A/n: (Warning, some parts contain fucked up shit that would make anyone's blood boil. It involves rape, though I do not, and would not, condone such animalistic acts. So I apologize in advance if some would find it uncomfortable, which you should, because if you don't, you're on the deep end already.)
///
Babylonia
Dorms
Anastasia opened her eyes, blinking a few times as her vision adjusted to the relatively recognizable place. She squints her eyes to scan the room, only to be met by the familiar building of the abandoned factory. Glancing around her in a calm manner, she finds herself standing in a dimly lit hallway. Her eyes wander towards the ceiling, only to find a never-ending white light above her.
"Is this a M.I.N.D. simulation?" The Commandant mutters to herself before walking forward. The place was surrounded by a murky haze, not sufficient to block one's view, but is enough to distraught someone. She puts a hand on her head as she feels a bit queasy, wondering if she was in a trance.
Just walking on the hallway alone, she could already feel that there was a negative energy coming from somewhere in the building. The place was, technically, long dead. Lights flickered on an about, adding to the uneasiness in the atmosphere. Feeling that something wasn't right here, she slowly reaches for her pistol on her holster.
?!
Only to find nothing there.
"...shit..." She stops dead in her tracks as she rummages through her combat pants. Neither her APS nor her kukri's were with her. She realizes that there wasn't anything strapped on her, just her plain uniform. Seeing that she has no weapons to defend herself, if ever something happens, she lets out a sigh.
"At the very least, I still have my fists." She rolled the sleeves of her uniform up to her elbows, as if expecting a brawl. Though she doesn't bother showing off her impressive skills to others, she still prides herself for being a dangerous gal when it comes to close quarters combat.
With that out of her mind, Anastasia goes through the intricate maze-like corridors of the abandoned factory. Try as she might, she couldn't find any traces of corrupted roaming the area. Not even one broken mechanical parts can be seen littered in the hallway. She pokes her head on abandoned rooms from time to time, hoping to find something, but to no avail. Just seeing this was enough for her to think that this wasn't real, because she knows she has already made it back to Babylonia.
But there was this strange feeling on her head. A voice, in the back of her mind, a tugging of sorts, telling her to go deeper down the structure. It felt like she was controlling her body, but at the same time, she feels that she was being controlled. Without any other choice, she turns left towards the stairs and proceeds to go down deeper.
The musky scent of rusted metal tickles her nose, making her sneeze. The familiar door of the last room greeted her, it's hinges still intact like it wasn't busted open from before. She glances back behind her, only to see that there wasn't any staircase leading back above. The only thing left to do is to enter that place.
Tracing her fingers at the rusted door, she firmly grips the handle. Using her strength, she easily pries the door open. The hinges let's out a guttural screech, before completely opening sideways.
"What in the world..." Anastasia muttered and stared at the room wide eyed.
Blood flooded the floor, almost ankle deep. It splashes on her combat boots, staining it in dark blue. After going inside, she then realized that it was vital fluids.
"A...nasta..sia..." A coarse, rough voice called out in front of her, making her look towards the source. Though sundered by a murky haze, she saw a silhouette. Much to her surprise, he was standing there.
"Lee? You know me?" She slowly takes small steps forward, as if to assure him that she meant no harm. She does her best to keep calm as she assessed the situation.
His clothes was ragged and tattered, smeared with his dried vital fluids. His face, oh god his face, was gashed and clawed, ripping off the synthetic skin that covered his metal frame. He was surrounded by black and red electrical currents, making his already imposing figure more frightening.
"Yes...I know you..." The spectre that is Lee slowly but steadily raises his right arm, gun aimed right at her.
"It's because...you murdered me..."
*BANG*
"Haagh!" The matress creaked at her sudden movement. Anastasia immediately sat upright, cold sweat running down her spine. Breathing in and out, she does her best to calm the bursting sensation in her heart. She puts a hand over her eyes, massaging it after that dreaded nightmare.
"That felt so real...". She says to herself. She knew for a fact that her chest was tightening into a knot, even though she was only shot in the imaginary world she created.
"Commandant? Are you alright?" The calm, soothing voice of Liv came from beside her. She looks over to her side to see a worried expression on the silken haired construct.
Anastasia reaches out and pats her on the head. "I'm alright. Just a...recurring nightmare since I was a child." She said, lying with a straight face. Sometimes, it's easier for someone to lie than to tell the truth.
"If you say so Commandant." Liv gave her a worried look. "Lucia and I tried to wake you up because you were moving in your sleep." Still in her nightwear, she leans her on her Commandant's shoulders, silently hoping she wouldn't get pushed away.
"...what did you dream about, Commandant?" Liv asked after a moment of silence. Anastasia seemed to be in deep thought, before leaning her head against Liv.
"It was a ghost...but he was a good ghost..." She mutters.
"A good ghost?" The construct inquired.
"Yes...one that was murdered.."
She still cannot stop blaming herself for what happened to him. Sure, there were a lot of obstacles and circumstances, but they, no, she could have saved him. Try as she might to forget what happened, his face would resurface whenever she closes her eyes. It makes her stomach knot.
"I was worried. You were muttering indecipherable words too." Liv says and puts her hands over hers.
"Don't you worry now." Anastasia says and smiles at her, before caressing the construct on her cheek. Liv looks at her with surprise, but she doesn't push her away. Much to Anastasia's surprise, she reciprocated the gesture. Liv smiled when she saw a sudden change at her Commandant's apathetic expression.
"Anas...tasia.." Liv muttered shyly, their eyes locked on each other. She feels a swirling sensation on her M.I.N.D, and her face began heating up. Even though her Commandant just woke up, she couldn't deny the ethereal beauty of her face. In the heat of her momentum, she reaches out and tucks Anastasia's hair behind her ear.
She couldn't explain it, but she's beginning to feel attached to her. If you ignore her enigmatic behavior and that cold gaze of hers, you'll find her a warm person to hang out with. Just seeing Anastasia was enough to make her feel...complete?
"Ahem."
"Hyaah?!" Liv shrieked, startled by the newly awoke Karenina, who stood there with her arms across her chest. She yawned pretty loudly, before scratching her hair which was a mess of storm.
"Isn't this a bit too early?" The golden eyed construct eyed the two of them dubiously, before pointing at their position.
