0110, Feb 1st, 2062
A cold breath glittered in the evening air, catching the bright white rays of search beams as it hung just past M14's lips. She was awash with that light, crouched in a snipe position atop the Main's roof, watching as her comrades below bustled about in feverish work.
Smoke still rose from the tattered ruins of the outer buildings, fuel stocks still smoldering after SF had torched them. Save the Main, most of the place had been leveled, and the defense wall ringing the base was punched with so many holes it resembled more a series of columns than a single structure.
Below her, visible in her scope, a pair of figures emerged from the darkness beyond one such hole in the wire, two figures with weapons.
"Everything alright down there?" She called them.
"Oui, all clear," a somber Famas replied.
She watched the doll limp back into the base, her companion keeping a close eye on her as she took a seat atop some ammo boxes. The doll placed a pained hand against her side as her companion watched on.
"You okay?"
"I'm fine. Don't you have others to bother?"
She pursed her lips, "Well, excuse us for checking in then!"
Through her scope she could see Famas roll her eyes.
"Quit being so proud," she muttered under her breath.
M14 shook her head, turning her attention from the doll back to quiet observations of the base and its surroundings.
In the distance, the low rumbling of a diesel engine echoed through the trees. Placing her scope on its approximate source, and activating the inbuilt thermals, she spotted a quickly moving white blur amongst the dark.
Nearly a kilometer away, barely visible as it whipped through the trees, was the last of their trucks, a JLTV loaded up with all of the surviving sixth echelon members. From what she understood they were on patrol for the potential return of SF. An early warning, though what exactly they could do even with a warning M14 wasn't sure.
The reason being the three remaining brethren of the smoking behemoth barely fifty meters from her, sitting just past the wire and still glowing white hot on thermals. The angular hull of the only SF Manticore they'd managed to defeat.
Though the cost had been high, too high in her opinion.
"Overwatch, report," Kalina's voice sounded on comms.
"Famas just came back," She replied, "no sign of Sangvis."
"Thanks, out."
She glanced back down at Famas, who'd no doubt receive fresh instructions through her companion in just a moment. Strictly speaking M14 should have alerted command about her arrival immediately, but she simply hadn't. Perhaps out of a sense of compassion, mercy, or some other strange emotion that her simulation module was spewing out into her mind, she wasn't sure.
Another group of dolls entered her sight, passing between the smoldering ruin of one hangar and its still intact neighbor. Mp5 leading them, her left arm severed above the elbow, and the last two of her echelon behind. They each carried a body, mangled and twisted, and missing many pieces, but one was still recognizable.
G36 was confirmed killed then. As far as she knew MP5's primary comms were still up, unlike Famas', so there was no need to report it. A good thing for her, she wasn't sure how she would, or could do that.
MP5's group had been gone for quite a while, tasked with the purpose of recovering the bodies they now carried. G36's team would've been buried beneath the snow, which while short by the standards they were used to, had been particularly furious and an unwelcome cap to the evening's events.
Indeed each of those three dolls were caked in snow.
The group strode past the salvage efforts taking place at another of the hangars, where a dozen dolls and humans, including the pilot Monroe were furiously trying to free the Blackhawk within from the collapsed structure. The base lacked cranes or diggers, so they were making due with cutters and tows from someone's pickup truck. From what she'd been hearing on comms and Griffchan estimates were being made in hours, but prospects on the state of the bird itself were less hopeful.
Overhead the rotor blades of the second of the two Blackhawks could be heard, beating a lonely rhythm unseen in the night sky.
"M14, be advised Heartbreak Two is on approach," the Commander informed her a moment later, "Any signs of trouble up there?"
"No sir, it's a quiet night."
"Then do me a favor and help out Damek with loading some more girls once they touch down would you? "
M14 rose to stand, tucking in her rifle bipod and sling the weapon over her shoulder, "On my way, out."
She made her way towards the roof access door, carefully avoiding the crater that'd been blown through the roof as she did. Just inside she sighed, letting her shoulders sag before dragging herself down the many flights of stairs.
She shouldered past a few other dolls headed up the other way, but no words were exchanged. She didn't know them, they were garrison doll's typically deployed out in the countryside to man checkpoints and town garrisons. She figured they'd probably just arrived on the chopper, which in addition to running their casualties to other nearby Griffin bases for repairs had been recalling as many dolls as possible among other things.
