"Hold still please."

"H-hey!"

"Now now, Nep-Nep. It won't do me any good if you keep squirming."

Neptune grumbled under her breath. She personally found the treatment too much for what she deemed a simple ailment, thankfully one that wasn't serious. But in Outpost 17's medical bay, their caretaker's authority was without question.

And it just so happened that it was an old but dear friend of Neptune's that was patching her up.

"... I'm pretty sure I don't need all these bandages, Compa," the young goddess tried to reason with a smile.

"Huh? But you and everyone were hurt down there. Plus, you're covered in cuts and scratches so I need to mend them," the nurse countered with a sunny smile of her own. And thus she resumed wrapping Neptune up tight in more bandages than a mummy, just as she had done to the others as part of their check-up after their last escapade.

Ah yes, good 'ol Compa. A practicing nurse (even if she might not look like it) and a BFF of mine since pretty much the beginning of the series! Her heart's in the right place; her head… not so much. But don't tell her that - she's the one with the big needles!

And speaking of which! A comically oversized syringe was raised next to Compa, offered by her overly-eager assistant. "Shot time! Got to give you an ouchie to fix your ouchies!"

By contrast, the other assistant of Compa's quivered in fear. "Eek! No! Anything but that!"

At the end of the infirmary, Blanc peered up from her book with a disapproving frown. "Ram, Rom, knock it off. Let Compa work."

Blanc's young sister, one of of the twin CPU Candidates of Lowee, pouted at the order. "Aww, but we were told we could help her!"

"And you did," assured Compa. "I appreciate the help! But I'm just about finished up."

Disappointed, Ram lowered the needle. Rom quietly exhaled with relief as she went back to helping Compa. But as a mere child, she was relegated more to simply observing the work in diligent peace. Her curious eyes also gazed at her surroundings, the abundance of pearly-white furniture identical to any medical room yet awfully sterile thanks to the incandescent glow and rows of monitors. Digitalized technical data and glass tubes drew her intrigue at the industrial facility.

Well, those are Blanc's little kid sisters for ya! Splitting images of their dear older sibling yet they couldn't be any more different. Ram's the feisty, energetic one and Rom's the shy one. Or if you need to know what they look like, Ram's the younger sister in red while Rom's in blue. Sweet kids, but be careful not to do anything funny near them, or Blanc's gonna come get ya!

Finally, with a satisfied hum Compa straightened up to marvel at her handiwork. "There we go! Now make sure to rest up, okay?"

Sitting up in her cot, Vert was more than content to do just that with a cup in tea in her hand. "Ahhh, this is refreshing. I wouldn't mind lounging like this for an entire day… Hm, but then I'll get bored. Do these monitors have controller ports by any chance?"

Instantly this brought a sparkle in Ram's eyes. "Ooh, maybe! I bet they do!"

Even Rom beamed at the prospects. "Yeah! I'd like to try playing some games on them."

On her own cot, Noire leaned back. Although the comfort deflated the air of fatigue within her, a sense of restlessness remained. "So what's the word? Are we good? What even was that we ran into?"

"Something the previous mining teams called a 'Praetorian'," informed Blanc as she read from the book. Rather than a novel, it was the collection of notes and reports amassed from DRG records. "A big glyphid, green, spews noxious gas… extremely aggressive and highly territorial, with a tough armored shell that's mostly resistant to attacks. And yes, the records do confirm they are filled with poison."

As she mentioned it, the expressions of Neptune, Vert, and Noire turned disquieting. Even Ram and Rom made anxious looks toward their own sister and the consequences of her health. Yet there was a silver lining in seeing the CPUs all resting easily now thanks to Compa. A simple cure later and it was if nothing bad had happened. Further examinations had yielded no lasting effects from the unknown affliction.

Compa took the time to wipe the sweat from her brow. "Whew. I'm just glad I was able to take care of it as soon as I could. This company sure has a lot of premium medicine and equipment!"

"And aren't we all thankful for it!" added Neptune with a beaming grin.

Noire shot her a criticizing look. "You better be. You do realize the kind of risks we take down there without our powers protecting us."