"Huh?" Liv glanced back in horror, only to get her face buried between Anastasia's chest. She unknowingly embraced her after being startled by Karenina.
"A-Ah...I'm s...sorry.." Liv stammered before standing up. She was also embarrassed after seeing the amused look Anastasia gave her.
"It's alright Liv, besides, it was Karenina's doing." She glances to the said construct before stretching.
"H-Huh?! Why are you putting the blame on me?!" Karenina flared up, though they couldn't take their eyes off of their Commandant's chest as they bounced from the movements.
"It's rude to stare you know?" Anastasia opened one eye before going to the bathroom. The sounds of the faucet being turned on and off came from the bathroom.
"...why do you guys have such assets..." Karenina murmured while looking at herself in the mirror. She already fixed her storm of a hair, and hugs herself as she shuddered in newfound jealousy.
"Flat...isn't always bad. It has added benefits, you know?" Anastasia emerged from the bathroom, rubbing a damp towel on her face. She looked fresh as ever.
"Really?!" Both constructs shouted.
"Yes. For example, you can hide in between walls, without worrying to be seen."
Liv and Karenina puffed their cheeks. "T-That's just mean!"
"Alright, flats and mounds aside, where's Lucia?" She glanced around and finds Lucia's bed clean. And on the far most corner was Sophia, still sleeping soundly. Well, given that almost three days with no sleep, it's not a bad thing to have a break as a reward.
"She went to fetch Iris...There she is!" Liv said, pointing towards the glass window. Soon, the sliding door to their dorms slid open, and two constructs went inside.
"Good morning Lucia." Anastasia waved at her and smiled. Even though it's considered morning, the lack of sunlight was still unnerving. She gently wakes Sophia up from her slumber.
"Good morning, Commandant." Lucia greeted back, before gesturing to the girl beside her. A construct with average height, and a slim body. She was wearing a white sweater and a striped skirt. She was scanning the room with those wide, emerald colored eyes of hers.
"Iris, you can use the spare bed beside Karenina."
In that instance, all heads turned towards Lucia, before glancing at the silver haired girl. They were staring at her in disbelief.
"H-Hello?" Iris said awkwardly. Her smile froze in place when the tall, grey haired girl walked and came up to her.
"Are you really Iris?" Anastasia leans in close and whispers to her ear, making the girl reel back in surprise.
"S-seriously! Stop with the teasing!" She takes a step back and straightens her clothes, before clearing her throat.
"Yes, I am Iris Apollschzzia. I will be joining task force Gray Raven for the time being. G-Glad to be working with you."
"You're so cute Iris!" Liv said and hugs the silver haired construct. They were cuddling each other like they were long friends.
"Isn't Liv a bit lively today?" Lucia murmured, asking no one in particular. She puts her sheathed weapon on the bedside, before walking to the kitchen counter.
Her hand shakily hovers at the ingredients humans use for their food. As much as she wanted to cook something for Anastasia, she's afraid she might blew up the kitchen for a second time. And she doesn't want to go through another embarrassing moment.
"Well, I saw her and Commandant all getting lovey-dovey with each other when I woke up. Like, they were leaning against each other." Karenina nonchalantly commented before shaking her head. "Honestly, she can be too much to handle sometimes. Even I couldn't—"
She looks over to Lucia, only to see the veteran construct glaring at her with a dull look on her eyes.
"W-Whoa, Lucia! You're not putting the blame on to me now too, are you?!"
Anastasia only watched this lively atmosphere with a smile on her face. A break from all those fighting and carnage was all she needed after all. This small cluster of a group, as well as Bianca, was where she could open herself up comfortably.
"..good morning Commandant." She turns around to see Sophia sitting on the bed.
"Good morning. Had a good night's sleep?"
"Yes, I did. If I may ask, who's she?" The small construct pointed towards the silver haired girl.
"That's Iris. For some reasons, Asimov made her a structured body, not that I dislike it." Anastasia said and stared blankly at the door.
"Is that so?" The small construct mumbles before stifling out a yawn.
Now that she thought about it, they were keen on not to let her go with Iris yesterday. She doesn't want to pry into their conversation, or whatever they talked about. But she couldn't shake a feeling that something was happening on the sidelines.
What did Babylonia want from Iris? Why was she brought back here on the station? Questions rose from her mind as she spares a glance to the said construct. She couldn't see, nor sense any malicious intent on those emerald orbs of hers. And to be honest, she was already in great care with those Rhodes Island folks in the first place. What does she possibly possess that made Asimov give her a frame?
"Commandant?" Lucia's gentle voice called out to her, snapping off her reverie.
"What is it?"
"The terminal went online. Our mission log has been updated. Celica wants us on the hangar at 1100. It appears that we have another combat mission."
"So, no rest for the good huh?" Anastasia said and stood up, before stretching those impressively long legs of hers.
"...yes." Lucia responded, her eyes unknowingly lured by that alluring thighs of hers.
"Alright then, you heard Lucia." She bellowed in a loud and commanding tone, startling the others, especially the newcomer. "Get your things ready for the upcoming mission!"
"Roger!" And with that, like the elite soldiers they are, the Gray Ravens began to equip themselves for the urgent mission.
"Feeling left out?" Anastasia asked Iris as she puts on her coat. She could see that she was being overwhelmed by how fast and flexible they operate.
"A little bit... You guys really are an elite task force." She murmured when she saw Sophia emerging from the bathroom, already clothed like she wasn't half asleep a minute ago.
"Well, we could use another support-type construct in our ranks." Anastasia smiled and patted her in the back. She was already geared up, with her sidearm and blades on her. She suddenly remembered that dream, and shivered a bit after his figure flickered before her eyes.
"W-Wait, how did you now this frame is for support?" Iris asked, tugging at her sleeve.
"It's not that hard to see. You have no means of protecting yourself, let alone a weapon to kill your foes." She points at Iris's frame. The only thing she was holding was a slim, rectangular shaped object that looks like a data pad.
"Honestly, what are you? You see through things too easily." The silver haired construct frowned before grabbing her bag. Lucia, Liv and Sophia were already geared up and was waiting for orders.
