed at the circuits. "Whatever did this...it hasn't been more than a day, two at most. Wasn't done by a conventional weapon that an IOP doll would use, at least."
She held the ravaged appendage towards AR15, grinning. "Hey Fifteen, you look like you're getting creeped out. Would you…"
"Don't you dare!" AR15 hissed, stepping away with a look of disgust. "Don't say-"
"-need a hand?" SOPMOD finished.
Much to AR15's fortune, M16 swatted the arm. "Come on you two, we don't have time to waste. SOP, what did I tell you about playing with your food? 15, you know how she is. Let's go."
Without further conversation, she turned and followed M4, who had just moved through a passageway. Shooting one last glare to SOP II, AR15 muttered, "Just don't you try anything, got it?"
"...was it something I said?"
Dark corners were lit up with strobe lights as the team burrowed deeper into the facility, sweeping quickly and quietly.
Twice, they had come upon automated point defense systems, but it seemed they were offline, much to M4A1's relief. They had measures to take them out with relative ease, but doing so would draw the attention of whoever- or whatever- had torn through the base' denizens like paper.
And what a mess they had made.
The dead bodies along the way only added to the tension. Vespids, Rippers, and even heavily armored Guards were all over, in various states of disembowelment and carnage. That there were no other types of corpses indicated that; A) Any assaulting casualties were taken elsewhere, or B) that there were none.
The possibility of anything tearing through a fully operational Sangvis Ferri outpost without any indication to casualties was...admittedly terrifying, even to steel-nerved M16.
It was at a junction that M4A1 led them to a halt, fist in the air. Immediately, each member of the team moved to cover, blending into the shadows as M4A1 scanned the area. Flicking her hand, she motioned for M16 to join her.
"It looks like there will be two different paths ahead. My scanners have nothing indicated on them. I've decided that it's best we split up to cover the maximum distance in the shortest time, based on the current level of security. What do you think, M16?"
"Yeah, that's fine." M16 nodded in agreeance as the others listened in. "Ya hear that, you two?"
"AR15, you and SOP II take the right hallway, 16 and I will take the left one." M4 pointed to each hallway to make sure they understood. "Update the tactical maps as you go, please. And, um, try and keep a low profile but call for help if you need it. No casualties, okay?"
AR15 bit her lip at being stuck with SOP II, even if only for a bit. "Alright, let's get this over with…"
"Yaay~!"
"Oi, keep it down, knucklehead!"
M16 only chuckled as the duo moved off, then tapped M4 on the shoulder. "You okay there, M4?"
"...Let's go."
At first glance, the darkened hallways of the Sangvis lair held nothing of importance. Even the alien, cyberpunk architecture of the Sangvis quickly got old.
The sense of boredom left immediately when AR15 and SOPMOD stumbled across the first signs of conflict. Scratches were everywhere in the hallway, along with the occasional patch of scorch marks and fluid leaks. Unlike the floors closer to the surface though, there weren't even dead bodies anymore.
"Okay 15, SOP," M16 spoke over their comm systems, "The Sangvis energy supply is directly ahead of you. Keep an eye out, and squawk if you see anything. Assuming SOPMOD doesn't get to it first, that is ..."
Then there was skittering.
It started out as next to nothing, nearly inaudible, but as AR15 and SOP got closer to the central control center the noise grew louder.
Skitter skitter.
It stopped when SOPMOD raised her rifle, peering around in the semidarkness of the hallway. "Hmmm~" She tapped her chin with a finger. "Hey 15~"
"Yeah, I already know, dummy." Another skittering noise. "Don't even think about-"
Cutting off the banter, they simultaneously whirled with weapons raised, strobing flashlights activated.
There, in the dark corner, was a Dinergate, the smallest but most numerous type of Sangvis Ferri attack units.
"Ky-ui-i-iiia-"
Rattle rattle, click, rattle.
AR15 raised an eyebrow, but she didn't drop her guard. She stopped and pointed the rifle point blank. The Dinergate went silent, shivering in a strange display of fear.
"Awwww, AR15, cut it out!"
She scowled at her team member.
"What? You want me to leave this thing alone? Your systems really do have an error after all." She was, of course, referencing SOPMOD's past...incidents, like the many 'adorable murderfests'.
AR15 tightened the grip on their rifle as the distress call grew more frequent, and the single red 'eye' started flickering.
'Probably trying to act adorable and lower our guard. It's probably going to strike when we do so. As cute as that is, it's not gonna happen.' AR15's finger entered the trigger well. She was ready to just kill it and move on with the mission.
"Mgy-yuuuk-ii-"
"No, wait!"
"Don't hurt him!" Much to 15's annoyance, SOP leaped in front of the small dinergate, arms wide open to protect the machine. "Can't you at least shut off the strobe, 15? He's obviously hurt enough already!"
"Tsch." With a disdainful look, AR15 complied. "If that thing kills you, don't come crying to me, dummy."
The dinergate was, indeed, damaged, with a long, tearing gash along it's back. There was also a slight crack in the eye, and another on it's 'tail' weapon.
"Daww, aren't you just a poor little fellow! Don't worry, we're gonna take care of you!" SOPMOD crooned, holding the dinergate close. "Nothing's gonna hurt you and-"
'THUNK.'
The two T-Dolls readied their weapons towards the loud clanking noise. The Dinergate whimpered, huddling behind SOPII. The red-eyed T-Doll took the time to set it on her shoulder before standing.
"...think that's one of your new pet's friends?" AR15 quietly asked, thumbing the strobe light switch. "If so, I'll kill it."
"No," SOPMOD whispered back just as softly, "Dinergates don't make that kind of noise. Something much heavier?"
