Chapter 1: A Beloved Child.
What was faith? What was belief? And how come these two were always associated with one another like an inseparable element? Orbiting each other like planets around sun?
It was no science, thus it was impossible to explain logically. How could they when it grew right out of something that medicine could not cure and X-ray could not see? How could they when not even their most advanced machines, their most advanced inventions they so proud of, could not even take a gleam of. Of the truth hidden in every thing that lived, every thing that breathed and sentient and every thing that made them.
Faith was born from belief, and belief was innate in human soul. They existed everywhere and anywhere a human was. To the deepest of ocean and the darkest of galaxy, far from the heart of their home, faith followed for as long as a human believed, there was faith.
To what? Well, that regard had never been consistent. As a matter of fact, none of this had never been consistent. A man believed because he chose to believe and to question one's freedom of thinking was to question existence itself. The only certainty about faith was that faith was always different, always unique and never certain.
Yet certain was what faith was all about, making it contradictive not just as a concept but also as reality. One could believe to deny as much as they could believe to accept and once could accept while denying the other.
For one Agent Carter, faith was a fool's gambit.
Of course, he didn't deny it. Especially its usefulness. After all, people fought for what they believed in including himself. Faith was the reason humanity survived the war, that and blood and sweat of many who had the fires of sacrifices burning in their chest. Faith was also the reason they were caught in the war that burned countless worlds in the first place.
To have faith was a part of human's nature. To blindly follow it without thought was idiotic and people were stupid enough.
Right now, he couldn't decide where they were on that.
A sturdy door stood before him, separating him from the answer to that one question he had been having recently. Beyond it was the cause of this uncertainty and close to it was the maker of that cause. He typed in his personal code onto the door's control terminal and it slid open, almost immediately he was greeted with a sight of controlled chaos he was so familiar with.
The two fully armed Marines standing sentry near it didn't even bother to acknowledge his presence as he walked in.
Scientists and technicians moved about the lab, busy with their own jobs as they prepared for what to come. Most of them didn't even see him but those who did deliberately averted their gazes away from his eyes quickly, pretending he wasn't there and they hadn't seen him.
Nobody wanted anything to do with ONI, after all, and he couldn't blame them for it. Especially if ONI was the one to come to you, which was a bad omen in itself.
Keeping a neutral expression, the Agent strode in and the crowd parted ways like a school of fish to shark. With nobody dared to question or stop him, he quickly found his target amidst the sea of people behind the observation chamber.
Unofficially, not much he could say about one Doctor Neil Graham. Five years ago, he wasn't someone who would be in the agent's radar at all. Genius he was, his light hardly shone through the burning fire that was UNSC Science Council. That, of course, wasn't due to incompetence or such as the Doctor himself was certainly a prodigy in his field of expertise.
Graduated from Pyongyang Institute of Technology in 2532 at the age of twenty, this now fifty-one year old man was the most experienced and knowledgeable cybernetic expert around with many younger subordinates looking up to him for guidances both in works and lives. His approachable attitude made him a sort of mentor to many younger scientists while his knowledge proven to be indispensable many times. He was who you'd want to confide in when you were in a trouble.
Officially, was another matter.
Like any good agent of the Office of Naval Intelligence, the first thing he did after seeing the Doctor's significance was to look on his records. From studies to life, he had casted a gaze on everything that was the Doctor. No black inks hindered his quest for information, not when the Doctor himself was not deemed as important enough to warrant that. Not yet.
5 years stranded on this strange planet had changed that. If they were ever to come home, then the agent would make sure to propose the Doctor's name onto ONI's list of interest. If not because of his achievements in the past, then his work now would be a reason enough.
Agent Carter came to a stop beside the Doctor whose bespectacled eyes hadn't left the datapad in his hand as scrolls of information filled the screen. To the agent, they might as well be a bunch of nonsense but not to the Doctor who obviously knew what he was seeing, if the mild pleased look on his face meant anything.
Instead, agent Carter averted his eyes to the center of the lab where the subject of his question lied.
"May I help you?" Asked the Doctor casually after a long pause, his eyes lifting up for the first time to see the newcomer with barely concealed annoyance. "I don't suppose our resident ONI agent would come to just see us work?"
That was another thing that bothered Carter. He wasn't the resident ONI agent. He was the only ONI agent on the whole ship after the incident killed nearly everyone onboard. The responsibility of a galaxy-wide intelligence agency now was on his shoulders alone and although he was more than capable of working alone, the paperwork had been taxing on both his mind and body. He couldn't ask just anyone to help him even if he wanted to for obvious reasons.
"Whatever you mean, Doctor?"
The older man rolled his eyes and put down his datapad on nearby table. "I like you enough to tolerate you, Carter, so the least you could do to me is not bullshit me. I know how vocal you are against this project, but the Captain has approved it so there's no point for you to bother me right now."
"I'm not here to argue, Doctor. We've had enough of that." Agent Carter said with a shrug, the notion less of natural reaction but more to an attempt to placate. "But I do have questions for you."
"I am quite certain that you have been given the dossier pertaining this matter," said the Doctor dismissively. "If not, I could have it sent to you now."
"I have, but I have also always preferred a more... personal approach, if you know what I mean."
"I don't, nor do I want to know," said Graham as he clasped his hands behind his back and turned to face his latest creation, eyes zeroed in at the figure lying dormant. "You spooks have always been a nuisance to the science community, breathing down our necks like vultures hungering for new information. Tell me, that desire to know... is it personal or something ONI nailed into its operatives?"