Hearing this, Rom shivered. "Big sis in the dark filled with creepy bugs and not being able to use her goddess powers? Yikes!"

"Is that really true?" pressed Ram. "You can't use any of your powers down there?"

Setting her book down, Blanc took a breath before answering. "Yes, that is true. Something about the deep underground below Neplunker is keeping us from using our CPU abilities. But don't worry, you two. It'll take a lot more than giant spiders to get me."

"Giant spiders, EEEEK!"

Smiling at herself as she finished her report, Compa passed a cursory glance at the door, the only entrance and exit to the medical bay. But ever since the four's return and their swift request to help the ongoing mission to secure the depths, the door stayed sealed shut for a while.

"What's taking Histoire?" she wondered. "I don't think I've seen her away for so long."

Neptune thought the same, but then remembered the answer. "Well, today's been a special case," she began.

"Special case?"

"Something like that. Let's say we found something that surprised even 'ol Histy…"

"Wow, is this what I think it is?"

Standing next to her, Nepgear couldn't help but chuckle at the passion in her words. Even though they were good friends, she still found this part of her endearing to witness. "It is. A Deepcore GK2 assault rifle. My sis uses it."

A short girl with black haired tied up in twin pigtails ogled at the weapon, not even waiting for permission to touch it and lift it, feeling it in her hands. She hefted it with enthusiasm yet expertise. Even with a firearm she's never handled this particular weapon herself, she was already like a pro, even keeping her finger off of the trigger as she admired it.

This was par for the course for the CPU Candidate of Lastation and Noire's younger sister Uni. A budding but bright goddess who wants to be as perfect as her sister. They're like two peas in a pod - even got the same tsundere streak! Also a gun nut in case that wasn't obvious. Anyways, back to the scene!

"Never thought I'd see a GK2 myself, much less in the hands of a mining company. Don't see these a lot even after they were made. Sure beats the heck out of the old GK1s that Deepcore made."

This raised Nepgear's curiosity. "Oh? How so?"

"The first GK rifle was alright," Uni explained. "Built pretty well to withstand a few knocks so they're reliable. But they didn't have much that stood out. The GK2 that came next might not be any different in function but it's got a bunch of much-needed improvements like an integrated ammo counter and a newer frame for mods. Once the GK2 came out, nobody wanted the GK1 anymore."

Looking over the mounds and racks of equipment stashed in the corner, Uni marveled at the wealth. But where Nepgear saw a treasure trove of machinery and technology, Uni saw gold in the weapons and firearms.

Setting the assault rifle down, she scanned the arsenal for a certain item. "Which one is Noire's?"

"Oh, over there."

Reaching out, the engineer's shotgun was retrieved. Uni gave the rough-looking weapon a more respectful eye knowing who used it. She felt the iron-like body with her hands before they naturally gravitated to the grips of wood-brown (whether they were indeed made of wood she couldn't be certain). Spotting the pronounced notches along the barrel and the cylindrical magazine, Uni knew this was the Auto 210 "Warthog".

"Semi-automatic, with a pump-action mechanism to charge the gun. Guess it's never a shotgun unless it has that pump… Hm, looks like the magazine can only hold six shots. Might be able to make it hold more if I have the right parts. Oh, and maybe stick a choke on the barrel for tighter spread. That'll cause some serious damage at whatever Noire points at!"

Smiling at her friend's passionate hobby, Nepgear knew it was a good call bringing her along. "Okay Uni, I'll leave the guns to you!"

This suited her perfectly as she stowed the firearm back where it was, her mind looking forward to the upgrades. And as she thought about the future, Uni looked over the rest of the team's equipment, specifically the weapons. Between Neptune's GK2 rifle, Noire's Warthog shotgun, Vert's Lead Storm minigun, and Blanc's Cryo Cannon (and the little Subata 120 pistol which she preferred more due to actually being a gun), Uni felt there could be more.

Her gaze momentarily drifted to the doorway leading to the medical bay. She remembered arriving here in time to be greeted with news of the four goddesses needing to be treated from their recent mission. The severity was thankfully nowhere near what she feared, but hearing the news struck her heart with worry she had scarcely felt.