On her arrival, M14 was greeted with a frantic rush of activity from the engineering staff and their doll assistants as they carried badly damaged dolls up the stairs past her. Further in there were dozens of frames in terrible states, some with severed limbs, torn skin and wiring, or some that were damaged beyond what she believed even approached a repairable state. For every three of them, one doll or tech was going from frame to frame, assisting and checking in with them, assessing them for repairs.
Damek was moving frantically in his station, the auto-repairs past the glass whirring at a frantic pace to match the rest of the room
"Uhm, Damek, sir. The commander told me you could use some help?"
The man glanced up at her, the stress obvious in his eyes, "Yes, see PKP over there?"
He pointed to a girl, a doll, helping one of Famas' squadmates to her feet. The injured doll, Vector, had lost her left leg and had intense scoring all across her body. Hair and skin was badly singed, and she winced with each step.
"Yes."
"She'll tell you where you can help."
M14 nodded, leaving Damek to reabsorb himself in his work. The man looked beyond ragged, constantly shifting his focus from one situation to another, all while keeping an eye on the many monitors before him.
Pushing her way through the crowd of wounded dolls and those attending them, M14 made her way over to PKP as she assisted Vector through the crowd.
"Hey, how can I help?" She asked via comms, not bothering to try and shout over the now deafening clamor.
"Start with her," PKP replied, helping Vector onto M14's shoulder, "Take her to the Heli, she'll be repaired offsite. Come back when you're done."
Vector's arm wrapped around M14's neck as she slipped her namesake rifle from her shoulder. The wounded doll nodded grimly to her, the ever-expressionless face of her's still mute of emotion, but the understanding was there.
She carried the doll back through the crowd, Vector hobbling along but keeping an iron grip. Getting her up the stairs proved more of a challenge, mostly due to oncoming traffic that led to a rather awkward exchange as she tried to pass another group of garrison dolls who'd also been presumably tasked with the movement of the damaged by the Commander.
Still, she persevered and got Vector back up to the main floor and out the open shutter door leading to the heli-pad, where the Blackhawk awaited her.
"Hey!" A familiar voice shouted just to her left, beside the door.
Famas appeared at Vector's other shoulder, taking a good deal of the doll's weight off M14 and helping her haul her the last couple meters to the Heli, and giving her a boost up onto the floor where another doll took her.
"Thanks," M14 said to her.
Famas's blue eyes met hers for a moment, staring, before quickly darting away. She then limped back towards her post, adjacent to her patrol partner from earlier PP-10, at the shutter doors. M14 began making her way back, intending to simply step back inside without a word, however once she reached Famas she paused.
"You sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine."
14 shot a quick glance toward PP-10, who averted her gaze, though not before sending a quick pointed glance at Famas's side, where she'd been holding earlier.
"If you're hurt I'm sure Dam-"
Famas sent a chilling glare her way, "I'm fine."
She shook her head, "Do you have to be so stubborn, don't make us tell the Commander on you."
"He-" Famas paused, words evidently caught in her throat, "He already knows, 14, so leave it."
"What? If he knows you're hurt then wh-"
Famas' eyes went blank, and her head affixed itself in a straight forward stare that indicated she'd placed herself into a standby mode, effectively letting her mute M14 in real time.
She glanced at PP, who offered an awkward shrug.
M14 sighed, and took a step past the threshold of the door when suddenly the tac net lit up like a Christmas tree. Her head snapped in the direction of the main gate as an alert went out.
"Unknown Victor approaching the main gate, no markings, no id."
"Copy that, all available units take positions covering the designated points of entry," The commander quickly replied.
Within moments a position was marked near the front gate, which M14 began sprinting towards alongside Famas and PP, pulling her side arm en route.
Famas quickly fell behind them, something she and PP noticed, each pausing and turning back. M14 was unsurprised to see her limping badly now, the initial exertion of the scramble.
"Not. A. Word," Famas grunted as she limped past her.
The trio made their way to the gate, at Famas' pace, and finally arrived at their positions. M14 found herself quite a ways back, sitting behind a concrete block where she would have propped her rifle, if she still had it.
Famas and PP went on up ahead, both scrambling into a closer, if somewhat tight corner that watched the gate. Just as they did, a new rumbling grew distinct.
"Victor is still on approach."
"Can you ID?"
"No sir, it's concealed by the forest, can only make out the loose thermal signature. Appears on the smaller end though."