Carter hummed at that, not in acknowledgment but rather a mere neutral response. "Information is our greatest strength and weakness. We survived the war because we knew, and the Covenant crumbled because they did not know. ONI strives to know. Always."
"So, now you want to know."
The agent fell silent at that, his eyes once again finding the thing lying on the assembly table. It looked like human at a simple glance, a youthful face belonging to a girl in her prime, and he would've believed it was a human if not for the exposed wiring and metal structures beneath its artificial skin. Around it were a group of technicians and scientists doing last-minute check ups and component installations.
"I will not try to fool you, Doctor, as we both know what great many others do not. But, believe me when I said all we've ever done were for the best of Humanity. It's a pledge we've sworn in to carry till our death, as many others have. The difference? We carry the burden of lies, betrayals and all the ugly sides of mankind in the pursuit of victory so others can bask in the light of glory it brings."
The dark complexion of his uniform made him stood out like a sore thumb in the lab where others wore predominant white coats and he couldn't be more out of place. In a perfect world, there would be no need for an agent of deceit in a place where truths were sought like gold yet here he was because someone realized that truths could and had hurt. All because a perfect world did not exist.
After all, a world could only be perfect when there was no lies.
"Trust is vital in a peaceful world," said the Doctor. "It won't change for the better unless we trust people. But that would never happen."
"Indeed."
Graham sighed. "What do you want to know?"
"Why did you create it?"
"I created her, because we're short on manpower after the incident. Moreover, this planet... this Earth, is suffering a catastrophic event that renders the use of human soldiers inadequate. We cannot risk to assign what little of our Marine forces to venture into these disaster stricken places as it will expose them to unnecessary danger and leave us vulnerable to attack."
"So you created this... Tactical Doll... as our Spartan?"
"She is no Spartan," the Doctor said firmly. "She's not as strong nor as fast. And she is no Doll, either."
Carter raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then, what is she?"
Graham stared at his latest invention silently. Though the glass separating him and her was thick enough to tank Brute's punch, he could still see every nut and bolt within and on her in his mind. She was his greatest creation yet, a fruit of years of developments, and what Halsey's Spartan was to him.
"Do you know what T-Dolls are for, Carter?" It was a rhetoric question at best and a simple mulling at most. Of course the agent knew what T-Dolls were for. He was the one who wrote the report. Knowing this, the Doctor continued without waiting for his reply. "Some of them were meant to assist humans on day to day basis to quell the needs for workforce, some were built to fight wars. In the end, they all share the same purpose."
"What purpose that is?"
"To serve us as a tool. To be our slaves."
"So, you're saying that she won't have to serve us? To, as you put it, be our slave?"
"She will have her purpose and use, as everyone onboard this ship. But, she will also have her rights as one of us instead of a simple killing machine."
Carter chuckled. It was all but mirthful. "I am not certain that everyone will share your vision considering our circumstances," he said plainly but fluidly, steering the conversation to where he wanted it to be with minimum regards to the other party. "Which, brings us to my next question."
A small exhale left the Doctor's slightly parted lips. "I assure you that it won't come to that. If not for the hardware limitations imposed upon her, then her AI module itself."
"Oh, yes. I've known this and you have certainly covered the scenario under a wrap. But, won't this be a double edged sword on us, too?"
"Dolls are more akin to humans than what they're given credits for and that includes all the flaws and inabilities of being one. She has her weaknesses, but she's not weak by any chance. To our standards, her AI is not suitable for military operations, namely Electronic Warfare, but that's because our standards are beyond what this world can offer."
"She's underperforming, Doctor," stated Carter matter-of-factly. "A Dumb AI has more processing capacity than her."
"Which is necessary," he countered. "She'll be able to crack everything but ours in seconds."
"You don't trust her." It wasn't a question and the Doctor heard it clear as day.
"I trust her to complete her missions. I also trust myself to not be a fool." Graham paused then, nodding to one of the technicians to go ahead before picking his datapad again. It was about time. "A complete Smart AI is too dangerous to let loose."
Carter didn't say anything, simply staring at the flurry of activities happening on the other end of the protective glass with eyes devoid of emotions. Those very same eyes travelled between people until they stopped at the glint of silver Titanium-A in the middle of everything.
It, she, did look like a person it was almost impossible to distinguish. He had to give it to the eggheads for modelling such human like robot especially with what little of their resources left. If not for said glint coming off her open chest and the lack of blood, he would have thought they're operating on a young woman who suffered from chest injury.
But this was no human and he was under no such delusions to think she was. This was a killing machine made into reality out of necessity. A purpose made and a purpose born from life to nonliving. No matter how human she looked, she was not one and would never be one.
Then again, if flesh and blood were the only things defining humans, what was there that truly defined humans? If nothing differed us to everything?
The Doctor was about to head out to do his final checkups when Carter finally spoke, uttering a question that was not written in the dossier given as it was not a critical information and thus, had little to no values to bring up. Yet at this exact moment, the agent found it necessary to ask.
"What is her name?"
Graham stopped, a little surprised at the unexpected question, but recovered quickly. He had planned to introduce her to the rest of the crew later to both calibrate her to her home and show everyone that she was no threat to them but it seemed Carter wanted to know ahead of everyone.
He expected nothing less from an ONI agent.
"Her name is..."
"M4..."
"M4, you have to listen to me."
"M16...?"
"SOP and AR-15 have agreed on this."
"What are you talking about?"
