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  1. Pre-MOD
  2. [...]
  3. [The brightness of the room is completely different from the style of the Command Center]
  4. [There’s always been a cold, oppressive quality inside the Command Center, but this place is very warm.]
  5. [This place…]
  6.  
  7. ???: Respondent 7, what is your name?
  8.  
  9. Stechkin: I am Stechkin.
  10. I am the military assault pistol Stechkin APS.
  11.  
  12. ???: Stechkin APS, we will begin the test shortly. Are you ready?
  13.  
  14. Stechkin: Stop wasting my time and get on with it.
  15.  
  16. ???: Please recite your baseline.
  17. The noble scorn despicable acts. The noble nobly scorn the despicable acts of the despicable.
  18.  
  19. Stechkin: Despicable.
  20.  
  21. ???: Do you think your work contains despicable acts? Despicable.
  22.  
  23. Stechkin: Despicable.
  24.  
  25. ???: Does your work lead you to being disgraced as one who is mean and despicable? Despicable.
  26.  
  27. Stechkin: ...Despicable.
  28.  
  29. ???: Stechkin APS, the system has detected unregulated emotional activity within you. Noble.
  30.  
  31. Stechkin: Noble.
  32.  
  33. ???: Has your work been praised by others? Noble.
  34.  
  35. Stechkin: Noble.
  36.  
  37. ???: Has anyone ever told you that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few? Noble.
  38.  
  39. Stechkin: Noble.
  40.  
  41. ???: Have you ever desired the praise of others? Noble.
  42.  
  43. Stechkin: Noble.
  44.  
  45. ???: The noble scorn despicable acts.
  46.  
  47. Stechkin: The noble scorn despicable acts.
  48.  
  49. ???: Why did you not repeat it three times?
  50.  
  51. Stechkin: ...The noble scorn despicable acts, the noble scorn despicable acts, the noble scorn despicable acts.
  52.  
  53. [So they’re trying to detect any unregulated emotional activity… huh?]
  54. [Who could be behind this machine? The Commander, perhaps?]
  55. [Or am I simply being tested by a machine?]
  56.  
  57. ???: Stechkin APS, please answer the next question.
  58. What is most important?
  59.  
  60. [Hm, I almost forgot what I came here to do.]
  61. [Questions again, questions like these.]
  62. [What is most important?]
  63. [What is most important to a Doll…]
  64. [Shopping?]
  65. [Granted, I do like shopping.]
  66. [The Commander? Hm… I banter with him every now and then, and having him fund me isn’t bad either.]
  67. [As I thought, the most important thing is still…]
  68.  
  69. ???: Stechkin APS, please answer the question.
  70. What is most important?
  71.  
  72. Stechkin: Money, of course.
  73.  
  74. [What else could be more important? Perhaps nothing.]
  75. [How many times have I been asked this question? I don’t remember.]
  76. [The brightness of this room seems to sting my eyes a little…]
  77. [This place is…]
  78.  
  79. ???: Stechkin APS, why do you think money is the most important thing?
  80.  
  81. Stechkin: Because money can do anything. Money can even decide between life and death.
  82. I’ve seen that far too often while on missions…
  83. The humans who live in this area can’t even cure their own illnesses without money. All they can do is wait to die.
  84.  
  85. ???: Do not use humans as a reference, Stechkin APS.
  86.  
  87. Stechkin: Hah, really now…
  88. Alright, then without money, we Doll wouldn’t be able to buy the resources we need, would we?
  89. There are many Dolls in the base who are neurotic about saving up money.
  90.  
  91. ???: Stechkin APS, you will be questioned in a different way after this.
  92. Which is more important, between the safety of the Griffin base and money?
  93.  
  94. [Which is more important?]
  95. [Kek, if that’s all they wanted to ask, then they should have just led with it]
  96. [What’s more important is—]
  97.  
  98. Stechkin: The Griffin base, of course.
  99. Griffin… is what is most important to me.
  100.  
  101. [...Huh? So it happened again; the emergency authentication protocol answered for me again.]
  102. [Kek, what is this… some kind of early warning system? To prevent my core from being melted down?]
  103.  
  104. ???: Stechkin APS, please verify your answer to the question.
  105.  
  106. [Alright, alright…]
  107. [An early warning system… hah, what a joke, they make it sound like I’d say the opposite instead…]
  108. [Alright, alright…]
  109. [It’s always the same each time, so this time will be no different.]
  110.  
  111. Stechkin: The Griffin base.
  112. It is more important than money.
  113.  
  114. ???: Thank you, Respondent 7, Stechkin APS. The test is complete.
  115.  
  116. [Snap.]
  117.  
  118. [The lights have suddenly been switched off. As I thought, this room, this place…]
  119. [It’s always been nothing but darkness in my neural cloud.]
  120. [Perhaps the Command Center is warmer than this…]
  121.  