"Copy, hold fire until we can ID it."
She propped her pistol upon the block, drawing aim down the long sightline and feeling a bit ridiculous as some of her comrades brought out proper weapons.
PKP arrived a moment later, hefting her namesake machine gun and offering M14 a curt nod. Hopeful, she sent a questioning glance back, which after a moment to interpret PKP shook her head in response.
Well, it seems she's stuck with her pistol then, hopefully this would be nothing.
"Still approaching, eta twenty seconds."
The last of the rushing dolls slid into their positions, covering all possible entrances to the base. Weapons clattered and feet skidded against the icey ground, and then there was silence. Silence, save the still growing revving of an engine.
"I have eyes on. Appears to be a pickup?"
"Any markings or ID?"
The doll observing the truck, a garrison doll by the name of P38, cleared her throat, "Uh, no, but there does appear to be someone riding in the back, female, early twenties, possible doll based on her outfit. There's also a large box in the bed with her."
"Can you ID the driver?"
"No sir, though it also appears the right side window is broken. Possible hijacking."
The commander was quiet for a moment. The truck's headlights finally came into view, dazzling her eyes before her irises adjusted. It hung outside the gate, engine still rumbling.
"Famas, PP, move to investigate. M14, K5, PP, provide vision sharing to Matchmaker."
M14 activated her system without hesitation, streaming what she could see to the commander. Famas and PP hauled themselves to their feet and began to stroll over towards the gate.
The driver, apparently irritated, honked twice as if to try and speed them up.
The two sent to investigate sped themselves up best they could, trotting up to the gate and slowly waiting for it to open. Famas lit up her flashlight, and shone it through the windshield.
"All clear, friendly," the commander sighed, "Except for M14 and Famas, report back to your duties."
Dolls stood, holding their weapons in slack hands and beginning to disperse as M14 cut her footage, figuring it was no longer needed. Since she wasn't told off for doing so, M14 happily hummed in silent victory at her guess as she strolled on over towards the truck, which was slowly rolling through the now open gate.
It was an old Toyota, something out of the bush wars from decades ago, missing only the mounted flak gun on the back to complete the picture.
M14 waved to Famas, who was walking alongside the truck, sending a series of curious glances through the window and into the bed. Behind her, a head was also peeking out, a pair of green eyes curiously looking around like a puppy in a window.
However, her attention was quickly diverted to the driver, a sight for sore eyes as Rs' exhausted eyes came into view. She wrapped a fist against her head, indicating knocked out comms as they met eyes, an all too familiar issue plaguing them this evening.
"Who would've thought?" M14 offered with a smile to Famas as she came to her side.
"A pleasant surprise," the doll answered, shrugging," though a loaded one perhaps."
Famas turned a side eye to the girl hanging out of the truck bed, who was carrying on with her quiet, wondrous observations.
"What's your name?" M14 offered her.
"Hmmm?" She hummed, turning to her, "Oh uh, Tec-9, I guess?"
M14 raised an eyebrow, "You're with Griffin then?"
"Well," The doll glanced away awkwardly, "Not yet, but I wanna join!"
"You've picked an interesting time to," Famas mused, glancing at the now resuming efforts at the hangar as they strolled past.
"Yes, well," Tec began, pausing a beat to sigh, "This is still better than where I came from, believe it or not."
Famas scoffed, but M14 offered a concerned frown instead, "Where are you from?"
Surprisingly, it was Rs who answered, "Don't answer that Tec."
Tec glanced at the cab, looking through the open back window towards Rs, and was quiet for a moment. M14 picked up on the hint from Rs, dropping the topic.
"Famas, over here right?" Rs called again.
"Oui, the commander said to get it out of the road."
Rs pulled the truck into a space between two of the only out buildings to survive the SF raid, parking in it a space that was only just wide enough to open the doors within.
The rumbling engine cut, and steam rose from the Toyota's hood as its driver dismounted. M14 was shocked to see the state Rs was in, with a dark stained and torn brown army jacket she didn't recognize. Between that and the deep rings and her soaked, writhing hair barely contained by a tie, she looked like she'd been sent through a washing machine and thrown out into the snow.
"'Ey, 14, wakeup," Rs said, snapping her fingers in her direction.
"Hmmm?"