A brief silence filled the air as she stared at the lone orb of her big sister's eye, looking back at her with the same determination she always found all the time. Behind M16 were her other two sisters, their faces tight but no less comforting in SOP's case while AR-15 grimaced.
"We cannot win and we cannot run, not with the pace SF forces are coming at us." M16 put a hand to her shoulder and M4 could feel the exposed metal skeleton of her fingers digging into her tattered clothes when she clenched them. "Which is why we'll stay behind to try and distract them while you escape."
For a brief second, M4 was certain her Digimind came to a stuttering halt at that as she could only stare at M16 with parted mouth, too stunned by the idea to respond properly.
"W—what?"
M16 saw the confusion and horror etched on M4A1's face and smiled somewhat sheepishly while AR-15 scoffed. "Can you for once convey your words properly?" said AR-15 as she shifted on her feet to face the two. "You're scaring her."
SOPMOD perked up. "Woah, M16 is also scaring M4 now! Never thought I'd see the day our all-reliable sister stepping up to that pedestal!"
"S—sorry! I didn't mean to!" M16 laughed to herself then. "I guess, I should've said it will be temporary."
M4 didn't look amused. "Temporary? How temporary? I'm used to sending everyone away to their own positions for maximum battlefield efficiency but I can't leave everyone behind." M4 bit her lip anxiously as helplessness began to consume her. "As team leader, I must be present to lead my team. I can't just go and abandon all of you. T-Dolls need commanders."
"Then go," ST AR-15 said firmly as she locked gaze with M4. "Find a Commander for us."
"But—!"
"We're Elite Dolls," M16 cut in with a shake of her head. "We can operate independently better than most. You need not to worry. This is the best way for us to survive."
"Why must it be me?"
M16 opened her mouth as if to say something before she closed it again, on its place was a confident smirk that was all to familiar. "Because you're the only one who can."
"Don't worry about us," SOP said with a grin that once terrified M4. "I will make sure to tear them to bits in your stead."
"Um, thank you?" M4 turned towards the rest of her team, wringing her hands anxiously. "Is it really okay?" she asked one last time to make sure everyone was on the same page. As team leader, it was her duty to lead them as much as it was her duty to listen to those she commanded. A notion she took to her machine heart wholly.
"We get to kill Sangvis forces, don't we?" AR-15 mused with a shrug. "We still have scores to settle."
"Yeah! The bastards got us good back then it's only fair if we return the favor!" SOP's bloodlust practically oozed out of her body with each word she uttered, clawed hand tightening over nothing but M4 could imagine what was going on in that head of hers. SOPMOD-II had always prefer the feeling of her enemy's crushed frame in her grasp than to simply shoot them.
M16 thumbed back towards the two. "You heard the ladies," her smile turned solemn then as she stepped to M4's line of sight again. "We'll hold them as long as we can. As long you come back home safely, we'll have already win."
Dolls had no need to breathe, at least not as much as human did, yet M4's shuddering breath was hard to ignore as she closed her eyes.
Millions of scenarios played inside her Digimind, ranging from the best to the worst. They came crashing down on her like tidal waves, threatening to drown her in ceaseless charges of images she could imagine. A curse of the leader was her ability to plan and foresee and she was seeing.
She was also believing.
"Alright," she breathed, the air coming out hot from her rising internal temperature. "I will find us a competent Commander. Until then, everyone must do their best to survive. That's an order."
M16's proud smile would forever be etched into her mind. "You heard the Leader. We have our order, girls."
SOP did a mock salute and beamed while AR-15 nodded quietly. "You got it, boss!"
"Be careful, M4." AR-15 picked her leader's weapon from where she left it leaning against the wall of the abandoned buildng they were in and handed it over to its rightful owner. "Just focus on your objective."
M4 took it with a smile but before she could say anything back to ST AR-15, SOP suddenly hugged her. "Right! We can take care of ourselves! It's you who should be careful!"
"I—I will do my best." M4 patted SOPMOD gently on top of her head and she was released from her embrace. She didn't fail to notice the brief squeeze SOP gave her before she stepped back.
Now it was her older sister's turn.
For a while, M4 knew that M16 was different to her other siblings. She was the most experienced in the art of war, but also the most caring. Always doing her best to help M4 while reserving enough to not hinder her growth. If all, it was thanks to her guidance she could be who she was now.
Likewise, M16 also respected her enough to not coddle her.
So, when M16 threw her a salute with nary a word, M4 simply saluted back before turning her back to the rest of her team and walking away. It was cold to outside observers, but the warmth and pride in M16's lone eye were impossible to miss to M4.
They would meet again. However it long to reunite, they would surely be together again. M4 stopped near the doorway and uttered a simple sentence before she disappeared into the night.
"I'll be back."
A promise in the battlefield was a promise fickle to break. But the AR Team had gone through more obstacles and crises than most could hope to prevail. M4 would be back and if she said so, then she would.
Whatever it would take, M4 would fulfill her promise.
Easier said than done.
After weeks of treading through snowy landscape, she had finally returned to Griffin's controlled area and rescued by nearby forces. She had come to see the Commander and begged for help, but help could not be acquired in such short notice.
Not only her request was put on hold, M4 was also subjected to an intensive repair and diagnostic for a full day. The following day after it was done, she found herself waking up on the cold maintenance table wearing a plain white medical gown, having stripped out of her combat outfit and gear prior to her checkup.
The Commander was the first face she saw, then surprisingly Miss Persica. M4 nearly flipped off the table when she saw her creator in the room, which she would if not for the Commander holding and calming her back down to said table.