They moved in tandem down the hallway, checking the corner. Then they heard the tearing noises, followed by more footsteps.
'THUNK.'
'THUNK.'
Two meters away was a hunched form, covered in rust. It was bent over a Vespid, as if smelling it. A spherical head sat on a cylinder, and its limbs were blocky.
Not sure what to make of this, the T-Dolls froze. SOP glanced at 15, who nodded in silent confirmation.
AR15 took a silent step forward, "Hey, you-"
The form turned its head. Glowing white eyes flickered at the newcomer. "wHo aRE Youuu?"
"What. The. Hell?"
SOP II nodded, just as confused. "This isn't a Sangvis unit I've ever seen…"
As if not hearing them, the machine(?) stood to full height. The T-Dolls paled as it towered over them by several feet.
"WHo? wHO?"
It took a lumbering step forward.
"SOP… get ready to-"
"Yeah, I kno- WHOA!"
With a sudden flash of red eyes, the bulky machine charged forward with a speed that belied its size. It's heavy footsteps reverberated in the hallway, getting oh shit that is way too close!
AR15 pulled the trigger, wildly spraying her entire magazine into its head. Even with her silencer, the gunfire deafened out whatever SOP was going to say.
With a clunk, the machine collapsed to the floor, leaking mechanical fluid from where its eyes were.
"What the hell was this thing?" SOPMOD asked, prodding the lifeless machine with her rifle.
"I don't know, but our little 'friend' is gone." AR15 noted, the wounded Dinergate nowhere to be seen. "I'm just glad I had armor-piercing in my magazine. Stupid as it looks, that thing was fast." The T-Doll slammed a fresh magazine into her chamber. "It doesn't look armed, but…"
SOPMOD shook her head, "I'm gonna call M16, see if she knows anything."
She keyed her mic, "Hey, 16? M4? Did we run into a little trouble...16? You there?"
The radio filled with static.
Nothing.
"We must not be getting good reception down here. How far deep are we, do you think?"
AR15 checked her Tac Comp. "I'd say no more than a few flights of stairs, but who knows." She sighed in disgust. "C'mon dummy, let's just keep moving, and hope more of those things don't show up. We still haven't found what we're looking for."
'This place is giving me the creeps. Can't wait to get out of...here?'
The T-Doll's thoughts trailed off. She froze and nudged SOPMOD.
The duo stopped as the hallway ended. A single door opened by a meter gaped before them.
"...was it blasted open?"
"No. That thing was pried open, with brute force. See the hand marks? Seems we aren't the only ones to try and get inside."
The T-Dolls shared worried looks. If the machine earlier was any indication, there could be anything in that room. SOP made sure her undermounted grenade launcher was loaded, and they both double-checked their chambered magazines.
"Alright, let's do this." Weapons at the ready, they swept into the room. First right and left, then up and behind.
The standard tactics were often the best ones.
Greeting them were over a dozen Sangvis Ferri assorted units- Rippers, Vespids, and even some Jaegers...Some were on the floor, others leaning against barricades, or even frozen in rigor mortis.
None of which were moving.
AR15, in all her sarcastic wit, could only say one thing.
"What. The hell?"
"I...don't know." SOPMOD nodded, gawking as much as her counterpart. "I really have no idea. Were they shut down? Killed?" As she said this, she prodded one of the bodies, sniffing. "EMP, maybe?"
"...stay sharp, this could be a trap, luring us in-"
SOP interrupted her, pointing through an open door, "Hey, hey look there!"
Atop a table in the center of the room was a capsule, about 8 feet long. The glass covering was an opaque green, but as the AR T-Dolls peered in, they saw nothing within a murky gas-like substance.
"...No, I have no idea, so don't ask."
"But shouldn't we open it?" SOP asked, curiosity getting the better of her rationality. "These are the only intact Sangvis units we've found down here, and before whatever happened to them, they must have been protecting this!"
Skeptical, 15 shook her head. "No, we're looking for a console to access their database. I seriously doubt that this is it."
"But this could this be valuable to them!" SOPMOD exclaimed, slinging her rifle. "C'mon, help me open this!"
"Hell no!" Her partner vehemently spat. "What's to say there's not a Sangvis trap in there, or worse yet, Collapse Fluid?"
Ignoring her, SOPMOD felt around the edges of the capsule looking for an opening. It was mostly smooth, but there were several glowing engravings.
Moments later, she found it.
"Aha!" With a triumphant shout, the adorable murder puppy slammed down on a button.
Too late, AR15 cursed, "Hey, wait for me, you dummy!"
The capsule glowed bright purple, runish etchings lighting up. Rather than opening, however, the capsule gave a small humming noise and began to hover.
Puzzled, SOPMOD scratched her head. "Huh, I didn't think that would happen. How is it doing that?"
"That thing has a magnetic lift system, idiot. Now get away from it, in case it's a trap or something!" AR15 pushed her away from the casket-like tube. But rather than explode, release noxious fumes, or anything else dangerous, it simply hovered there, not moving.
An idea struck SOPMOD, and she nudged the device with her rifle. The push moved it several inches, the MagLift system humming softly to a stop.
"Huh," AR15 said, wondering how they could use this. "You're an idiot, SOP II, but what's done is done. Once we regroup with M4 and M16, we can figure out a way to the surface. Quietly, and intact this time."
Wincing at her glare, SOPMOD chuckled. "That was only the last time! Besides, it worked out, right?"
"C'mon dummy, bring that thing with you." AR15 stalked out of the room, "Assuming it doesn't kill us all," she muttered.
Author Notes: In the interest of (hopefully) more frequent updates, I'm splitting chapters into sections. I'd also gladly accept a beta, if anyone wants to. That would make this story progress a lot further and faster than otherwise.