"Well then, let's move out." Anastasia shook herself from the jitters and gestured for the four of them to follow, leaving only Karenina all by herself.
///
Hangar 0-5
"Thank you for heeding the call. Have you all got a good night's sleep?" Celica asked as she entered the bay.
"Yes we did, Miss Celica. What's our mission this time?" Anastasia asked, Lucia at her side. She glances a few meters behind her, where Liv and Iris was sitting near the armory. She was being briefed by Liv on the basics of support, as well as asking her on what weapons she liked to use.
"Still as straightforward as ever. Alright, command wishes to send the Gray Ravens to Germany. Your landing zone is five kilometers west of the town of Ratingen. Establish a small forward base there, and wait for further orders." Celica responded and gave her a micro chip which contained updated map of the area.
Sophia was currently inside the medium sized airship they were going to ride in. Not only does she excell at mechanical engineering, she could also pilot well.
"Germany huh? Well, why would Babylonia want a forward base so far out?" She asked. Sure, humanity is gung-ho into the reconquest of Earth, but shouldn't they supposed to take it slowly for the time being. As far as the latest update she knows, ground forces have just finished cleaning up city 045. Why would they need a forward base that far?
"It's only for a short term mission, since command has sent constructs there for a classified mission. The base will act as a supply base for them. Any other questions?" Celica inquired, careful not to delve down on the topic that much. She didn't notice the dubious look Anastasia gave her as the Commandant pocketed the chip.
"There are no more questions. We'll be going now." Anastasia salutes before motioning Lucia to follow. Celica stayed there for a while, chatting with other team leaders and Commandants as she checked on their situation.
"Liv, Iris, how's the progress?" She went beside them and stared at the screen of Iris's data pad.
"I'm just doing some finishing touches Commandant. The only thing that left me baffled is that you can't link your mind on hers." Liv said as her fingers worked on the keyboard, clacking as she typed down commands to better sync Iris on the team.
Anastasia frowned a bit after hearing that. That strengthened her suspicions on Babylonia, specifically Asimov. Why would you make an inver-device that doesn't let any Commandant connect to it? Sure, constructs who go in solo missions don't need Commandants like a task force would, but they can still be linked when something happens.
Iris doesn't seem to know anything. Her eyes are innocent, showing her pure intentions. She would need to ask her questions somewhere private, like the airship's cabin, for example.
"Excuse me," A male voice came from behind, making them all look towards the source. "Are you perhaps Commandant Anastasia?"
"Yes I am. Who are you?" Standing the same height as hers, the man stared at her eye to eye. Sporting silver, medium length hair, he had a look of carefree-ness surrounding him, though she wasn't sure if that's true.
"You're the Anastasia? The one who got First class merit at the youngest age?" The male construct, who didn't even answered her question, asked again."
"...yes, that's me." Anastasia's brows furrowed as she remembered the reason she got that. She instinctively touched her left arm, which was replaced by prosthetics.
"C-Commandant, you got First class merit?!" Liv gasped and jumped from her seat, startling Iris. She couldn't blame her though, given most of her publicly available information was covered in black ink.
"Calm down Liv. Yes, I did got awarded, but that was years ago." Anastasia puts a hand the silken haired construct's shoulder to calm her down.
"Hey guys, I can't believe were being teamed up with Commandant Anastasia!" The male construct said as another five constructs went beside him. Though they greeted her respectfully, she didn't like it the very least.
"I'm sorry, who are you?" Anastasia asked again, unnerved by the attention she was receiving.
"Wait, what the hell is First class merit?" Iris chimed in, adding to her displeasure. The six newly arrived constructs were talking to each other, especially about her achievements. Even the ones she knew that are supposedly classified parts of her files were starting to come out of the lead construct's mouth. For some reasons, this infuriated her, and she badly wanted to punch someone.
"Would everyone please shut their mouths for a second?" Anastasia said, almost shouting. The chorus of voices stopped after seeing her frowning expression. Even Liv and Iris went silent. They stood rigid, not knowing what to do.
"For starters, who the hell are you?"
"S-Sorry about that, Commandant. I got carried away." The male construct laughed and awkwardly scratched the back of his head, before clearing his throat.
"My name is Dylan, leader of fireteam Azazel. We are told to act as escorts for task force Gray Raven." He extended his hands, and Anastasia shook it. His grip was firm. Strong, to say the least.
"Wasn't told about that, but if it's your mission, I won't override it." Anastasia said and motioned for Lucia and the others to board their airship. They meekly complied, afraid that they might anger her again.
"Do you have your own craft? Or will you go with us?"
"Oh, we have one. We'll be helping out with the forward base. It's a pleasure working with you, Commandant." Dylan smiled and saluted, before telling his team to go to their airship. The cluster of six constructs talked and laugh as they walked away from her.
She didn't take her eyes off of them until they disappeared to their ramp. She couldn't help but feel that something was off with that smile of his, and the way he acted.
'Was he faking it?' Sighing to herself, she boarded their airship. She doesn't want to have beef with others, especially fellow Babylonians. But if they are the ones instigating it, or if they cause discrepancies on her team, she won't think twice to retaliate.
"Liv, do a quick search on Azazel squad." Anastasia said and went to a nearby command panel. She quickly opens the latest terrain of the country of Germany. Liv hummed in agreement before typing in words and began looking for the same squad.
"Hey Liv." Iris leaned in to her and whispered, oblivious to the fact that Anastasia was already standing behind her. "What's First class merit. Those guys back there were talking like Anastasia's a celebrity or something!"
"Well, even I was surprised by that. I read Commandant's file too, but it was mostly redacted. First class merit is the highest award humanity could give to a soldier. N-Not to brag about it but, I also have one." Liv glanced at her and smiled awkwardly. But her smile froze as soon as she saw Anastasia staring at them.
"You too— Huh? Wow, you look like you saw a ghost or something. What, it's not like Anastasia's standing— HYAAAH?!" Iris screamed after bumping her face to Anastasia's chest.
"Y-You! How long have you been standing there?!" She tried to push Anastasia a bit, only for her not to budge. She tried pushing her harder, even leaning her back against the table, but to no avail.
"Hah..hah... Are you a freaking wall or something?"
"About your first question, I've been standing here since you started asking about me. And for the second one, I'm not flat as you." She gestured at Iris's chest, making the construct hug herself.