The Professor seemed as tired as she usually did with bags under her eyes but as always, she still managed a small smile to M4. M4 knew what she was there for yet even when the Commander had to leave the two alone, Persica made it obvious that it wasn't the only reason she was there.
She asked questions. A lot of questions that wouldn't found their ways to the debrief report as they constituted not to the objective of the mission. Stuff like how M4 was feeling and if she wanted the Professor to do some tweaks on her Digimind to make her feel better before taking her leave after M4 politely declined the offer. As much as it would help in calming her down, it just didn't feel right for her to have the Professor's help over small matters. Instead, M4 asked her to catch some sleep in which the Professor only smiled in response.
That was yesterday and now M4 found herself staring at the dimly lit ceiling of her room with distant eyes.
She hadn't stopped thinking about her team. Not even for a second since she stepped foot on the base. Dolls had different memory compared to humans. Everything they saw was recorded with crystal clear clarity until it was deleted from their Digimind which meant M4 could rewind that final moment with her team again and again in her head.
It was both a curse and a blessing.
Sighing for the umpteenth time, she rolled to her side and let her arm to dangle over the edge of her bed, looking at her index finger as she flexed it back and forth. She could imagine the resistance of a trigger and the pressure as she squeezed it, followed by the kick of her rifle and flash and smell of burned gunpowder in her sensory modules. Weeks of nonstop fighting truly pushed her to a new height, both physical and mental, that to this time she still felt the rush of battle in her non-existent blood.
She wonder if the rest of her team also shared the same restlessness. Though, the last time she checked, M16 sounded reasonably calm which M4 kind of expected while SOP and AR-15 reported they were on the clear for the time being.
That small relief was hardly enough to comfort her, until her team was back together with her on the lead she could not find it in herself to relax. Even if it was an order directly from the Commander.
M4 sighed.
A series of knocks from her door nearly made her jump in surprise, the sound too loud in the prevailing silence. "Miss M4, are you awake?"
The voice was familiar and although M4 had only heard it for a handful of times, she still recognized it as Kalina's, the Commander's personal adjutant and logistic officer.
"Miss M4?"
Realizing she hadn't replied, M4 scrambled to her feet and head for the door. "Yes! I'm awake!" She said as she unlocked it.
The bright hallway light forced her eyes to adjust and it took her a moment to see Kalina's smiling face properly. "Good afternoon! I hope you had a good rest."
M4 in fact didn't have a good rest but she still smiled and nodded at the shorter blonde haired woman. "Thank you. How can I help you, Miss Kalina?"
"Psh, just call me Kalin," Kalin said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Everyone calls me that."
M4 searched the youthful face of Kalin before she nodded again. "If you say so, Miss Kalin..."
"Good!" the blonde chirped happily. "Now, the reason I'm here is to inform you that the Commander has finally gotten the go ahead to rescue the rest of AR Team, and that you are wanted in the Briefing Room thirty minutes from now for more details."
M4's eyes widened. "Really?! At last?!"
Kalin nodded, her smile turning solemn. "Let's bring them home, shall we?"
M4 didn't know what to say so she was stuck staring at Kalin with mouth agape and emotions rampant. After what felt like hours, she finally managed to say two simple words that meant everything she felt.
"Thank you."
Kalin grinned. "We're only getting started, you know. You better get ready yourself. I know we both will be busy, new T-Doll and whatnot..." M4 heard Kalin muttered the last part but she was too mentally preoccupied to fully process what she said, once again her Digimind was flooded with numerous plans and scenarios to help extract her sisters from danger.
"Right. I'll, uh, go change into something more appropriate," M4 said instead after taking a stock of what she was wearing. She would prefer more than to just have a t-shirt and shorts on before the operation.
Kalin noticed her sheepish expression and giggled. "Then, I'll see you around, Miss M4."
M4 gave a rather vigorous nod before slamming the door shut, only to open it again after realizing how rude she was being to Kalin. "S—sorry, Miss Kalin."
Kalin only laughed. "It's fine, it's fine. I understand how you're feeling! Just take it slow, alright? You have plenty of time!"
M4 nodded again and Kalin took her leave. Gently, she once again closed the door and inhaled deeply to calm herself down.
Take it slow... Being rash will only lead to unnecessary complications...
After changing into her battle outfit, M4 finally left her room for the first time since her examination with the Professor, the echoes of her boots her only companions as she walked the long hallway. Although she hadn't been exploring the base, a digital map downloaded into her Digimind was enough to offer her directions to its facilities so she more or less had an idea on where to go.
M4 hadn't walked far when she saw another Doll. A blonde haired maid Doll who just rounded a corner ahead of M4. She didn't recognize the Doll from her Neural Cloud and her identification module only offer basic IFF function, which was useless on a base full of friendlies so M4 refrained from saying anything as they walked towards their respective destinations.
Which, as time progressed, revealed to be a singular noun.
"Um..." M4 drawled, the blonde maid looking back at her from inside the Briefing Room with neutral expression. M4 stood on the open doorway, looking a little unsure as her gaze shifted between the Doll and the empty room.
"You are early," said the maid. Her voice was mostly neutral but M4 could hear a hint of interest in her tone. "The briefing won't start until fifteen minutes from now."
"Yes, I know. I just think I should be here early." It wasn't like she had anywhere else to go right now but to be with her team. "What about you?"
"I need to tidy up the place, as you can see..." the other Doll gestured loosely with her arm around and M4's eyes followed it, seeing the chairs strewn about. "It's not really presentable as is."