And so, motivated to never let something like that happen again, Uni considered a new addition to Noire's kit. A sort of "get well soon" gift, but considering the context was more of a "get well soon so you can better beat up the monsters using this new toy I gave you" sort of gift. Whatever it was, Uni was sure her sister would appreciate it.

At last, the door to the medical room opened and in fluttered Histoire. A stack of reports did little to deter her anxious pace. Nepgear and Uni followed closely behind, curiosity in their eyes as to what was in store for all.

"I see everyone is in excellent health."

Histoire's arrival was welcomed with full attention. The Oracle gave Compa a nod of her thanks, eliciting a small giggle from the cheery nurse. With that done, Histoire went towards the four CPUs with the first report in hand.

"Good to see you are all recovered. No doubt more glyphid types have been encountered."

"Yeah. Who knew?" Neptune teased.

"But Blanc and the others beat them up real good in the end!" Ram bragged.

"Please take this as a sign for things to come," warned Histoire. "We are still uncertain of the full extent of the creatures dwelling below. The miners' logs should serve as your guide for some of the monsters you will find, which I see Blanc has in her hands right now."

"So is Noire okay?" pressed Uni. "Can they be up and about now?"

"Big sis too?" begged Rom as she and Ram looked on with anxious anticipation.

"They're all cured!" happily answered Compa. "The bandages are going to need to stay on for longer, though."

This pleased Noire as she sat up. "That's great. The sooner we get back up on our feet, the better. There are a lot of things we need to get down to."

"Although I am in agreement, you might want to stay comfortable," advised Histoire as her expression turned serious. "There is a great deal to discuss now that we are all present."

Like a flick of a switch, the mood within became humorless as everyone knew the topic of discussion. Ever since the unexpected discovery in the previous mission, the talk of the Share Crystal had been stuck in their minds. With the concern of the goddesses' health now taken care of, Histoire was now free to share her findings with the rest of the group.

"The object Neptune and the others stumbled upon at the Crystalline Caverns… was indeed a Share Crystal. Incomplete shards, but genuine nevertheless. The energy signature is unmistakably identical to the influence that sustains Gamindustri."

Although they were the ones who felt it when it was discovered, the goddesses were elated to hear the confirmation from a trusted mouth. The Candidates exchanged surprised looks that curled into smiles at their sisters' success. Any and all news of additional Shares always brought about the utmost interest and appreciation from the CPUs that relied upon them. A symbolic resource, they represented the life of not just the deity but of the people and nation they presided over.

However, as ecstatic as they were to have acquired an unlikely treasure, there were a great deal of questions that needed to be addressed.

"But… how did it get there?" inquired Vert. "Share Crystals are extremely rare and can only be created through a highly specific and demanding process. The methods in which they can be formed are-"

"Practically top secret with a capital T," quipped Neptune. "Even Histy won't tell me."

"So what can you tell us about the one sis found?" asked Nepgear. "Even you seemed so stunned it was found."

"Well, I must admit it was surprising to see a sharicite discovered in the wild, much less the depths of the earth," admitted Histoire. "As you all should know, the way in which a Share Crystal can be formed requires concise knowledge to make faith manifest. The precise methods demand considerable time and resources that leave it best suited for manufacturing. But while this means that a naturally-forming Share Crystal is unlikely to exist, it does not mean it is impossible for one to be made in such a way."

"So what, the rocks and stuff deep down just happened to be the right conditions for them to be made?"

"Not as farfetched as it sounds," continued the Oracle. "Precious and rare resources come from the depths thanks to the conditions that created them. And as dangerous as the Neplunker system is, it is also home to a wealth of valuable ores for a reason."

Now no longer content sitting comfortably in her cot, the goddess of Lastation was earnest in hopping off. "Then what are we waiting for? If there's more Share Crystals down there, then there's no way we can just leave them sitting there!"

"Count me in!" came a resounding agreement from Vert who was all tempted to leap out of the bed were it not for the tea set in her hands. "Our nations could certainly use a bit of a boost after stagnating for the past year."