Famas shook her head in disapproval as M14 realized she was staring. Behind them, Tec-9 hopped from the truck bed and placed her hands in a gray and green jacket which looked almost as beat up as Rs'. The doll awkwardly tried to sidestep through her and Famas to get to Rs.
"Famas, M14, do me a favor and take Cano, Tec here, and Sop down to Damek's would you? "
"Ehm, he's pretty busy right now Rs," M14 said absentmindedly, "And where is Can-?"
She spied the doll in question laying still in the bed, and her eyes went wide.
"Was-wasn't M4 with you too?"
Rs didn't respond, silently moving back to the cab and began slinging a few items over her shoulder, including M4's weapon. She then pushed her way past Famas and M14, stopping just past them for a moment.
"Just get them down there, get an assessment on them at least. I'll be at the TOC if you need me, and be nice to Tec."
Famas and M14 watched in silence as the adjutant disappeared around the corner, rifle slung over her shoulder. Once she was gone the pair glanced at each other, then both to Tec who was still standing in place and looking awkward.
"So… Damek's?" M14 asked, breaking the silence.
Famas snorted, "Yeah, let's go."
She unhitched the truck, and clambered aboard while M14 trailed behind and stood at the end, awaiting her to deliver one of the appointed dolls.
"Where did Rs get this truck, do you know?" Famas shot to Tec.
The doll rocked on her heels, glancing away, "We… found it."
"Okay, well there's a machine gun back and tripod back here and it looks like they'd mount into the bed. Where did you find a Technical like this?"
M14 noticed that there was in fact an old Soviet fifty Cal tucked away on one side of the bed.
"Ask Rs please, I- I dunno what I'm supposed to say."
Famas sighed, "Alright alright, I was only asking."
M14 offered Tec a half hearted smile, which she returned shortly. Her face quickly turned however, eyes tracking to one side as the sounds of Famas' boots clanging against the bed approached.
"Rapide!" the doll grunted, heaving Cano's body down atop M14 before she could properly brace.
As a result, she was sent crumpling to the ground beneath Cano, the weight falling awkwardly against one shoulder.
"Owww…" She groaned, "What was that for?"
"Tec, take the other side of this box would you?" Famas continued, paying her no mind.
M14 shoved Cano off her, caking the body in snow and mud as it rolled off her. As Tec deftly stepped around her, getting in position to take the box which Famas was standing beside, ready to push off the truck bed, M14 clawed herself back to her feet and pulled Cano away.
It was then that she found herself staring into Cano's dead eyes, having lulled open. Those dead green eyes.
"Hey," A voice called, Tec surprisingly, "Are you okay?"
The doll was holding one end of the box that'd been resting in the bed, the other end still resting on the truck's door as she waited for Famas to hop over to the side and take it.
"Uh, yeah we're…fine."
"We?"
"She talks in the third person sometimes, don't let it weird you out too much," Famas interjected, having gotten in position to take the other side of the box, "Ready?"
Tec nodded quickly to her as M14's cheeks burned. She quickly scooped up Cano and threw her body over one shoulder, then taking the lead of their little group.
The dead doll was heavy. Not that she liked to talk about it but Cano was always one of the heaviest of their group, probably over two hundred fifty pounds, a consequence of being an elite model. Still, that in theory should be well below what M14 could lift, but she felt especially burdened at that moment. Not to mention she was frigid to the touch too.
"So why do you do that?" Tec asked once they'd gotten a few meters from the truck.
M14 squeezed Cano's torn overcoat, "Do what?"
"Talk like you do?"
"She's just weird," Famas answered, "Like I said, try not to be too bothered by it."
Tec seemed to ignore the comment, her eyes staring, full of curiosity.
M14 pursed her lips, "It's a reminder, W- I've been doing it for almost as long as I've been alive."
"Why do you switch? Between First and third person?"
M14 did what she could to keep the memories of that time down. Letting them crack the surface wouldn't be a good look now, especially in front of Famas.
She shrugged as well as she could, "Just do."
Rs walked in.
The room that'd once been the TOC was barely more than a mess of wires and glass. Metal and drywall was scattered around the floor, and so much of the western wall had been torn out that she figured they may as well remove the rest and leave the space as an open floor plan with the adjacent hallway.
At the center, Matt, Kalina, and a dozen of their staff and a few rifle toting dolls were either gathered around the holotable or working to restore some of the various systems.
They looked tired, worn, about how she was feeling.