"I see..." M4 muttered thoughtfully. So the maid outfit wasn't just for a show. She probably was a service Doll before she was converted into Tactical Doll. "Do you mind if I take a seat?"
"Only if you ignore the inconveniences of me working the place up."
"I'll... be on the back so to not hinder you," M4 stepped into the room after giving the other Doll a smile. "I'm M4A1, by the way."
"G36," replied the maid with a small bow. "I know who you are, Miss M4. You're rather renowned around here."
"Really? I hope it's nothing bad." M4 dragged a chair and settled it to a relatively arranged position before sitting down on it. "Do you need help?" she asked, eyebrows furrowed as she watched G36 work.
Instead of answering, the maid chuckled softly to herself, not stopping for one second. "So it's true, after all."
"Huh?"
"They said you're always one to offer help, you and your team, despite being a group of Elite Dolls whose responsibilities go beyond normal Dolls'. There are stories of you leading impromptu rescue missions to save others during a desperate firefight."
"There are also instances where I can't save anyone," M4 mumbled dejectedly. "It's not like everyone else wouldn't do what I did."
"Dolls are expendable, Miss M4. We're not human. Every time we're destroyed in the field of battle, they'll just download our Neural Backup into a new frame. For someone to risk themselves like you did sure will gain fame."
"I'm not looking for fame..."
"Nor do I imply otherwise. You simply did what you thought was right and sometimes, that's more than enough."
M4 opened her mouth to say something but nothing came to mind, not denial and certainly not acceptance because G36 was right. For Dolls to be famous meant they were outstanding in certain ways others were not.
Still, she never wanted to be on the spotlight. Being on the center of attention made her uncomfortable, despite the benefits it might bring forth.
They fell into a comfortable silence afterwards and G36 quickly finished her work. M4, noticing that her chair was slightly off the other neatly arranged ones, readjusted her position on the back of the empty room.
Just when G36 sat down, the first group of T-Dolls entered, their rowdy chatters breaking the quiet atmosphere like hammer to a glass window. Dolls, especially converted ones, had colorful personalities and it reflected well on the way they carried themselves.
M4 had no idea who they were and they seemed content to just settle down in their own group without acknowledging the first two occupants so she didn't try to engage them in conversation. As time went by, more and more joined in, some in groups and some alone and they quickly filled in the room.
M4 counted there were eleven of them including her and G36, not much but certainly not few either. The thought that the Commander had somehow managed to gain the permission to deploy this much Dolls to rescue her team assured M4 that she had indeed found a capable one.
"Dolls are expendable, Miss M4. We're not human. Every time we're destroyed in the field of battle, they'll just download our Neural Backup into a new frame."
Finally, just a shy few seconds before the planned meeting time began, the Commander walked into the room and all conversations quieted down until there was only silence. All Dolls turned their attention to the new presence including M4 who straightened up to make herself seem more presentable and ready.
The first time she met the Commander, her very first thought was young. She didn't expect to see such a youthful face in the rank, but quickly realized that the Commander had more than earned the title after witnessing the defeat of not just one but two Sangvis Ringleaders.
He had light brown hair and blue eyes that twinkled with both kindness and intelligent as he looked about the assembled T-Dolls, an easy smile plastered on his face as he moved to the front of the room. In his hand was a thick manila envelope which he then rather unceremoniously dropped onto nearby table.
"Good afternoon, girls." His voice was tinged with lightheartedness that was found in optimistic young people, but firm enough to not make him sound uncertain. "Thanks for cleaning the place up, G36."
G36 smiled. "It is my pleasure, Commander."
"Right. Now, there are a few things I'd like to address before we start today's briefing," his eyes skimmed through the Dolls until they met M4's. It was brief, but hard to miss especially to her keen eyes. "For you who don't know me, I am Commander Cillian Robinson, currently assigned on Griffin Sector Zero-Nine as the acting commanding officer of this base. You will be under my command until you are reassigned elsewhere."
A hand shot up from the front, belonging to a pink haired Doll. "Commander, why are you being so formal all of sudden? The last time you introduced yourself to us it was on the base cafeteria..."
"That's right, Commander," piped in another one with brown hair. "You were cool being all buddy-buddy with us too when you stuffed your face full of donuts."
The Commander feigned a cough. "I just thought this would be a perfect opportunity to do so since everyone is here, M14, EM-2."
M4 blinked and took a stock of everyone for the second time. This was all the Dolls on the base? It wasn't unusual for a Commander to only command a few handful of Dolls at a time but she had thought someone as brilliant as the Commander would've more ready.
"Well, moving on. I'm sure you all know M4 over there," he suddenly pointed towards M4 and the Dolls promptly shifted to look at her, freezing M4 on the spot from the sudden attention given to her. "So I don't think introduction is necessary."
Some of the Dolls waved and smiled at M4 in greetings while others simply nodded before returning their attention to the Commander. M4 returned the greetings with her own smile.
"However, there's someone I do want to introduce to all of you."
"Could it be the new Doll we're hearing about?" M14 wondered out loud as the Commander exited the room to presumably call the newcomer and the room was flooded with hushed conversations.
"I heard she's tall," a Doll whispered to her friends and M4's audio modules tuned in to the conversation.
"What? Another big Doll? I hope she's kind to us smaller girls," said one of her aforementioned friends.
"I saw her walk into the base. She's carrying weapons I have never seen before."
"Oh, you're on gate duty when she arrived, weren't you, MP5? What do you think of her?"
