CHAPTER 16

"They don't do things by halves, do they?" complained 9S as they walked. Now that he'd had some time to adjust to the mission, he was dealing with it like he dealt with most things: with a healthy dose of irreverence. "We keep getting all the intrigue missions. You'd think they could mix it up a bit. How about a giant robot? We haven't fought one of those in a while. It'd be nice to be back in the flight suit again."

He was half joking, half not. He did enjoy piloting the flight suit - it made him feel safe and powerful to be encased in a layer of highly weaponized, ultra-resilient body armor. And he would prefer fighting another giant machine mech to, well, this.

"I'll be sure to pass along your feedback to Command," 2B deadpanned back.

Encouraged, 9S continued with a grin, "Hey, maybe this is a good sign. If we're not being deployed to fight machines, maybe that means we're actually winning, and they don't have the numbers to sustain the fight."

2B gave him an unimpressed look as she casually beheaded a machine in their path - one of dozens they'd encountered on the way.

"Okay, fair," he easily conceded the point. "But it's a nice thought, isn't it? The end of the android-machine war. Right now, android forces focus mainly on combat and survival. But if the war ended, we would have drastically different priorities - reconstruction, expansion… There'd be a host of new android jobs to fill. I wonder where I'd end up… historical research, maybe. Preservation and restoration of old human ruins. Could make them inhabitable again. What about you, 2B?"

"Hm?" she hummed distractedly.

"What would you do, if we didn't have to fight anymore? I could see you… hm. You're pretty stern, so a teacher maybe? Or no, a diplomat! You're always considering the needs of the public, you'd be a great diplomat."

"If, hypothetically, the scenario you describe did occur…" 2B began. 9S leaned in eagerly, interested. "Then the new jobs you speak of would be filled by new androids, manufactured to thrive in those positions. It's significantly more efficient to produce a newer, specialized batch than to retrain and reallocate existing personnel," she concludes firmly.

9S blinked a bit at that, shocked by the sudden tone shift. "...Harsh. You realize that's not the point of the exercise, right? It's a chance to daydream about the future and stuff."

"You introduced a thought experiment," 2B countered. "I extrapolated that thought experiment to its natural conclusion. Examining an unrealistic outcome does not help one prepare."

"Yeah, yeah, sure." Unable to resist having the last word, he added, "Maybe you should be a lawyer instead."

2B did not dignify this with a response.

They started their search in the derelict parking garage, reasoning that it had numerous places to hide and also blocked out radio signals. It would be the perfect place to go off the grid.

They didn't find the deserters, but they did find a number of other androids squatting there. 2B asked them some questions, as discreetly as possible, but none of them had seen anything - not that they would admit to, at least. 2B thanked them for their time and politely requested they report to the Resistance camp if they did learn anything.

With that lead a dead end, the two androids inspected other conspicuous landmarks: the rusted Goliath, the overgrown buses, and the crumbled overpasses. Anything that looked like it might hide a handful of fugitives looking to lay low.

By mutual, unspoken agreement, they did not search inside the large chasm where the Tower still stood.

9S was feeling more than a bit discouraged at the lack of results. They were currently retracing their steps, again, circling the open tracts of the ruins.

"2B, I don't think this is working. Maybe they've already moved to a different area?" 9S suggested.

2B was about to respond, either to agree or to reprimand, but before she could answer, a quiet beeping sounded an alarm.

"Alert: YoRHa signatures recognized in the area matching rogue units." Chimed the pod.

2B quickly silenced the alert, and raised a hand in a gesture to indicate stealthy approach. 9S nodded to show he understood. The two of them followed the signature, now represented as coordinates on their interval maps, until they reached the base of a building.

"This… is right next to the parking garage we searched." 9S couldn't help but hiss out in frustration. "This was the first place we looked! How did we miss them?"

"The signal is coming from above us," said 2B, ignoring his comment. "We need to get to higher ground. We can ascend through the adjacent building." She gestures to the garage.

"We searched here already," 9S repeated petulantly. But he agreed that it was a solid plan - the garage was easier to ascend than the office buildings. Hopefully they could reach the source of the signal before the deserters relocated.

For the second time today, the two of them scaled the slanted concrete of the garage. This time, they didn't bother to search the shadowy corners, and instead they made a beeline to the top. In no time at all they emerged on top of the structure.

From this vantage point, their quarry was readily apparent.

"Oh come on!" cried 9S. "They're just out in the open - on a rooftop?!"

2B looked at him reproachfully for the outburst, but only for a moment. In another instant, she was jumping off the rooftop and grabbing her pod for a perfectly-timed glide.

9S allowed himself to appreciate the gracefulness of her acrobatics for half a second, before he followed with his own jump-glide.

Their method of approach, though swift, was not subtle. By the time 9S and 2B's feet touched the ground, the deserters had seen them.