Her mind was stretched thin, that damn pulsing headache refusing to lessen, and her eyes darting away whenever light hit them. She needed rest, sleep, a chance to heal properly, and a good meal.
Rs strode up to them silently, their eyes drawn to her yet they offered no greeting, though Matt managed a thin smile.
It died shortly, as she set M4's carbine down on the holotable.
"They took her."
"Wh-" Kalina began, but Matt raised a hand to shush her.
"When and where?"
"Shortly after 2230 hours, we were hit on the highway bypass."
"Disposition of the force?"
Rs sighed, "I was knocked out at the start and Cano was killed, so no solid clue, but based on the timing it could have been the Sangvis force we encountered in the city."
"I don't believe you ever said your route on comms, how did they know where you'd be?"
Rs motioned to the map, picking up M4's weapon and adjusting the holo display to show the region they'd been hit in. She pointed to the junction where the bypass they'd take split off of the main Highway.
" I gave it some thought, and If it were me, I'd have put a doll there to monitor which way we chose…," She then moved to another area, an old, largely abandoned town which sat between the two routes, "...and placed a mobile force here where they could effectively move to one or the other."
"Cano or M4 would've picked up the spotter's signals though, wouldn't they?" Kalina pondered.
Matt stroked his chin, "Not if they used civilian radios on normal frequencies, and delayed the transmission by a couple minutes after spotting."
"A gamble that we wouldn't notice it still, but it is less likely to be noticed than something OGAS encrypted," Rs concluded.
"And coming off of an already failed plan A, impressive flexibility for a doll."
"It is."
Matt grunted in agreement, though his eyes were busy scanning the map.
"The timing matches up, I should mention," he began, "Sf began pulling back at around 2245, and they made sure to blow up as many of our vehicles as possible on the way out."
"I saw."
"They had me, it was just M14 between me and about twenty guards. But they pulled back almost immediately."
"Because they got what they wanted."
The pair fell silent, each falling into contemplation.
How was Sf suddenly capable of this? Why now? Had they played their full hand or was there more yet to be seen?
Rs had noticed the knocked out Manticore on her way in, and she didn't need to be told that there were more. Sf had proven competent enough tonight that she wouldn't believe they'd be stupid enough to field solo armor. Besides that they'd managed to get heavy assets in close while avoiding detection, and infiltrate a guarded city well past Griffin lines.
"I think it's safe to say that we didn't learn our lesson after we recovered M4," Matt spoke, breaking the silence, "Clearly Sangvis is quite a bit more capable than we assumed."
"So…" Kalina mumbled," what do we do?"
Rs glanced at the still bustling staff around them. A pair of dolls were assisting a Tech in righting a serverstack in one of the corners, another group fighting with the primary antennae connections, and another couple moving the last of the debris from the room. It was pretty clear most were eavesdropping, intentionally or not.
"We've no intel on where they came from, or where they went. But that may change in the next few hours. Until then, we need to get back on our feet as fast as possible."
Rs nodded, "Agreed, do we have a plan?"
She turned her eyes to Matt, who glanced up from his mulling after a moment. He gave her a once over, giving her the same feeling as an officer inspecting a formation. Uncomfortable, certainly, but also familiar.
"Rs, walk with me," he said softly, nodding towards the door.
She cocked her head as he circled around the table and began strolling off towards said door. She shot a confused glance to Kalina, who shrugged her shoulders in a 'I dunno' gesture.
Rs pushed off the table she'd been leaning on, and went into a jogging pursuit of Matt as he stepped out. This chase would continue out into the halls, where she found herself trailing along in silence as Matt wound his way past traffic and up the staircase to the fourth floor of the building.
At the top of the stair well Rs found herself running out of breath, her chest heaving, heart pounding with such force she could feel each individual beat. Her lungs began burning, her legs seeming to fill with lead from just two stories worth of stairs.
"Out of breath already?" Matt asked, pausing at the top of the final flight as she dragged herself towards him.
"Is there… a point to this?" She gasped between breaths.
Matt propped open the metal door at the top of the flight, which she dragged herself through with a passing glance to him. His eyes weren't cold, but hard, braced perhaps.
The door slammed shut behind her.
"I need you at one hundred percent."
Rs braced her body against the nearest wall, with her palms planted firmly onto the soviet concrete and head hanging between them, "Yeah… I know."
"What's your status?"