"Hm, I don't know really. She looked just like everyone else except taller, and from the way she carried her equipments she's probably a military Doll?"
"A military Doll? Not converted civilian model?"
"I think so, judging from the gears she had on her."
Commander Robinson briskly walked back inside and once again, the quiet conversations died down. This time, however, it was not just his presence that silenced everyone out for he was not alone.
When they said the newcomer was tall, M4 expected it to be an exaggeration. She did not expect her to be actually that tall.
She stood nearly a head taller than the Commander and he was no, by any means, short for a male's standard. Hell, M4 was certain that no Doll present was taller than him except the newcomer as they often were made with a somewhat realistic female proportion and females were generally shorter than men.
But this new Doll towered over him to the point the Commander had to look up when addressing her next.
"Would you like to introduce yourself?"
There was a brief pause before the Doll nodded and snapped to attention, swiftly pivoting on her feet to face the rest of the room. If M4 wasn't sure she was military, then that simple action convinced her.
Her face was empty but not stone cold, instead she oozed professionalism which was also reflected by the way she spoke. "I am Maria, UNSC Mechanized Infantry Combat Assistant unit." Her eyes were electric blue, M4 realized when they flitted about other Dolls, and although she had seen other stranger ones, hers stood out from the way they seemed to almost glow under the soft white light of the room.
Unlike her eyes, however, her hair was completely dark and almost unnaturally so from the way light seemed to just disappear into it. Like black hole, the shoulder-long cut swallowed all that came into contact with it yet it was undeniable that she was pretty.
It was almost a crime to have her wearing a bland, olive green uniform instead of something more fashionable. Almost.
"I was sent as UNSC's representative to Griffin and Kryuger as a part of an agreement between the two factions." Maria then smiled, small but no less sincere, to them. "I hope we get along well."
MP5 raised a hand to gain Maria's attention. "Miss Maria, you mentioned UNSC? Are you related to the United Nations?"
Maria looked down towards the small blonde who nearly shrunk under the pressure of her gaze, though Maria wasn't being particularly intimidating but the height difference was just too big. "Yes, I am."
"Maria is sent for a test run," the Commander chimmed in, alleviating the pressure off MP5 by directing it to him instead. "This will be her first combat mission."
"First combat mission?" M4A1 blurted out before she could stop herself, shocked. "Commander, given the nature of this upcoming misson wouldn't it be wise to have her in something less dangerous?"
"I share your sentiment, M4, but this order comes from the top." Cillian clasped his hands behind his back and shook his head. "They insist for Maria to join in this operation."
A frown graced M4's lips, looking at Maria with a hint of concern. She knew how pragmatic the military could be about their T-Dolls and although Maria was not just a hunk of steel like how most military Dolls were, clearly her owners wanted her to be combat effective as quick as possible.
"If it's any comfort," Maria began. "I have completed hundreds of battle simulations with perfect score. I also understand that real life combat is different but I am confident with myself to adapt accordingly to the circumstance."
The Commander sighed. "I'm glad you understand, however it's still too risky to have you on your own devices and there's not much competent Dolls around who can show you the ropes." He paused then, thinking about something before he nodded to himself. "Alright, in any case we should get this briefing going. How about you go take a seat for now?"
"Yes, sir." M4 and the other Dolls watched her walk down the row and it took M4 a second to realize she was navigating for the seat beside her. This close, her height only further accentuated itself. M4 understood why MP5 shied away from her earlier if even she felt a bit intimidated despite Maria barely looking at her.
In fact, Maria seemed to focus solely on the empty chair before her as she stood there looking at it with a barely noticeable frown.
"Something the matter, Maria?" The Commander asked and Maria's head snapped towards his direction.
"No, sir," she said, finally sitting down on the chair with a slow, wary movement.
"Good, then let's—"
The Commander didn't even get to finish his sentence when a loud crash interrupted him. Almost immediately, he and the other Dolls turned around to see Maria sitting on the floor with the chair shattered under her.
Silence ensued as they looked at her with a mixture of horrid befuddlement and wonder. For a long few seconds, they could only stare wide eyed.
"I... may have overestimated the chair's durability," said Maria matter-of-factly as she picked herself up, breaking the silence with clipped tone. "My apologies."
"Are you okay?" M4 asked and Maria nodded in affirmation.
"I am undamaged."
"That might be a problem," the Commander mumbled, shaking his head.
"I will stand, Commander. I do not think it is wise to test the other chairs."
"Agreed." He pulled his PDA from the pocket of his coat uniform and typed in a few commands, not a moment later the large screen in the front of the room came to life. "Continuing on, I will now relay our battle plan."
"Today's mission will be a rescue mission, specifically initiated to rescue the other members of AR Team left behind on Sangvis Ferri's territory. The AR Team was forced to separate to evade capture by enemy forces during a covert ops some weeks ago, and although the objective of their ops has been successfully recovered, the individual members are too invaluable to lose."
"Our last transmission with them revealed that two of their three members, ST AR-15 and M4 SOPMOD-II, have safely rendezvous on a secure location while their third member, M16, is still deep behind enemy lines." M4 looked away in shame when the Commander's knowing eyes settled on her. Of course he knew but she couldn't help it. She would take whatever repercussions the Commander had for her later but her team came first. "We will attempt to rescue the two first."
A picture replaced the static display of Griffin and Kryuger logo on the screen, an image captured from satellite. "This is the city of Maribor, formerly belonging to the Republic of Slovenia before World War III. It has long been abandoned and fallen into SF's hands shortly after their initial assault."