By their skittish reactions, it is already likely that they've deduced the reason for the intrusion.

"Alert: Targets are rogue units 22B and 64B, currently designated for detention." The pod repeated unnecessarily. Well, if they didn't know before, they certainly would now.

As the pod spoke, 9S could see the information pulling as an overlay on his visuals, labeling the targets. 22B was the smaller one, with bright red hair like that of the twins. Not exactly a common color in YoRHa, which typically favored a monochrome palette.

64B was taller and broader, with silver hair like 2B's but in a much shorter pixie cut.

There were only two deserter androids present, which means one of them was still missing. Comparing the numbers the pod listed to the ones from the briefing, 9S concluded the missing member must be their captain, 8B. Former captain, rather.

A squadron of three YoRHa Battle units. Not a group he was eager to face in combat. And the missing member, the captain… was she elsewhere, or was she hiding nearby for an ambush?

Something like recognition crossed 22B's face as she said, "Um… hey, is that-?"

Whatever she was about to say was cut off by her companion, 64B, who growled, "They've come for us, idiot! Prepare to engage - and inform the captain!"

"Uh… Got it!" affirmed 22B with a stutter.

Without further warning, the deserters launched themselves in an all-out, coordinated attack.

While 22B might've been hesitant in speech, she had none of that hesitancy in combat. She landed blow after blow on 9S, who could only barely keep up his defenses. Just as her onslaught paused, her partner 64B traded in for another series of attacks. 9S wasn't given any time or opportunity to prepare a hacking attack.

Beside him, 2B seemed to be faring better - unlike him, she was suited to close-quarters combat. She attempted to keep them off of him while getting in some attacks of her own, but they kept dancing away at the last second.

9S liked to think that he and 2B made a good team. They fought well together. But this… this was on a whole other level. This must be the result of years of training together. Whatever fighting form they're using, he thinks it might actually be designed to be used as a tandem martial art.

As he analyzed their fighting pattern, 2B was issuing their arrest. She informed them, "You're both currently wanted by Command for desertion. Disengage and surrender immediately."

This proclamation did nothing to calm them. If anything, their attacks grew more fierce. "Shut yer trap!" yelled 64B defiantly. She was scowling fiercely. "This arrest is a load of crap and you know it. I know what you do to deserters."

"Then you should have thought of that before deserting," countered 2B primly. She caught the other's blade with her own. "If you will not come willingly, I will be forced to use force."

9B let out a bark of laughter unintentionally. Was this them not using force, then? But he was too preoccupied with dodging and deflecting to add his own snark.

"YoRHa was the one who forced our hand," pleaded 22B. Her voice, in contrast to her partner's gruffness, was nearly tearful. "We didn't want this."

"Look, maybe we can talk this out?" appealed 9S. He managed to trigger a shield program in his pod, which was helping to deflect some of the assault. "We don't want to hurt you."

He wasn't able to hurt them, either, but this was more due to his poor fighting skills than any innate pacifism. 2B, he noted, was having more success. She'd managed to get several clean blows on them. That should slow them down, at least.

He regretted looking away, as he felt his opponent's blade cut at his leg - a low blow which reached under his shields. He cried out in pain and jumped back to avoid the worst of the swing. Still, it was a clean hit. His calf was bleeding pretty badly.

All four of the combatants were looking worse for the wear when 22B cried out, "Hold up! Th-the captain is ordering a retreat!"

"Understood!" 64B acknowledged immediately.

So 22B seemed to be the communicator of the group - she probably had a private line open to the captain, and acted as a proxy for messages to and from 64B. Perhaps to avoid distractions, or maybe to keep the line more secure.

He shook his head as if to clear the thought. This wasn't important right now, he was letting himself get distracted again.

2B was already moving to intercept them, and 9S moved to follow, but before he'd taken three steps, his leg gave out from under him. He found himself kneeling on the ground. 2B noticed his fall immediately, and turned back to face him.

He could see the conflict in her expression, as she looked ahead. Their targets were still in sight but escaping quickly. A beat of indecision, and then she seemed to come to a resolution. Her mouth set in a thin line, she turns to face him again - and starts wrapping his leg wound.

"They got away," he said. He felt guilt pressing inward, but he pushed it away. Self pity wouldn't change what happened.

2B nodded, and offered him one of the medicines she'd bought earlier. He took it gratefully. She pulled out another, less potent one for herself. Thanks to the medicine, they should be able to heal up in a matter of minutes.

By that time, there was no telling how far the deserters would have gotten.

Ending P: [P]artners in crime

# A/N And a big welcome to 64B and 22B! I could find basically nothing about these characters except for their half-dozen lines in the game. If y'all know anything about them from extended universe content, let me know in the comments, otherwise I'm just using my own headcanon here. This chapter was basically canon compliant, but things will deviate shortly~