"Not you Liv." Anastasia followed up after seeing Liv puffing her cheeks. Lucia only narrowed her eyes, while Sophia glanced at them with a shaded look on her face.
"Anyways, anything on that squad?" She pushes Iris aside, much to the silver haired girl's complains.
"Yes Commandant. I've searched about Azazel squad on Babylonia's records, and it appears that they are an elite squad from Kurono's special forces." Liv said and squinted her eyes, as if double reading the file.
"Kurono ops huh..." Anastasia muttered, blankly staring at the report plastered on the screen. She knew full well that doing something as easy as establishing a small supply base was enough for the Gray Ravens to handle, but letting them have an escort from Kurono ops?
"What are you on about...Asimov..?" She internally thought. Something was happening on the sidelines, and she couldn't shake the fact that they were being used as pawns.
"Sophia? Let's get moving." Anastasia said and touched her transreceiver.
"Copy that. Babylonian airship, codename Corvus 1-1 is taking off." Sophia responded in a calm, yet excited manner.
The rest of the team soon settled on the spacious area of the cabin, complete with a small room with four bunk beds on top of each other. Liv sat on the the couch, still busy analyzing and syncing the latest map update of Germany. Iris was also on her data pad, familiarizing herself on how she would help the team.
What Anastasia worries was that she had no means of defending herself. Even Liv, who's considered the latest of the support-type series, has her Levi-guns to use for her protection. It's not like she would shoot plasma or laser beams on her eyes now, would she?
"Can't be helped huh?" She mutters to herself as she set down her things on the bed. She would just have to provide protection in case something happens.
"Entering Earth's atmosphere, please buckle up." Sophia's voice came from the speakers.
"Commandant, why would they send an escort team?" Lucia asked as she sat down across her. Anastasia noticed that she was tapping one of her foot on the ground, as if distressed.
"What do you think of this mission Lucia? Do you think that something is off too?"
Lucia stared at her for a bit, before pulling out a small robotic-like humanoid. She places it on the small side table sitting in near the bedside.
"That was given by Lee years ago. It's a small interfering device, undetectable by any form of security hardware. Just a precaution, Commandant. Who knows who's listening in." Lucia said and glanced at the others. They still seemed to be absorbed on their own world.
"Yes, yes I do think that something is playing in the sidelines. Like we're inside a much, much bigger picture. Normally, before you became our Commandant, President Hassen or Commander Nikola would also present alongside Miss Celica. This time however, she seemed to be on someone else's orders."
"So you're saying that someone is pulling the strings from the sidelines, and that it's not President Hassen nor Nikola?" Anastasia inquired. If Lucia says yes, then there's only one person who she would need to confront later on.
"I don't want to point fingers Commandant, especially towards my superiors. But the one that comes to mind would be the chief scientist, Asimov." The crimson eyed construct answered as they stared at each other.
Anastasia sighed and leaned back on the soft bed rest. "Yes. I can't help but think that Asimov has something to do with this. Why is Iris assigned to us? She wasn't even drilled on weapons handling as far as I know."
Lucia nodded. "When I went to fetch her on the medical ward, she was all alone. Not even a trace of scientists or doctors." She stretches her arms and leans back on the couch.
"Did she tell you anything?"
Lucia thought about it— which she almost forgot— and suddenly leaned on her elbows.
"She mentioned that President Hassen and Celica came to see her, but that was probably just for formalities, Commandant."
Anastasia sighed again, feeling more and more restless as dozens of questions came on her mind. She spares a glance towards the silver haired construct, who wad still absorbed by the information on her data pad.
They locked eyes for a moment, before Iris smiled sheepishly at her. She then averts her attention back on her data pad and continued what she was doing. Anastasia does the same, and blankly stared at Lucia.
"Commandant, you should take some rest. We probably won't have time to rest once we're on the ground." Lucia stood up and reluctantly puts a hand on her shoulder. Anastasia smiles at her and nods.
"I guess you're right. Well, take some shut-eye too. Tell Liv and Iris to take it easy, and check on Sophia from time to time." She removed her coat and neatly folds it before putting in on a nearby drawer. Lucia nodded and went beside Iris, asking the girl if she needed any help.
Based on the vibrations on the aircraft's cabin, she surmised that they were already on Earth. She feels a mix of uncertainty and excitement as she laid down on the soft matress.
She closed her eyes, feeling the tingling sensation of drowsiness washing over her body. Her mind goes into a state of peacefulness, and in a span of a few minutes, she was already asleep.
Her eyelids flickered a bit, and she was back yet again on the factory.
.
.
.
///
Temporary campsite
3 kilometers from the town of Ratingen, 1500 hours.
Lee flicks open the seal, before popping the flare open. He stabs it on the ground as he watched the bulky aircraft bearing the insignia of Babylonia close in from above. The smoke was white, acting as camouflage from the enemies. It uses specialized phosphorus materials that can only be seen with an infrared vision.
He breathes out, his hot breath visible on the cold weather, only to be blown away by the raging thrusters of the landing aircraft. He pressed the request button on his transreceiver and looks at the aircraft.
"This is Babylonian fighter craft 1-4, callsign Gas Chamber touching down.". He hears the voice of the pilot as their intercoms linked. He flips open his portable control panel and readjusts the frequency, before resetting it into a more and secure line. Who knows if the enemy is listening in.
"Now who the fuck names their craft Gas Chamber?" He snickered, amused by the name.
"The previous pilot." The co-pilot responded as the bulky airship touched down on the snow in an agonizingly slow manner. He takes a step backwards as the thrusters made a haze of snow.
"All clear!" Lee shouted before banging the aircraft's side to signal them out. As soon as the ramp touched down, six constructs clad in winter gear clambered down from the transport. They greeted him a salute, before one of them walked towards him.
"You must me Lee, the team leader?" The construct asked before they shook hands. "My name is Ford, glad to be working with you."
"The feeling's mutual." Lee replied before eyeing the sky. However, he couldn't find the second aircraft that was supposed to be here.
"I thought there was supposed to be a second squad? Where are they?"
"They weren't following us when we left the outpost. I tried radioing their pilot, but no one answered." Ford replied as the men in his squad made their way towards the incline.