"The city itself is mostly undefended by Sangvis Ferri as it harbors little strategic significance, however latest satellite recon revealed an unusual movement of large Sangvis forces in the area." The image lit up with red dots and the amount alone horrified M4 to no end. They circled around the small city lik a crimson halo while large groups could be seen in the city area. "Taking it from the enemy is out of equations, we're underpowered and outnumbered, so this will be a quick grab operation; get ST AR-15 and SOPMOD-II to safety then quickly call for extraction. Field repairs will be limited so any damage to our units will have to be fixed with what you have on you."
"However, unless it's completely impossible, do not abandon anyone. Death is not permanent for T-Dolls but downloding your Neural Cloud to a new body is only a last resort option. Understood?" There's a chorus of 'okays' and 'yes sirs' and the Commander continued on, satisfied. "Good. Your point of insertion is here, about ten kilometers northwest the city. You will deploy in three four-man squads and four dummies each for team leaders, the list of team is as follow."
"G36, EM-2, Ingram and MP5. You girls are Echelon 1, your objective is to secure an escape route for others and establish parameters. G36 will be your leader."
"SKS, L85A1, VM59 and Gr G3 are Echelon 2, your job is to provide support for Echelon 3. L85A1 will be on the lead."
"Echelon 3, Maria, PP-90, M38 and M4A1. M4A1 will be your team leader. Any question regarding the team formation? Or perhaps some suggestions?"
M4 raised a hand high the second the Commander finished asking. "Sir, what weapon is Maria's imprint weapon?"
"That... is a good question. I actually don't know what is her imprinted weapon." He raised an inquisitive eyebrow at the tall Doll. "Maria?"
"I do not have one, Commander."
Another eyebrow rose up, this time in surprise. "Meaning...?"
"I can use all firearms ever created in history without problem, and my logic subroutine will adjust accordingly to what is not found on my database." Her back was ramrod straight and her posture perfect as she spoke, completely unswayed by the looks other Dolls were giving her. It almost like she didn't care to those around her, as if to reflect the rigidity of the military. "However, I am currently given access to three weapons and my creators have designated me as medium range combat unit."
"Medium range combat unit, huh?" Cillian crossed his arms. "I presume that means you are using assault rifle of some varieties?"
"Correct, sir, namely the MA40. But I also carry an M392 Bandit DMR for precision weapon and an M6S Magnum for secondary."
The Commander whistled, impressed. "That's a lot of firepower for a Doll." His gaze shifted towards M4. "What do you think, M4?"
M4 thought over it for a second, all the nerves she was feeling completely gone as her Digimind entered its leader mode. "It opens a lot of rooms for adaptability, but I'm still yet to see how Maria will perform in combat. If she's as good as she claims herself to be, then she can be an invaluable asset. Until then, though..."
"Until then, we'll play it safe." A nod of agreement and the Commander went on. "That seems to be the best choice. Maria?"
"Sir."
"Since this is your first combat mission, you'll have to listen to everything M4 tells you on the field, okay? I'll still relay orders but team operations will be on each squad leader."
"Understood, sir."
"Then, I take it that's all about team formation?" There was a brief silence as the Commander waited for anyone to voice their question. When there was none, he simply pressed another button to display the next icon. "For extraction, we have two points; Alpha and Bravo. Alpha is your primary ex-fil point and Bravo is your secondary. Echelon 1 will move on to secure a route to Alpha but if it's proven unfeasible, then they'll have to make the call to withdraw to Bravo. G36, what do you think of this?"
"I don't see a problem, Master. My team will try our best to give the others a safe passage home."
"We're counting on you," Cillian stated firmly and the maid nodded. "Echelon 2, there are various high-rise buildings in the area of operation, use them to your advantage."
L85A1 gave him a mock salute, her smile as warm as ever. "Aye aye, Commander."
"Remember, everyone, this is a rescue operation. HQ have ordered me to reclaim our lost territory from SF's control and sent new T-Dolls to the base. Until they arrive, we can't launch an all-out attack on the enemy." He loosely gestured at the folders on the desk. "This operation is just the beginning of something bigger."
"If there's no more question, then you all are free to go. Our mission begins at sixteen-hundred hour, before then I recommend you do your last-minute checkups with Kalin. Back your Neural Clouds up just in case. Dismissed."
One by one, the Dolls stood up and left and the room once again was a disorganized mess of scattered chairs. M4 made sure to give an extra care on where to put her own chair before making her exit.
It was only then she noticed that Maria was following her, which was impressive considering her size.
Before she could ask the taller Doll about it, the Commander called out to them both. "M4, Maria, a minute please?"
Knowing orders when she heard one, M4 pivoted and approached the Commander who was sitting on a far more comfortable chair than the Dolls used. "Yes?"
The Commander didn't say anything for a moment, his fingers absently drumming on the manila envelope on his lap as he regarded the two. "M4, I know you're worried about your team but calling them using the base's comm systen was a terrible decision."
If M4 had a beating heart, it would've clenched in regret. "I'm sorry, Commander..." she whispered, head hung low in shame. "I know it was stupid of me but I couldn't help it. I needed to know the state my team, my sisters, was in. They're the only family I have."
"Family, huh? Persica told me that you're a rather peculiar Doll but I didn't expect you to be this human," he shook his head, not in condescending manner but more to disbelief. "But, if it's how you see them, then I can say with confidence that I understand."
"Commander..."
