Chapter 13 – A Needed Interlude
Ursula and her dolls were still on the Operation. News from the front was that the VIP doll had been found, and a rescue operation was set to begin. Because Bryant was not technically apart of the operation, he was asked to escort the injured commanders and dolls from the forward base to a safer location. Not an ideal job, but one he could definitely do.
USP sat next to Bryant as he fiddled with his tablet. Some defense teams were lent to him specifically for this mission. He was going over their specs and weaponry. USP peaked over his shoulder. Bryant was muttering to himself and reorganizing the teams to fit his needs.
"Commander?" USP asked and scooted closer. "How do you…uh…" USP gestured to the data on the display, "how do you…set…er, organize the teams?" Her head was spinning, and finding words was difficult. Bryant nodded and leaned the tablet closer to her.
"What do I look for in a team?" USP nodded. "Well, let's see…" Bryant pulled up one of the defense teams. It consisted of a few Assault Rifle dolls and SMG dolls, with a lone handgun as support. "Take this team for example: they are all equipped with explosives. So, I try to organize them so they can target the most enemies with their explosives." USP nodded, still processing.
"How…did I fit in the last team?" Bryant put the pad down and turned to her.
"You were paired with a Sniper last time, right?" USP nodded slowly. "Well, rifles typically fire very slowly, but deal massive damage." USP nodded, but winced from her headache. "I chose the specific girls to help SKS perform at her best." He put a hand on USP's head. Her headache diminished slightly, but it was still there. "You had the most important role: you were the team spotter. Without you, SKS wouldn't know what to hit and how to hit it."
"So…Without me…?" She trailed off.
"The team wouldn't have been complete." He muttered softly. "Everyone has a role. Everyone has a purpose." USP sat quietly for a few minutes. Bryant finished with the defense teams and leaned back in his seat. "God, I'm tired. I'm going to sleep for two days when we get back home."
USP grinned and looked at the roof of their vehicle. "I'm tired too…" Bryant gave an understanding chuckle. USP's smile slowly faded and she kept staring. "Hey Commander?" Bryant sat forward and turned to her. She put he hands in her lap and nervously squeezed them. She took a shaky breath. "What…what purpose do I serve now? I can't fight…I can't lead a team…it's taking so much effort just to speak. What…what can I possibly do now?" She turned to him with tears in her eyes. "I'll understand if you retire me…or scrap me for parts." Bryant frowned and turned to her.
"Look at me, USP." She did, and Bryant promptly pinched her cheeks. He pulled them lightly, causing USP to whine. "Don't you dare pull that on me, missy." He let go and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm not going to retire you, so don't you worry about that. Even if you can't fight, you can still be plenty of help. I am still looking for an adjutant." USP nodded. "It will be hard work though: I am a brutal taskmaster…or so Kalina says." The two of them laughed.
USP gave a bright smile and leaned against Bryant's arm. "Thank you, Command." He smiled and let her sleep.