"Fuck. Did command told you anything about it?" Lee asks, hinting words laced with frustration. He specifically requested two squads; One for transporting back the expedition team and one to hold the fort until the expedition team is out of danger.
"None, they just told us to sortie here for combat. It's about an extraction, if I'm not mistaken." Ford replied as they walked side by side. The aircraft's engines has died down, leaving nothing but the sounds of the howling wind. Lee had to wipe the screen panel from time to time as snow covered it almost instantly.
"Well, you got that right. We got a civilian on that tent down there," he points towards the three military tents sitting in the snow. "That's why I requested another squad because she needs psychological treatment and support back on the station. Can't believe the higher ups fucked it up."
"Well, shit happens." Ford replied, earning a discontented sigh from Lee. Silence hung above them as they went into the incline, the other constructs already waiting for them. Though the corpses were already gone, telltale signs of carnage still remain.
The squad could smell the stench of death hanging around Lee, as well as the surrounding foliage. The trees were pockmarked by frozen holes, courtesy of the hot plasma and positron rounds they discharged to the enemies.
"..So when do we sortie out?" Ford asked, blankly staring at a severed head looking at him on the ground. The poor man's eyes were wide open, and he surmised that the construct in thick black jacket did this.
"As soon as you guys are ready. Pack enough ammo, and ready your swords. We are gonna do a search and rescue on that town." Lee pointed in the distance, the taller buildings visible even amidst a mild snowstorm.
"We're seven constructs here, plus my partner. That makes us eight. We'll just have to wait for... speak of the devil." He sighs before nodding towards the downhill path.
The others glanced behind them, and saw a female construct walking without her coat. Her tank-top was impractical for the current season, but she doesn't seem to be bothered by it. Beside her was Narzissa, who was hugging herself in a desperate attempt to keep herself warm.
"Yo, thought you guys are leaving me out of the fun." Thana said with a grin that made the other constructs a bit uncomfortable. She reminded them of a certain someone, someone that smiles in the most sadistic way possible.
"Shut up and escort Narzissa back to the aircraft please. There's a heater system in the cabin, so she'll be much comfortable there." Lee sighed and gestured towards the transport craft sitting ominously in the snow.
"Don't worry," he added, seeing the distressed look on Narzissa's face, "You'll be guarded, and no one's going to hurt you from now on now." He pats her again in the head, but immediately retracted it afterwards. There was something that flickered before his eyes.
A flash of pink hair? No, that can't be right. He glances at the small girl in front of him, only to be replaced by a complete stranger. A drowning sensation washed over his chest as he saw a girl with the most enchanting cerulean eyes he could think of. In that instance, he felt like he was floating in a sea of clouds.
"Hey. Are you alright?" Thana snapped her finger and asked after seeing his conflicted expression. This pulled him out of his reverie. She was still relaying live feedback towards someone in Babylonia, making this development something worth studying.
"I uhh...nothing. Let's get back on track." He shakes his head to shrug off his thoughts. But he couldn't help himself think about the girl he saw.
'Why did she look strangely...familiar? Who was that girl?' questions rose from his head as he pointed on the map. He needs to distract himself from the distraction that is his mind.
"Right. We'll be separated into two teams. Thana will lead the other group. Ford, you go with her." He glances over to the construct and receives a nod. Thana exited for a brief moment to escort Narzissa back towards the Babylonian airship.
"Your objective is to find the crashed airship. There's some sort of a black box there, and can be only opened by a code from fellow Babylonians. Once the code appears, it expires in five minutes, so do it fast. Retrieve it for further investigation once we get back to the station."
"I'll lead the team and find the lost construct, Ayla. This is a shoot to kill operation, so don't bother hesitating to kill them when you see one. Are we clear, or crystal clear?" He asks the elite constructs in front of him.
"Crystal clear sir!" They said in unison. They soon began running a full check on their frames. From plasma rifles and pistols, to swords and knives, nothing was left unchecked. They were all ready to go.
However.
"Aw dude, why can't I go with you?" Thana pouted and leaned on her sheathed weapon as support. This action made her already loose tank-top more loose, showing a tad bit of her cleavage. Lee just stared at her with a dumbfounded expression, since he wasn't in the mood like how he handled Vera.
"Are you an arse or what? I need you to lead the other team for me, capiche?"
"Tch, what a douchebag." Thana muttered, earning a glare from Lee as he lead his team past her.
She looks over to her team, as if sizing up their worth. Seeing that they could probably handle themselves, she smirks.
"Alright, you heard my man. Let's sortie out." She claps her hands and faced her team.
"I'm not you're man, or anyone's man you dumbfuck!" Lee shouted from afar.
Thana laughed at his statement as she straps her weapon back to her waist. She just shrugged off the cold and paved a path for her team. Her group soon followed Lee's, annoyed by the fact that there was a sudden spike in strength on the snowstorm's gale. Eight constructs traversed the knee-deep snow, the cold wind screaming it's ghostly wail at them.
Ford was staring dumbfounded at their acting leader, who was still in her tank-top. He and the others couldn't comprehend what was going on in that head of hers.
They were even warned that the winter here wasn't your normal one, that it could cause severe damage to construct frames when left untended. Of course, Thana was aware of that, as well as the stares she was receiving, but she paid it no mind.
"...How long have you been working together now?" Ford posed a question, unnerved by the sudden awkwardness in the atmosphere.
"Hm? Me and Lee? We just got partnered up this one time." Thana replied and glanced towards the said construct. On an outsiders perspective, one would say that he's unbothered by anything.
But Thana knows it was far from that. Even though there was a thick haze of snow blanketing around Lee, she could still see that hiding under that stoic facade of his, was a lost and confused boy.
"Is that so? I thought you guys were partners for a long time." Ford chuckles.
Yes, of course they would think of it that way. They must've thought that she had special feelings for him because of how she acted back there.
"Nope. Only met him a day and a half ago." She replies and grabs hold of the snow swallowing their footsteps. She rolls it into a solid ball in her hands, before taking her sweet time aiming at someone.
"Uh, what are you.."
"*swoosh*" As if the thrower is gifted by a sniper's aim, the snowball gracefully travelled across the air. Thana grins in anticipation as the ball neared it's intended target. However, it completely missed, because Lee stopped a step short.