"In more ways than one," concurred Blanc as she snapped the book shut with a definitive air. "Looks like the goods we'll gather from the mines will pay off in more ways than one. Not only are we propping up our economies but also our influence!"

"Eh, all I need to know is that everything will get even better!" Neptune summarized it to herself with a simple grin. "... But uh, since we're all working together, how about a nice little agreement? Party rules, ya know?"

To this, Histoire smirked. "You will be delighted to know that Deep Rock Gamindustri understands the importance Share Crystals represent and we have reached an agreement. Like anything we find as part of our quest, any subsequent samples we find will be split evenly four ways. DRG is a recognized mining corporation tied to no particular nation. Please remember that~.

"For now, continue resting easy, everyone. You have all earned it."

"Hey, what's that?"

"Ough, I don't know, Ram. Looks dangerous…!"

"Hey! What're you two doing?" a firm voice called out. "Get away from there!"

The two little sisters obeyed, one more willing than the other as they stepped away from the racks of weapons and tools. The White Sisters scampered off under Blanc's stern gaze before she was satisfied.

"Sorry if they were disruptive," the Lowee goddess apologized.

Nepgear waved away her concerns with a forgiving gesture. "No, not at all. I don't mind them being around for company, though I definitely understand not wanting them near dangerous equipment."

"You can say that again," added Uni who glanced at the stacks of guns and ammunition.

Sighing, Blanc shook her head. "A place like this isn't exactly playcare. But I guess it beats leaving them all by themselves. At least here, they'll be where I can keep an eye on them.

"Anyways, I should be off. But before I go…" Procuring a slip of paper, Blanc handed it to the two Candidates as they received it with intrigue. "It's the list of stuff everyone wanted for upgrades or new things they'd like," the Lowee goddess explained. "Think you can take care of it?"

Nepgear gave an earnest nod without hesitation. "Just leave it to us!"

As Blanc left with an assuring look, Nepgear and Uni looked over the list. Starting from the top, the two read aloud the first request.

"Bigger (and more secure) mineral container! –Neptune"

"Okay, that should be easy to do. What's next?"

"More firepower, either to our current arsenal or new weapons for us to use. –Noire"

This cracked the widest of grins on Uni's face. "Oh I can certainly do that! I'll be more than happy to see what Deep Rock Gamindustri's armory has to offer!"

"And there's one more." Nepgear cleared her throat to read the last entry. "Ditto with weapons. Also minigun keeps overheating plz buff. Luv you Nepgear! –Vert"

The Purple Sister suppressed an embarrassing snicker, holding the paper close to hide her blush. "L-let's get to work, shall we?"

"Um, sure," nodded Uni who was never not weirded out by the Leanbox deity's peculiar and oft-repeated sister complex - and her obsession with Nepgear. "So bigger pouch for Neptune, another weapon for my sis and Vert…"

Mentally reviewing the requests, Nepgear hummed at a new thought. "How about we give the upgrades to everyone? That would be fair."

"Good idea. Guess that means shopping for guns and gun parts for everyone. Not sure if Blanc wants anything new since she already has that Cryo Cannon and pistol, but I'll think of something."

"And in the meantime, there's some stuff I want to add beyond just what they asked for." Peering towards the racks hanging the team's class kits, her gaze fell upon their bulky "work clothes". Although already cleaned, tidied up, and ready for another mission, Nepgear could still imagine the cuts and scratches that were there before.

Her feet naturally brought her close to the armor as she examined them with a critical eye. "These suits hold up fine, especially for Blanc and Vert, though it's clear that some of the critters still managed to find places to bite. I'm already seeing some places that could use a protection boost, especially for Neptune and Noire. Oh and some poison defense too! I'll ask Compa for anything that I can use to make it work."

Uni chuckled as she rolled up her sleeves. "Sounds like we've got a lot of work to do!"

Swinging open the fridge door, Neptune peered inside and was delighted to see a familiar object. The one thing she treasured above many, if not everything in life. The one item that was the cure of any malady and the elixir of any melancholy.

"Pudding, pudding~!" she sang as she trotted away with a sample in hand.

