The Long, Blinding End: Chapter 4
The resulting explosion had, indeed, nearly succeeded in destroying everything in the vicinity. With the power of an 8.9 Richter scale earthquake, the entire foundation of the overrun outpost shifted even deeper into the earth, collapsing inwards on itself.
It was almost too much for the damaged Dinergate.
Almost, being the keyword. Thanks to the strange, hyperactive android with an archaic kinetic rifle, she was going to make it. The quadrupedal drone- damaged as it was- had been able to run hundreds of miles away in the span of an hour.
Such a feat was accomplished only due to one fact; it was no longer a normal Dinergate, powered by the typical 'dumb' AI of Sangvis Ferri. Ringleaders were capable of much more, after all.
Running through the snowy forest at high speed, the computationally limited Dinergate was filled with only one thought.
Survival.
Shrugging off the feeling of being crammed into a tiny box, she continued on, not caring for her surroundings.
Survival came first, as it always had. Sorting out what the hell had happened would come later. Maybe Alchemist would be nice to her for once, after getting this information to their Master.
Destroyer doubted it.
It had been an hour since the explosive exfiltration of the Sangvis base. Securely inside the tilt-rotor Bell V-280, the members of AR Team sat still.
STAR-15, for all her stoicness, was lost in thought.
Just...what were they? Sangvis, or something else?
Why did it look like they were eating those SF dolls? It was even more disgusting than SOP2's sprees!
Just why were we sent there, what caused that signal, why is M4 looking so shaken-
The tactical doll quickly blocked that path of computation. She'd caught herself staring at her team leader for what felt like the dozenth time after the mission ended. It wasn't that she cared for M4, or anyone else of AR Team in particular.
M4, she figured, was simply speaking with M16 in the Neural Network. It was something they had always done after a difficult operation- or at least, a difficult training op.
But, was there a reason for the subdued, no, oppressive atmosphere in the rotor-craft?
Before she could delve any further into the pointless line of questioning, their pilot, Stefan McKendrick, called over the intercom. "We're approaching Headquarters, ETA fifteen mikes. Just to double-check, are there any injuries among you?"
"No," M16 replied. "We have no injuries, but we do have sensitive and unidentified cargo, so have them prepare something for that."
The former Rocksert Black-Ops pilot nodded, rugged looks and cybernetic left arm mostly hidden by his pilot gear. 'Scars only tell stories, which gives me the upper hand with the ladies!' were things he would often boast about.
Extremely tall and wearing a cartoonish smile, he just so happened to have the strength of a first-gen T-Doll (And a just as good collection of good jokes, M16 often cheered); he seemed like a gentle giant.
It didn't fool AR15. Under the cheerfully oafish demeanor was a man who had experienced the Third World War, as well as being one of the only pilots trusted by AR Team's benefactor, Persica.
Though she would always deny it, the most reserved T-Doll had let slip that yes, he was a reliable pilot- but that was only after M16 had forced her to share a Jack Daniels during a post-training bar crawl!
His admittance to having owned his own AR15 for since boyhood had nothing to do with her approval. That'd be silly.
Before she knew it, the high-speed stealth craft approached through Griffin & Kruger's regional HQ airspace. Even with dozens of other aircraft, defense towers, and radar stations, the Valor barely shuddered as the pilot juked, turned, and landed at the isolated helipad, designated for AR Team's exclusive use.
The landing pad itself was hidden carefully, deep inside the giant chasm that the base sat atop of. Guided carefully by more auto-turrets, the aircraft settled down neatly. Ramp down the four occupants and their cargo quickly made their way inside.
M4 stopped just at the door, halting her team. "Um, great work everyone. Be sure to upload your combat records for Miss Persica, get cleaned up, and... find something to eat?"
Hesitantly, she looked to M16, who nodded in approval. "You heard her, girls. And, because we did so well, I'll set up a party for us all! Ahahah!"
Even as a pair of IDW models heaved the captured Sangvis cargo out of the aircraft into Persica's lair, AR15 and M4 just sweatdropped,
She'll use any excuse to splurge on her Jack Daniels…
M16 did indeed have her party, which managed to involve nearly the entirety of the base's off-duty personnel. Human Jenga, a gigantic mambo line, and parties all through the night would be the hallmark event of the year for the current Griffin HQ.
It even turned into a mixer for Helianthus- with results that were to be expected.
Of course, such events were banned with extreme prejudice in the future. Oddly, it wasn't Mr. Kreuger who did so- buttered up with a Jack Daniels and familiar with M16's antics, he had settled for a good drink that night. Nor was it Helianthus, who had actually been doing decently well with McKendrick, the pilot of AR Team.
No, it was actually the reclusive cat lady and mad scientist who had lashed out, and the resulting violence was so horrifying that all records were scrubbed from the security cameras, nearly all of the T-Doll's memory clouds ("Not you, M16~" Persica had said. "You get to relive this~"). The noise had interrupted what would be the biggest breakthrough yet, and hell hath no fury like a scorned cat lady armed with the sharpest mind available.
Not even Mr. Kreuger, stone cold (and stone drunk) veteran as he was, dared to stop it. Scuttlebutt said that the Night of the Cat's Rage was the actual reason that HQ was moved elsewhere.
...after all, when the predator cat finds something of such groundbreaking interest, and connection to her long-dead rival, nothing would get in her way of recovering the secrets, sealed mag-lift container included.
The truth would be found, and the doll container would give her answers.
Notes: Caboose here.
Thanks for taking the time to read, follow, and review the stories recently. It's been a huge bit of motivation in light of moving, medical issues, and employment difficulties. Thus, I decided to release this chapter no matter how short. Don't worry, for those of you who came for more A2, it'll be shifting gears.
Because of such IRL difficulties, I can't make any promise to my release schedule; it wouldn't be fair to myself or to you. That said, I've been doing plenty of thinking on this story, as well as the NierAutomata/AzurLane story.
13828 is my FRIEND ID. I've got 10 dorms, so come get free batteries. We're gonna need all we can get for Singularity. Maybe some tissues as well.