She hears a crackle on their private intercom, before an exasperated sigh from Lee.
"If you do that again, I'll fuck you up." He says in the most threatening hiss he could muster before continuing his march. She doesn't know how she saw it coming, but that wasn't important right now. The important thing, is to annoy him.
"Hmm. Okay, when?" Thana inquired, much to her partner's dismay.
"H-Huh?! Would you please shut your mouth for a minute?" He sighs exasperatingly.
"Alright, alright."
Thana chuckled, amused by Lee's reaction. For some reasons, she wants to annoy him badly. Not that she feels happy about his situation, knowing full well how awful having overlapping memories.
Her mind wanders afar as the snow covered wasteland took their sweet time. She doesn't know much about him, only that he was part of Kurono ops before being transferred into a task force. Serving as a solo operative inside Kurono, she didn't had the luxury to interact with others, let alone form a bond between them. But what she did have was a lot of time to see people come and go. What a sad life to live.
When the news about the incident down on the outskirts of city 015 reached her, she just got back from a failed mission from Jakarta. That was when Nikola suddenly transferred her directly under Asimov's command.
"Why am I being transferred? Wasn't I a good pawn~?" Thana asks and bends forward on Nikola's desk. The stern commander didn't even care as to spare a glance towards her, focusing on signing the important parts of her files. He puts it in a manila folder before handing it to her.
"Lame." She frowns at him before taking her file. She puts it inside her satchel before facing him.
"So what's my new mission sir?"
Nikola pauses and stares at her for a brief moment. "Have you heard of a construct named Lee?"
Thana pondered a bit after hearing that name. She puts a finger on her chin and rubs it, before finally thinking of something.
"You mean the tech guy from...what, seven or eight years ago? I heard he has a brother. Is he still in Kurono?"
"Yes, that's him. I'm surprised you still remember others." Nikola retorts before handing her another file. "Read those, that's his files. You'll be receiving orders directly from Asimov from now on. If Hassen gives you some missions, follow your original one first. Got it?"
She frowns as she skims through the files. It was all embedded in her sharp memory as soon as her eyes caught sight of the words. Classified records from the past years of his service are all for her to see. She felt that something was up with her current situation, but she did her best to not let it show on her face.
"So..." She puts the files inside her satchel. "Does he need purification or something? If you're asking me to take on a fellow construct, and an Elite one at that, isn't it high time to upgrade my frame?" She puts her hands on her waist and taps her foot on the ground repeatedly. Just seeing his success rate was enough for her to question her strength.
"Thana, that frame of yours is already a wonder, even for me. Who knows how much strength you're still holding back." Nikola stands from his seat before turning his back towards her.
"He doesn't need purification, nor do you need to kill him. Asimov will assign you to monitor him for the time being. That's why you'll have your orders from him." The stern commander said as he gazed outside the window.
"Great, babysitting? Did he revert back to a child?" Thana mused, hiding her confusion on that joke.
"He's dead, that's what happened."
A short silence filled the room as Thana tried to comprehend what she heard. Looks can be quite deceiving, and that's the case with her. She looks like an incompetent construct, or what they would call a delinquent. But behind that smug smile and carefree attitude of hers lies a completely different person.
Some would even ask if she could follow orders, or if she even finishes her missions. They brand her as a liability just because on how she dresses. If she were the type to boast her skills and strengths to others, she would surely be respected.
"You say he's dead, but here I am, getting sent to babysit. Don't tell me the Chief has fucking resurrected him?" She asked, a bit unnerved by that fact.
"You're right. He's back to the land of the living. He was put down by the Commandant of Gray Raven, but Asimov has some plans for him." Nikola replied and sat back down on the chair. He examined every inch of her reaction. He knew full well that this construct in front of him is up to the job.
"Isn't that straight out insensitive? The guy got...what, corrupted? He was already dead long before that Commandant ended his life! You humans don't have any, any fucking clue how the virus works if it enters your body. What's your right to use him again?" Thana said, unknowingly raising her voice. She felt something tick inside her mind after hearing what happened to the poor sod. She felt anger rising up on her mind, remembering her past.
"Another surprise. You don't get upset that often, let alone for the sake of others." Nikola chuckles. He then takes out a micro-chip and throws it at her. "Alright, enough chitchat. Go report to Asimov. Dismissed."
Thana stared blankly at him, and for a second, she wanted to stab him straight through the heart. But she controls her hand, who in their right mind would want an army of constructs from the Purifying Force up their asses? She salutes and silently takes her leave, before heading towards the scientific ward.
Still, she couldn't help but feel sick. In the first place, constructs are already being used as tools and get discarded once they succumb to the virus. What disgusted her more was the fact that they resurrected a dead one.
She stopped short on the door leading to Asimov's office. Her hand hovers at the doorknob as her mind thinks of something.
'*sigh*, I'll play with the act for now.'
She steps inside the room, and makes the most normal face she could.
"Chief, you called for me?"
...
"Fuck." Thana murmured, finally coming about her senses. She glanced around the others to see them still begrudgingly treading the snow. The light from the ever so clouded sky was starting to dim, indicating that it was nearing night time.
The snowstorm was getting fiercer as time ticked by. She wouldn't be able to see Lee's team if not for the special goggles she wore. They were walking about fifty meters in front of them, slow as a snail. For the first time since setting foot on this iceland, she could feel the faint coldness on her skin.
"How much farther from the town?" Ford shouted beside her.
"Use the intercom! I won't hear you clearly over the sounds of this fucking wind!" She replied, before tapping on her transreceiver. The frequency was a bit messy, but she managed to connect to the team channel.
"We're halfway there, just heat your asses a bit." Thana spoke, earning a chuckle from her team and Lee's.
"We ain't like you who doesn't get affected by the cold." Lee said. "How are you even alive right now?"
Thana puffs out a victor's breath. "I'm full of surprises buddy."
Though she's classified as a tank-type construct on the files, it's a whole lot complicated in real life. She has the toughness and resilience needed for a tank, and the speed and flexibility of an attacker-type construct. And since she's mostly solo leveling her entire service, she's become more and more of an enigma.