Nearby, Vert occupied a table where she dined on tea and some scones. "Looks like Histoire was able to get us some suitable provisions."

"Hehe~. Keep the Nep's stocked and I'm a happy camper," chirped Neptune as she found herself a seat. With a spoon, she readily dug in to the jello-y pastry with gusto.

Taking a look inside the pantries behind the counter, Blanc surveyed their current stock. She was astonished to see a variety of goods already stored for them, packaged, boxed, and even bagged like sweets. Their supplies were a far cry from when they started out, their commodities given more life and flavor (literally).

"We got a lot more food and all, but I feel like we're still missing something. Who's going to make the best out of them during our downtime?"

Neptune glanced up from her dessert. "Watcha mean? Cook?"

"Can't we leave it to Compa and your sisters since they're at base?" suggested Vert.

Blanc gave it some consideration. "Hm, maybe. But between patching up our gear and us, I don't want to burden them with making us our meals on top of all that. And as for my sisters…"

"Do they even know how…?"

"Probably not," came the blunt admission. "Rom and Ram would only know how to bake cakes or cookies. They can help with everything else, but that's about it.

"... Hey, speaking of which, has anyone seen them?"

Before anyone could open their mouth, a rising cry got their attention. The noise shot up to climax right as the source zoomed by, bouncing atop a barrel. All three goddesses gaped at the sight of a runaway container as it brought a child along. Even as it came and went in a split-second, there was no denying that it was Rom.

"Aaaah!"

Blanc rushed out of the bar. "Rom!"

"Watch out!"

She hardly had time to whirl around before Blanc's world became one with pain as another careening barrel flattened her from behind. It bounded up from the Blanc-sized speedbump before rolling on, its rider startled but amused by the outcome. "Haha! Big sis Blanc became a pancake!" laughed Ram.

"B-Big sis, are you all right? Ah!"

As Rom went back the other way to check on her older sister, she forgot to cease the barrel's motion. She inadvertently ran over Blanc as she pried her head from the floor, resulting in her being smooshed yet again. Ram's cackling cemented the accident as she rolled by, ogling at the "Blanc-cake" as she called it.

Vert could only gawk as a bystander to the scene. Neptune meanwhile, couldn't help but feel a sense of deja-vu as she watched Blanc's sisters have fun with the barrels.

"Another barrel-related shenanigan. Something tells me I may have started a running gag here…"

After putting the gun together after cleaning it, Uni at last could conclude with the thorough weapon maintenance. Her back and arms straightened and stretched to squeeze the tiredness in her body. And like it, Uni was in a good mood for a break.

She heard footsteps. Expecting Nepgear, she found herself surprised when it was instead Noire. "Big sis?"

"Hey Uni," the goddess of black greeted. "How's it going?"

"Never better. Nepgear and I got all your stuff in tip-top shape with what upgrades I could put in. They're just minor tweaks though. Oh and I got a little extra for everyone, especially you Noire. It's a special surprise."

"Can't wait to see what it is. Hey, you look a little tired."

"A little, yeah," replied the younger sister right as she yawned.

Looking proudly upon her own hardworking sister, Noire donned an understanding smile. "Why don't you take a break? There's a bar nearby. Well, more of a hangout to get some snacks and drinks."

The offer brought light to Uni's expression. "Thanks. Hey Nepgear, you want to take your break as well?"

From the depths of her work, the inventor goddess raised her head. She was ready to answer but when her eyes caught Noire's, her sunny visage turned apologetic. "Um, I think I'll be fine. You can go ahead without me."

"You sure? You look like you could use a break too."

Nepgear turned down the proposal with a waving gesture. "I appreciate it, but there's still something I need to get to. I'll be finished, I promise."

Disappointed to be without her close friend, Uni accepted. "Alright. I'll check out the bar and see what's there. I'll save you something when you're done."

A ray of delight shone from the Planeptune Candidate. "Sounds good! See you there."

Stepping out of the workshop, Uni felt so good to be up and about in the open chamber of Outpost 17. Even in a facility as large as this, the layout was lenient as everything was connected to the central hub of operations. Even from where she stood, Uni could spot the bright neon sign of the Abyss Bar on the opposite side of the base.