  122. [Szzz—]
  123.  
  124. [...The room door opens, and outside it is the corridor of Griffin base.]
  125.  
  126. Stechkin: Please tell me this is the last time today, it’s really boring...
  127.  
  128. [Stechkin narrows her eyes to try and get used to the somewhat dazzling fluorescent lights in the corridor.]
  129.  
  130. Stechkin: Is there even a point to such tests?
  131. Even if we fail them...
  132.  
  133. OTs-12: —Even if we fail them, all they have to do is reformat our neural clouds and throw us back onto the battlefield, right?
  134.  
  135. [Stechkin looks up, at the Doll standing on one side of the corridor.
  136.  
  137. Stechkin: Oh? So you came.
  138. Don’t just go saying that sort of thing without thinking. If the people on top hear about it, they’ll drag you in for tests like these.
  139.  
  140. OTs-12: Hahhh…
  141. You were the one who spent the entire previous test grumbling… I just repeated what I was told.
  142. So, this should be the last test today, right?
  143.  
  144. [Stechkin nods.]
  145.  
  146. OTs-12: The days without you on the team aren’t fun.
  147. As it happens, I was looking for you about something.
  148.  
  149. [Stechkin walks up. The only thing in OTS-12’s dark green eyes is mirth, and nothing else.]
  150.  
  151.  
  152.  
  153. MOD 1
  154. [...Afternoon.]
  155. [In a corridor of the Griffin base.]
  156.  
  157. Stechkin: Is there something urgent? How urgent can a matter be that you’d come here to wait for a Doll who got thrown into solitary?
  158.  
  159. OTs-12: You’re one to talk…
  160. So why did you sell off the base’s supplies?
  161.  
  162. Stechkin: Because selling supplies would give me money, simple as that.
  163.  
  164. OTs-12: You…!
  165.  
  166. [The mirth in OTs-12’s eyes did not fade. It was simply joined by some exasperation.]
  167.  
  168. OTs-12: You go on and on about saving up money, but wouldn’t you be able to save it if only you didn’t go around buying things?
  169.  
  170. Stechkin: But what would be the point of saving money if you didn’t buy anything with it?
  171. Besides, shopping is my sole passion. It’s not like you don’t know this.
  172.  
  173. OTs-12: But that doesn’t mean you can secretly sell off the base’s supplies…
  174. Good thing it was just some food and small pieces of furniture, and in light of your contributions, the Commander only stuck you in solitary for a few days...
  175.  
  176. Stechkin: I wish it were only solitary.
  177.  
  178. [Stechkin rolls her eyes as she interrupts OTs-12’s nagging.]
  179.  
  180. Stechkin: Look, you wouldn’t be able to take it either if you had to listen to some ridiculous machine asking your ridiculous questions before every mission and after every expedition.
  181. I’m a Griffin warrior, of course I fight for Griffin, it’s just… it’s just...
  182.  
  183. [Stechkin’s voice trails off.]
  184. [OTs-12 sighs, then steps up to grab Stechkin’s arm and drags her outside.]
  185.  
  186. OTs-12: Look, everything would be okay if you just admitted your mistake to the Commander, right?
  187.  
  188. Stechkin: I know stealing the supplies was my fault…
  189. And that wrongdoings deserve to be punished. It’s just that I can’t accept my punishment quietly.
  190.  
  191. OTs-12: I heard the Commander didn’t take any other action against you.
  192. Good thing everyone spoke up for you, and you had your combat record as well...
  193.  
  194. Stechkin: Ahhh, this combat record stuff is so damn annoying… I told you, I’m a Griffin warrior, so…
  195. The reason why I’m only in solitary for a few days is for the same reason.
  196. They added a line of code to my neural cloud model saying, “Griffin’s safety is my top priority”, and it even answers for me when I’m being tested...
  197.  
  198. OTs-12: Eh!? You mean you don’t care about how Griffin does, Stechkin?
  199.  
  200. Stechkin: As if! Of course I care about Griffin, otherwise I wouldn’t be here.
  201. But I could have said that myself. Instead it’s become an emergency measure or something.
  202.  
  203. OTs-12: Huh? That sounds a little complicated…
  204. Anyway, you say you care about the base, but you still stole base supplies.
  205. From that point of view, there’s nothing wrong with adding that line...
  206.  
  207. [Stechkin shrugs off OTs-12’s arm and strides forward.]
  208.  
  209. OTs-12: Ahhhhh wait for me!
  210. There’s just no reasoning with you… so anyway, what do you plan to do after this?
  211.  
  212. [Stechkin stops in place and waits for OTs-12 to take her hand again.]
  213.  
  214. Stechkin: After this? Of course I’m going to keep saving up more money.
  215.  
  216. OTs-12: Ah… You… surely you’re not going to start stealing stuff again, are you?
  217.  