"Wait! There's a construct signal...coming from that town! It's sending distress calls!" Ford exclaimed, surprised at the sudden appearance of the signal.
"Hail it! It could be Ayla's!" Lee responded, making the others activate their signal beacons.
However, Thana furrowed her eyebrows. She takes out her data pad and checked. Sure enough, there it was.
But why now of all times? A construct signal could appear even as far as five kilometers, but it only activated now, when they were close to the town.
In that moment, a realization struck her. They were on the open, with nowhere to use as cover. The signal suddenly appeared for only one reason.
"Cut the connection! It's a trap!" Lee hears Thana's voice booming in his ear. For a second, he wanted to shout back at her, but something struck him odd.
However, it was already too late.
With Lee's team being in the front, they were the ones who hailed the distress signal first.
"Wait, something's in the distance! Look!" One of the constructs in his team yelled and pointed at the sky. Lee glanced up, and sure enough, something was coming straight at them.
His eyes widened when he realized what it was.
Mortars.
"Disperse! Disperse!" He shouted, waving his arms off, as dozens of explosions landed around them. Suddenly, a shell landed right next to him, before exploding. Chunks of rocks and dirt came flying at his face.
The last thing he saw before being thrown to the air was his team being blown to pieces.
///
"Lee! Shit!" Thana shouted as a series of flashes occurred in front of them. Explosions soon followed afterwards, rocking the surroundings as shells rained from above.
"Move! We need to help them!" Ford shouted at the others, before doing his best to run on the knee deep snow. Soon, shells began exploding near them, throwing off dirt and soil high up in the air.
Thana saw rapid flashes of blue plasma fire coming from the haze. This meant that they were retaliating to whoever was bombarding them. She unsheathed her blade, before pressing a button located on the hilt.
In one swift movement, the weapon transformed into a sleek, gray rifle. She loads in a plasma cartridge before rocking the slide.
"Ford! Find the rest! I'll go find Lee!" She orders and hops through the snow with ease. Seeing that she's out of range from the others, she sends an 8-bit file to Asimov. This would work since their general location was already exposed to the enemy spotters.
"Overt. Mortar fire. Lost sight of Lee."
She frowns as she scanned the surrounding snow. Craters filled the snow covered plains, brown dirt staining the white land. She aims her gun in the treeline and fires. She catches sight of white geared soldiers moving in from the crater.
The faint click of her communications device made her check her inbox.
"Find Lee. Make sure he's not in wounded."
"Damnit." Thana gritted her teeth before firing rounds in the distance. She ducks down on a ditch as bullets whizzed over her head. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as the sounds of battle intensified. Based on the never-ending chorus of gunfire, she surmised that they were facing a platoon of enemy soldiers.
"Can't be helped." She springs out of cover and activates her pseudo-shield. She spots a movement of white in front of her and instantly aims. These guys were using the terrain at their advantage, and she couldn't deny that it was a good strategy.
A round through the chest was enough to kill the soldier, his body falling limo on the snow as blood oozed from the wound. She makes quick and precise shots, all aiming at their heads and chest. Bullets harmlessly bounced from the shield, making her invulnerable. She dives to the right just in time to avoid a mortar blast.
"Damn it..." The elite construct muttered and tapped her transreceiver. A piece of shrapnel hit her shield, and for a moment, she thought it would go through.
"Ford? Any luck finding your boys?"
Muffled sounds of plasma fire and shouting can be heard from the other side of the line. "Yes! All three are lightly wounded. No sign of Lee though!" Ford exclaimed and continued firing his weapon.
"Shit. Find a suitable place to treat the wounded! I'll go get Lee." Thana responded and discharged the empty plasma cartridge. She slams in a new one and cocks the weapon. She hears distinct shouting of Russian profanity from the soldiers inching closer to her position.
"Are you kidding me? That's a death wish!" Ford argued.
"He's my partner! Who leaves their partners alone?" With that, she cuts the connection off and goes into the fray.
She dries out her magazine towards a group of soldiers, their pained screams filling her ears. Her weapon reverted back to its original state as she closed in on the enemy ranks.
"Блядь! Стреляй в эту суку!" A captain orders as the construct broke through their lines. Their rifles are useless on close quarters, so they had no choice but to pick up their bayonets and shovels.
Thana smirks. "Lets dance boys!" She lunges forward and cuts the captain in half. The blade tears through the uniform like butter, all the way through flesh and muscles, until it cuts in cleanly in half. The body tumbles to the snow, showering it with blood and intestines.
The men stared at her in horror as she easily cuts though their ranks. A soldier swings his shovel at her in a downward arc, aiming for her seemingly exposed neck. The swing was so wide that she could see it coming from a mile away. She parries the strike counter-attacks with her own, cutting off the man's hand.
He screamed and held the bloodied stump on his arm, before collapsing on his knees. His screaming was cut abruptly when his head fell off from his body, tumbling on the snow as his body followed afterwards. Thana swiped her sword sideways, bright blood dripping from the blade.
She takes long and quick strides, closing the distance in just mere seconds. She raised her weapon once more, it's blade now coated with a murky, black substance. The remaining survivors of this watched helplessly as their comrades get literally butchered to pieces.
Heads and limbs fell to the ground as Thana made quick work on the soldiers. A slash there, a slice here, her blade destroyed everything on her path. The surrounding clearing was splattered with bright, red blood, flowing and mixing with melting snow like a river of sorts. She wipes her sword clean, before sheathing it back to its scabbard.
"He's supposed to be here somewhere..." She strides deeper and nearer into the outskirts of the town. She could already make out the houses and buildings on this part of town. Her heads up display showed her a cluster of seven blue dots to her right, still fighting off the remaining enemy soldiers. However, Lee's last signal came from up ahead.
She swipes her hand on the nearby foliage, and stood there rigid as she gazed what was left on the mortar team.
The place was littered with corpses, some so badly mutilated that it sent shivers down her spine. She takes a cautious step down on the clearing, unsheathing her sword as she held it in a fighting stance in front of her. She glances around the bodies, all of them having readings of the Punishing Virus.
That's when she decided to break radio silence.
"Shit chief... Just what the heck is Lee..? You are seeing this, right? Don't you turn a blind eye on this one." Thana says as she lightly kicks a mangled limb, which was starting to rot as the trillions of nano-micro organisms of the virus ate it away.