She began to walk, wondering what was in store for her over there. But as she did, a cursory glance to her side proved that she walked alone. Turning around, Uni caught no sight of a familiar black-haired goddess with laced twin-tails of where she could have gone if not with her. Confused, she made her way back to the workshop with suspicion on where her sister was.

Peering around the corner, Uni confirmed what she thought. But another surprise awaited her. Nepgear and her own sister Noire remained at the engineering corner. Two unlikely people together in what looked like a secretive talk, their tones hushed like they were in a conspiracy.

Uni tiptoed closer, their furtive discussion now reaching her ears.

"... Are you sure, Noire?"

"It must be done. I haven't forgotten about the deal we made but with the way things are-"

"I understand. It'd be suspicious to avoid this place now that Uni's here. She'd catch on at some point."

"All the more reason why I'm suggesting this. Do you have something I can use?"

"As a matter of fact - here!" A guidebook was passed and promptly received between the two. Noire glanced at the face and Uni saw a twinge in her expression. She tried to peek at what it was on the cover that made her react that way.

"... You sure?" hissed Noire.

"I-it was the only thing I had available!" Nepgear objected. "A-and it's good for beginners while also having the essentials for higher skill levels!"

At last, Uni managed to catch a glimpse of the book. And when she did, the unusual interaction she witnessed peaked to an absurd revelation. "'Engineering for Dummies'?!"

The sudden outburst startled Noire and Nepgear into shock as they realized they had an eavesdropper. Their jaws hung as Uni stepped out from hiding to confront the pair and the truth.

"What's going on here?" she demanded. "Why was I mentioned? And what does that book have to do with it?"

Both Noire and Nepgear exchanged uncomfortable looks. A wordless bet was made on who would bear the responsibility of answering Uni's questions and revealing their little secret. In the end, there was no beating around the bush.

Noire heaved a deep sigh. "Uni, the truth is…"

"... She's sensitive about her qualifications," finished Nepgear.

"Sensitive? What do you-" Then it hit Uni. And when it did, she couldn't help but find the thought hilarious. "Hehe. I get it now. Noire's the 'engineer' so she-"

The thick guidebook covered her mouth, practically smacking Uni before she could utter anything else. "Not - another - word, Uni!" ordered Noire behind a deep flush of crimson.

With a bead of nervous sweat along her temple, Nepgear pretended that nothing was amiss. Nothing but another personal matter shared. Hopefully the last, for a certain loner goddess's sake. Yet something told Nepgear that Noire's troubles with secrets was far from over.

The peace of Outpost 17 came to an abrupt end when an alarm sounded. The central holographic terminal rang and flashed. At once, all who heard understood that the downtime period was over. It was back to work.

Everyone, including Compa and Histoire, gathered around to see what was in store for them. As always, the Oracle sat at the head analyzing the latest from DRG. As the assembled goddesses waited for the word to pass to them, they caught a look of intrigue from Histoire once she turned to address them.

"A brand-new mission awaits. And with it, a new objective and a new biome!"

Reactions were swift at the news and so were the inquiries. "Where're we going?"

"To an environment referred to in the DRG records simply as the Salt Pits," the fairy explained.

Blanc was quick to pull up the information, transferred now from book to datapad. "Salt Pits, let's see… Formerly believed to be the location of a gigantic underground water reservoir, now dried up since time immemorial. All that's left is dense formations of red and white salt. Salt, salt, and more salt… also spices up omelets, apparently."

Neptune tapped her chin at the description. "Salt, huh. So what's the job this time?"

"Mining - but with a different resource in mind," the fairy explained. "Scanners have detected a point of significant interest and it is believed to be a concentration of rare and highly sought-after mineral. Your mission will be to find and extract all of them. Of course, any and all things of value are welcome."

"Hopefully we strike gold and find more Share Crystals down there," Noire hoped with brimming optimism.

"And if not, plenty of actual gold will do!" Vert cheered.

"But do be warned: scanners are also detecting heavy signs of life in the vicinity. Resistance may be heavier than usual so please be ready for a tough assignment."