Rs swallowed, shutting her eyes as the throbbing in her head matched the heavy pulsing in her chest.
"Concussion, swelling, few fractures, nothing too serious."
"What's your recovery timeline then?"
She grunted, "Couple hours at least."
Matt placed a hand on her back, "Then take them."
"Sir, I can still help."
He withdrew the hand, and took a step away from her as she began catching up to her breath, "Mike called again, asked how you were doing."
"What'd you say?"
"Told him you were settling in well, taking it easy."
"Hah…"
"He told me to remind you to not push yourself too hard. You know he knows how easy it is for you to forget your limits."
Rs raised her head a bit, enough to shoot a glare at Matt, "Did he actually call?"
The man smiled with a shrug, "I have the records if you wanna see them."
"I know you can fake that."
"Would you be able to tell if I did? In any case I can always call him, might have to if you won't rest up."
He held up his cell, waving it for emphasis.
She sighed, letting her head hang between her arms once more, "Fine, but wake me if anything happens."
"I'll be the judge of that. Now, want me to walk you to your room?"
"Ah, no thank you, sir. I can make it on my own."
0300, Feb 1st, 2062
M14's hand hovered near the door, her knuckle a couple centimeters from the wood as a flash of indecision wrapped her mind. Her other hand hung clenched by her side, caught in a death grip on itself.
"What are we doing?" She muttered to herself, "She's had a long enough day…"
She glanced over her shoulder across the rest of the dark common area of their dorm. The sofa was empty, tv dead and cold, tables messy with items strewn about the place. Normally Mosin would've cleaned up after them before the rest of them got off duty, but she was currently away from the base, being repaired elsewhere. Wa was on overwatch, several stories above her head and would probably be there until morning.
As for Cano…
She clenched her fist tighter as she recalled the cold burden of carrying her friend down those steps to the Den.
Right now she really needed someone warm to hug, to talk to, just get those images out of her mind, those feelings from her body.
M14 looked down at her hand, and grit her teeth.
Slowly but surely she willed those fingers apart, the feeling of the textured rubber grip of her pistol etched into that palm. It was open just long enough for her to place it above her core, center of her upper chest, the closest thing to a heart dolls had. In a moment the grip latched around her coat, squeezing the fabric tightly like her hand was trying to rip the fabric away.
The other hand managed a timid pair of knocks against the wooden door, followed by a hoarse, "Rs?"
She waited, her breathing still as she listened for any noise beyond the door. It was an agonizing moment, guilt building in the back of her mind and reaching a peak as she finally heard something stir.
A soft thump, followed by what must've been bare feet on the carpet dragging.
"Yeah?" Rs asked as she opened the door.
M14 found her gaze locked to Rs' sunken eyes, each ringed with dark puffy tissue; a stark change to what she'd looked like a mere hour prior.
" I-" M14 tried to stammer out, " I just…"
Ra raised an eyebrow, giving her that familiar questioning look that always made her wither on the inside.
She faltered, her body wanting to run and hide in shame, yet it did not run. Instead, starting with a slight lean in that grew to a full step closer to Rs, she shot her arms around the adjutant and squeezed her as tightly as she could.
"Whoa-" Rs said, taking a surprised step back.
M14 buried her head further into her, as if trying to soak up every ounce of the warmth she gave off.
A hand gently patted her back, then clasping to her and drawing her in a bit further.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"Mmpmh" She grumbled in reply.
"Mmm, I see."
Rs squeezed her a little tighter, tight enough that she could feel a slight rhythmic pulsing in her chest. She'd seen movies and videos depicting a similar pattern before, so she thought that it sounded a bit like a heartbeat, though according to Cano it was a part of her auto-repair.
"I'm glad you're okay."
"You too kiddo."
They held the hug for a minute or two, M14 trying to soak up as much of Rs' warmth as she could. The adjutant was always running on the hotter end, especially when repairing, a fact that made her very popular during movie nights on the sofa.
"So, anything you want to talk about?" Rs asked, stroking her hand up and down M14's back, "Or did you just need to hug?"
"Both," she mumbled.
"Haha," Rs chuckled, "Come in then."
Releasing the hug, Rs led her into the dark bedroom she and Cano shared. It was dark and reasonably tidy, though Rs' bunk was a mess of twisted sheets and discarded clothing. Cano's, of course, was empty, but M14 still found herself glancing up to see if those glowing green eyes might peer down upon her.