"So that's what his frame does without Iris... I see, I see. Please continue searching for him." Asimov curtly replied before turning off his audio.
"Tch." She clicked her tongue in frustration before walking forward. A quick look at the bodies was enough for her to question whatever experimentation was conducted on that frame of his. All of the corpses had gunshot and gashes, indicating that he used his main weapons.
But the fact that all of the dead bodies here was having a high reading of Punishing Virus has her feeling...afraid of him? No, more like wary. Having someone strong like him in their ranks was a double edged sword. He could go apeshit on them if he learns the truth.
A sudden movement to her left made her enter into a battle stance. She held her breath as her sword stood still, the blade pointing downwards on the moving snow. Soon, after analyzing it, she saw that it was a human.
Barely human.
Half of the man's face was covered in rotting flesh, the virus gnawing at him as he held on to dear life. His legs were both gone, and she could clearly see the broken bones jutting out of the severed limb.
"Do you speak Eng-ga-lish?" Thana said slowly as she inched closer to the mutilated man. His head slowly moved to the side as he stared at her, his mouth wide open. Blood and saliva trickled down to his chin as he spoke.
"...demon..." He raises his arm and pointed his index finger towards the general direction of the town. Afterwards, he lets out a last breath and stared into the sky.
Thana stared at the snow covered buildings, and her eyes instantly darted to the road. She sees a trail of bodies, their blood painting the white snow in red.
"Lee... Fuck it." She sheathes her blade back on the scabbard and made a dash towards the town.
.
.
.
///
"How does it feel to see your fellow Babylonians die because of you?" The Russian soldier standing beside the monitor screen said in a very tough accent. He zooms in to see a cluster of constructs fighting in the snow, with waves of Russian and German soldiers approaching from their flanks.
He lets out a dry laugh, before resuming to put on his clothes. He then drinks straight from the bottle of vodka on the table, before joining the others as they played cards.
Ayla just watched helplessly as they used her distress signal as bait. When she woke up, she was already tied in chains. She couldn't feel her left arm, given that it was left untreated for a while. Even her pain receptors wasn't working properly, due to the amount of damage and trauma her frame received. But she persevered.
"Hah, I'm done with her. Her mouth felt good. Who's the next one?" A soldier says as he lifts his pants up and buckles his belt. She feels the familiar warmth of discharged semen on her bare chest, dripping down to her exposed belly as they used her tirelessly for fun.
"You'll all...pay for this..." Ayla muttered weakly under her breath as she was pushed to the ground. She sees a broken mirror facing her under a worn bed, and she catches a glimpse of her face.
Battered and worn, dried tears and seminal fluid covered her once cheerful face. Her magenta colored eyes, now devoid of life, stared back at her lifelessly as she was indiscriminately raped by these vile humans.
Try as she might, she couldn't muster the strength to fight back. She did put up a resistance before, but that was all for naught. Slapping a shock collar to her neck, she was robbed out of her free will. All she could do was watch as they violated her body. Even though it's considered 'just' a frame, it was still her body.
One sided sounds of pleasure filled the room, as the soldier rocked his hips back and forth. He slaps her in the face, as if wanting to get a reaction from her. Once finished coming inside of her, they just tossed her back on the corner of the room as they laughed at her pathetic figure.
The sense of time was lost to her as she stared blankly at the cloudy sky. The only thing filling her ears were the incessant sounds of chattering and the blasting of mortars.
She feels the warm fluid leaking out of her hole. Tears streamed from her eyes and down to her cheeks.
'What did I do to deserve this? What did I do wrong..?' Ayla sobbed as she feels the tightening sensation knotting in her chest. She wanted to scream so bad, but no voice, not even as much as a whimper could escape her mouth.
Lying there naked, her body doesn't even respond to the cold. She couldn't feel anything rather than the pain in her heart.
"Oi, the next squad is here. Is she still alive?" The soldier from before said and checked on her. She stared at that malicious orbs of his with her lifeless ones.
"Tie her to the bed." The man ordered, two soldiers heaved her up to her feet. She was pushed to the bed, the metal joints creaking as she squirmed.
"Please...no more.." Ayla sobbed, only to be slapped by one of the soldiers.
"Look at those breasts! Even my wife doesn't have that big." One of the newly arrived men commented after seeing her bare figure on the bed. The others snickered and laughed at his comment as they began removing their things.
Ayla closed her eyes, feeling tired after all she went through. She reels in disgust when she felt a lot of hands touching her body. They laughed and threw sultry insults at her, but she kept her eyes closed.
'Someone...please...save me–'
*CRASH*
Smoke and snow fell from the hole on the ceiling. Ayla opened her eyes and saw that the men inside the room stopped what they were doing. Even the one that was lining his dick on her entrance stood up at the sudden ruckus.
"Что это было?" One of the soldiers voiced out, but no one answered. Instead, more snow fell from the hole, making the room a bit hazy.
Ayla lifted her head and stared at the murky white haze. She instinctively used her infrared vision to check on who it was. Much to her surprise though, she came face to face with a tall silhouette.
"You humans..." A male voice came from the fog. "You're all really... irredeemable pieces of shit, aren't you?" The voice growled, words laced with anger. Slowly, they all saw a large silhouette emerging from the haze of snow.
The tall man was wearing a thick jacket, the hood shading his face to keep the others from seeing who he was. All their eyes were drawn to his right arm, bloodied from hand to elbow.
Wrapped in his hand was a human heart, still beating as if it was freshly dug from a person's chest. Blood continued to drip from the piece of muscle as it throbbed, pumping it out as if it was still inside the body.
The man finally lifted his head, showing the maddened expression on his face. His eyes, those golden rimmed irises of his screamed unimaginable anger and hatred. His face was contorted in a mixture of anger and a smile, which sent an immense fear on the soldiers inside the room.
He lifts his hand up and crushed the beating heart into bits of muscle, before letting it fall unceremoniously to the ground. He takes a glance towards the tied up Ayla, and for a moment, their eyes locked.
Ayla cowered in fear after seeing the anger in his eyes. She closed her eyes as his words repeatedly played in her mind.
"You... I'll send you all in fucking hell!"
To be continued.