The goddesses of Gamindustri all nodded in understanding. "Got it."

Meanwhile, Compa gulped at the foreboding news. "I'll… make sure the medbay's ready. In case anyone needs it."

Satisfied, Histoire gave the order. "Get set, everyone! The drop pod will be prepped."

Like routine, the four CPUs got themselves equipped, donning their armors and slipping on their equipment. Already familiar with their respective kit, they noticed subtle changes. Neptune admired the new and improved mineral packs fastened tight to their suits while Noire felt the new poison resistant lining beneath the armor. Nepgear beamed as she caught their reactions to her handiwork.

Now it was Uni's turn as she pushed a cart ladened with new deliveries. Stopping before the four divine miners, the black-haired sister wasted no time showcasing her new wares.

First up, Uni plucked a pair of pistols, their angular all-metal frames making them resemble more like power tools. "Got here a pair of Zhukov NUK17 machine pistols, one of the very best in the NUK brand of handguns. Compact but with a high rate of fire, one of these things can do a real number on a target. I'd be okay with just one but they always come in pairs so if you want to dual wield..."

Neptune's hands were upon them in a flash. "Ooh! I wanna try that! Double the guns, double the fun!"

Silently wishing her good luck (and fun), Uni went to the next item. Or two as she produced another pistol, one longer and more natural-looking than the Zhukovs, and a small crate of green, egg-like grenades bearing distinct ringed pins and studded textures. "Alright Vert, got something good for you. You mentioned how that Lead Storm minigun has been overheating on you. We haven't fixed that issue just yet so have this: it's the BRT7 pistol. It fires in bursts with decent accuracy and good magazine size, so if you run into problems you have an excellent fallback weapon.

"And… I don't know if you wanted these, but I noticed you were the only one without throwables of your own. So I decided to give you some Sticky Grenades. They do exactly as their name says so have at it!"

Vert was beyond words as she beheld her new gifts. Taking the pistol and the grenades, the blonde gunner marveled at them with caressing fingers, feeling them in her palms before stashing the pistol securely to her hip. As for the sticky grenades, the Leanbox CPU gave one a casual toss to test its weight. Crafty thoughts entered her mind as she schemed all the possibilities that awaited her.

Taking the pleased reaction as tacit approval, Uni reached for the last new addition for the last person. Noire stood ready to see what her sister had for her, her own anxious expression mirroring Uni's.

With a wide grin over her face, the young black-haired weapons expert presented to Noire a large tubular launcher. The size astonished the goddess who scarcely anticipated it, examining the length of gun-metal gray wrapped with braces. Where an outward opening sat on one end, a trigger and grip rested on the opposite side.

Witnessing her sister's surprise gave Uni an even bigger sense of delight. "Here's the special surprise I had for you: the Deepcore PGL! It's a grenade launcher - simple, reliable, and packs a good punch with the ability to take in a variety of rounds. Well, once I get something more than just standard explosive shells. But don't worry, I'll-"

From the depths of her heart, Noire gave her Candidate sister her sincere approval. "Don't sweat it, Uni. This is perfect. Thank you."

Uni blushed. "T-think nothing of it."

Stashing their new gear next to all of their supplies, the four CPUs made their way to the step ladder. The drop pod's great door lay open, the vehicle ready to deliver its occupants once more into the depths. They stepped in one by one, finding their seats to await the great plunge.

Neptune entered last, but before taking her position she noticed the red dices dangling from the corner. Right where she last remembered, they hung limp. A quick slap of her hand changed that, bringing a sliver of amusement to the Planeptune goddess.

"Here's to good luck!" she proclaimed.

The hatches sealed shut and in the descent, the spark of optimism followed. Thrice now into the underworld, each of the crew were ready to face the monsters again. With growing adversity came new powers, and from it, renewed confidence to extract what lay below. To fuel their homes and future. To repeat their fortunes.

To another successful mission.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Uni's brief exposition regarding the "GK1" was meant to reference the older version of the game which had different models for the guns, including the scout's assault rifle. While I assume it was also named the GK2, I liked to think that the early model was the predecessor of the GK2 we all know ingame.