He raised a hand to stop M4 from saying more. "But you have to promise me not pull the same stunt behind my back again. Come talk to me if you need something. Believe in your Commander a little bit more, alright? I won't claim I can do everything but I'll be damned if I don't at least try."
M4 smiled, a genuine smile that wasn't done out of courtesy. "Thank you, Commander. For everything."
"Thank me once we get your sisters back home safely." He turned towards Maria then and M4 had half the mind to leave the two before deciding against it. The Commander hadn't dismissed her, right?
"Maria, I don't know why they sent you to my base and I will not question the decision but there's something I must ask you; why haven't you registered your command authority to me?"
Maria's reply was flat, almost disinterested in fact. "I am not permitted to relinquish command to non-UNSC personnel, sir."
Cillian sighed. "How do you expect to follow orders from your squad leader if you refuse to relinquish command?" He pointed towards M4 who stood almost dumbfounded at the information. A T-Doll was actively refusing orders from human Commander? That was borderline outrageous. "Frankly, I don't really mind if you refuse to comply to all I tell you but M4 there is one of few Dolls equipped with Command Module. For her to effectively direct combat ops, she will need you to register yourself as her subordinate."
"My directives are not changing, Commander, unless one or more UNSC personnel authorize it."
The Commander's expression darkened and M4 subconsciously sucked in a breath despite the futility of the notion. She could feel the tension in the air, thick and nearly suffocating, and she shifted uncomfortably on her feet.
She really, really, did not want to be here.
"It is not my style to question my subordinates, Maria, and I am more than willing to give them compromises. However, that's only because I know them." He opened the envelope and fished out a sheet of paper before sliding it on the table for both Dolls to see.
M4 leaned in slightly, her ocular modules adjusting to the words and images printed on its surface. The first thing she saw was the picture of Maria, then the bold letters written in capital right beside it.
TRANSFER ORDER
UNSC MICA UNIT
MODEL: HUGINN MARK I
"MARIA"
HEIGHT: 198 CENTIMETERS
WEIGHT: CLASSIFIED
INSTALLED MODULES: CLASSIFIED
COMPATIBLE MODULES: CLASSIFIED
WEAPON SYSTEM: VARIES
COMBAT SENSORS: CLASSIFIED
NON-COMBAT SENSORS: CLASSIFIED
POWER PACK: CLASSIFIED
FRAME STRENGTH RATING: CLASSIFIED
ELECTRONIC WARFARE CAPABILITY: CLASSIFIED
SUSTAINED OPERATION TIME: CLASSIFIED
The list went on and the further M4 read, the more she was met with the same classified marks. Not only that, her profile was also covered in black inks despite claiming having zero service hours.
"You, I don't. So, tell me why I should trust you if you don't even make the effort?" His fingers tapped twice on the paper, the sound quickly swallowed by the ensuing silence. Maria's blue eyes hadn't changed, nor had her expression as she stared at the Commander blankly.
"Allow me to reiterate my last statement," she eventually said, tone even without a slightest of pitch. "Though commands are to solely be given by UNSC personnel, my current command is to serve alongside Griffin and Kryuger's forces, this being your Tactical Dolls and personnel, until I am ordered otherwise. I may be forbidden to accept different directives, but I am allowed to act accordingly for the best of outcomes."
"My logic module has concluded that working with you will involve following your orders, however rather than to translate this as a change to my directives, it is more correct to view them as requests. These requests are paramount for the success of the mission and by extension my current order, hence I will comply out of my own accord."
"Meaning you are free to refuse them."
Maria nodded. "Yes, sir."
The Commander sighed and slumped back on his chair. "You're free to go." Maria threw a crisp salute which M4 quickly mimicked before turning on her heels to leave. She was halfway to the door with M4 in toe when the Commander called out to her, stopping her for the second time. "What's your directives?"
"Directive One; Protect Humanity and Ensure the Survival of Human Race."
"Directive Two; Serve the UNSC and UEG."
"Directive Three; Safeguard Earth and Her Colonies from Foreign and Domestic Threats."
"Directive Four; Be Human."
"Be human? That's a lot to ask from a stripped down Smart AI."
"Maybe because she's not a complete Smart AI she would find the answer. No trillions of calculations per seconds, no billions upon billions of data to process. She would just exist, like you and I, a couple of dumb humans."
"Why did you decide to use her as a guinea pig for your pet project?"
"I'm not. That one directive is critical to develop her cognitive matrix. She's akin to a child right now, a 300 kilograms, 6.5 foot tall child strong enough to flip a Warthog but a child nonetheless. She's not a full Smart AI, she needs to learn and grow up. What is that if not to be a human?"
"You know don't you, Doctor?"
"You'll have to be more specific with that question."
"Halsey."
"What of her?"
"Her Spartans. She didn't lie to them about their origins because she believed it would create an unnecessary complication in the future, and she was right. This decision you took... is it backed by the same mentality?"
"... I truly wish her to not be just a machine of war. Halsey is a genius, but she doesn't understand the necessity of humanity in them. I don't want her to be an outsider in her own home. I want her to be a friend, someone the Marines and crew can call one of their own, and an effective killing machine against her enemy. A Spartan is strong but they're a loner, right now in this place being a loner is not an option to any one of us."
"Do you really believe it's the right choice?"
"I don't know. But whatever will become of her, we'll make sure it's the best. Parents are responsible for their children, aren't they?"
"We're a military organization, Doctor, not daycare."
"You know what I meant."
For after all what is man in nature? A nothing in relation to infinity, all in relation to nothing, a central point between nothing and all and infinitely far from understanding either.
TBC.