"Hey, Come here," Rs called.
She was seated on the bed, legs together and a hand patting them. M14 slowly, curiously approached and sat beside her, awkwardly staring and not understanding the gesture. With a sigh, Rs snagged her head with one hand and dragged the doll's head down onto her lap.
"Wha… "M14 stumbled over her words.
"Shhhhh, I used to do this with my sister all the time, just chill."
"You have a sister?"
"Oh-" Rs caught herself, "eh, yeah…"
"What's she like?"
Rs glanced upwards, mouth curling into a small smile "Heh, alot smarter than me, cheerful, kinda weird. You two would get along."
"Really?"
"Mmmhmm, So what's going on?"
"Well…" where to start?
Rs began twirling her hair between two fingers, almost absentmindedly as she smiled down on her.
"Why am I a screw up?"
M14's still clenched fist grew tighter, her nails threatening to pierce through the skin of her palm if the tension grew anymore.
"How do you mean?"
"I-" She stuttered, "I'm always messing up… and our missions always go wrong and I'm always getting in trouble… and I always make Famas hate me."
It felt weirdly good just to say those things, as if a bit of weight was slipped off just in the process, yet a bit of shame was mixed in. T-dolls were efficient fighters, wind up soldiers, they didn't make mistakes like she did so it was shameful to even admit that it happened.
"Hmmmm? I don't think you're that much of a screw up."
"Huh?!"
"You heard me," Rs emphasized, poking her cheek gently, "You. Are. Not. A. Screw. Up."
Each word was again emphasized with a soft prod at her cheek. Once done she found herself rubbing the spot with her own hand, not quite comprehending what'd just happened. That said, she did notice a moment later that that clench hand had released, the phantom feeling of her pistol grip finally gone.
"Do you really think the commander would have you leading an Echelon if he didn't think you were doing well? You rescued M4 didn't you? From what I hear your team was instrumental to the night's defense, and you girls rarely fail to complete your duties."
"But I'm always messing up… I even dropped the commander's dinner."
"We all make mistakes 14, constantly. I made a huge one today, Matt too."
"But that's-"
"Much worse than dropping one dinner. As for Famas, she's got her own issues. Don't take it personally, she's pretty sour to almost everyone. "
"It seems like anything I say ticks her off. Just earlier I asked if she was okay, because she was clearly hurt, and she snapped at us."
Rs leaned back, "you two have a fair bit in common, it might surprise you to know. Give her time, and have faith in her."
"But we do! She's super reliable, but she always seems to put herself last. We-"
Rs stared at her with a muted expression, her hand that had been pulling through and untangling her hair stopped dead. M14 froze once more, not sure if she'd crossed a line but suddenly dreading it.
"S-Sorry We'll go."
She tried to rise, but Rs clamped down around her and seemed to unfreeze, "Sorry, you just… struck a chord I wasn't expecting."
"I'm sorr-"
Rs clamped a palm around her mouth and shushed her, "Stop apologizing, go on."
The hand released.
"We're worried about her."
Rs smiled, "You're a good kid, you know. I think you may be right on with your assessment of her, she may well feel that way, but worrying too much for her won't change that."
"Then what should I do?"
"Honestly, I don't know," Rs glanced up towards the far wall, "She knows her limits, but may try to push past them anyway. She feels she's got a lot to prove."
"She doesn't have to prove anything, she's Famas."
"I agree, but emotions rarely line up with the facts. How she feels and how we see her don't align."
"Oh, why?"
Rs let out a deep breath, and looked back down on her, " I don't know kiddo."
NOTES:
This is the longest chapter so far! Sorry for how long this took to get out, but I hope the results are worthwhile.
Anyway, as far as the chapter itself, fairly straightforward (I hope) this time around, though perhaps a couple points of clarification could be useful.
First, with Rs, her healing is a bit different from the last time due to the nature of her injuries. As she mentions she only has a concussion and some light injuries, whereas after fighting Executioner she was just about one foot in the grave, not to mention she's had a few extra hours since the crash to recover a bit.
Next, with Famas and M14, I think I ought to mention that, especially with the former, I'm taking her wildly off whatever canon has for her. If you're familiar with M14's backstory, her's isn't too different and they're going to have connected arcs going forward. The two of them will play a fairly major role during certain future arcs.
Finally, Sop, Star, and M4 will all be in the next chapter, so I'll see you all then~