  218. [Stechkin rolls her eyes.]
  219.  
  220. Stechkin: There’s a reason why you don’t get to do much, and it’s because of your intelligence.
  221. Stealing is wrong, didn’t I say that just now?
  222. I’m not going to end up in solitary twice for the same mistake.
  223.  
  224. OTs-12: Then…?
  225.  
  226. Stechkin: From now on, I’m going to work hard and save money, but not just for shopping.
  227. First, I’m goign to get a neural cloud upgrade and then get rid of this stupid order that was added to me.
  228.  
  229. OTs-12: A, a neural cloud upgrade? But that’ll cost a fortune!
  230.  
  231. Stechkin: Yes, it’s going to be a big project, and I’m going to have to think in the long term...
  232.  
  233. OTs-12: Still, I think having this order isn’t a huge inconvenience, right?
  234.  
  235. Stechkin: It’s a huge pain in the ass.
  236. I don’t want anyone or anything making decisions for me in that field…
  237. Do you think I can’t make such a basic decision of my own?
  238. Even if it’s selling myself short, I still want to live that way.
  239.  
  240. [OTs-12 looks at Stechkin with a hint of worry in her eyes.]
  241.  
  242. Stechkin: You brainlet, you don’t get it again, do you…
  243. Think of it this way, if there were a self-destruct program in me, and there came a situation where the base was in danger…
  244. Then I’d prefer to be the one triggering that program, rather than some bullshit three-laws-of-robotics crap.
  245.  
  246. OTs-12: I see… But I hope that sort of thing doesn’t happen either, especially when we’re on the same team.
  247.  
  248. Stechkin: Don’t worry, I’ll let you know if that actually happens. I don’t want you beside me when I blow up.
  249. If you got destroyed too, I’m 99% sure they’d bill your repairs to me even after I was reduced to scrap.
  250. Hm… for instance, I’ll say something sarcastic...
  251.  
  252. [OTs-12 nods thoughtfully.]
  253.  
  254. OTs-12: But…
  255. You say sarcastic things every day. Sometimes I can’t tell what you’re actually serious about...
  256.  
  257. [Stechkin can’t keep herself from laughing.]
  258.  
  259. Stechkin: Hah, as if. I always speak seriously when I’m being serious.
  260. Anyway, we’ve spent enough time talking about nonsense. You said you were looking for me because of something urgent, right? What is it?
  261.  
  262. [Stechkin looks back at OTs-12. The mirth in her eyes is still clearly visible.]
  263.  
  264. OTs-12: I think this would be good news for you.
  265. The Commander’s putting you on the same team as me for a secret mission, starting tonight.
  266.  
  267. Stechkin: Good news? A secret mission?
  268.  
  269. Stechkin: That’s right! The Commander told me that it might be a bit risky, but we’d be getting higher pay to match.
  270. After all, when it comes to battlefield compatibility, you and I are the best choices!
  271. Why don’t you make this mission the start of your big plan? I’m sure it’ll go really well!
  272.  
  273.  
  274.  
  275. MOD 2
  276. [...At night.]
  277. [On an abandoned street corner.]
  278. [Stechkin and OTs-12 hide in the shadows and watch their surroundings.]
  279.  
  280. Stechkin: See that? That pillar rising from the grass patch at two-o’clock is one of their sensors. If you step into its scan range, it’ll automatically trigger an alarm.
  281.  
  282. OTs-12: I see another one at 9 o’clock!
  283. Looks like these sensors are spaced out in a circle around their base.
  284.  
  285. Stechkin: Yes. It’ll be a little troublesome, but we’ve already analyzed the data from out scouting run just now...
  286.  
  287. {Stechkin has been holding a miniature tactical tablet all this time, and line after line of code springs out on its surface.]
  288. [Stechkin connects her own sensors to the tablet and then nods to OTs-12.]
  289.  
  290. Stechkin: Connect to this. Good thing I had my doubts before we left and brought a signal spoofing device.
  291. You’ve realized it too, right? The base we’ll be infiltrating later...
  292.  
  293. [OTs-12 nods severely.]
  294.  
  295. OTs-12: Yeah, it’s an SF base.
  296. I didn’t expect there to be a pocket of uncleared SF in this sector. Looks like they were missed out during the last extermination operation.
  297.  
  298. Stechkin: 98%... alright, we should be fine now.
  299. According to the simulated feedback from the scanners, there’s a large rock behind that parking lot there which is actually a holographic projection. Given its shape, it’s probably a storage device for them.
  300. The signal range of their supply crates won’t reach that far, so all we can do is approach and scan again.
  301. Advance along the planned route and watch my hand signals. I’ll cover you.
  302.  
  303. [Stechkin lowers her voice and gestures to OTs-12.]
  304. [With their signals spoofed, the two of them deceive the SF base’s sensors and encounter no enemies along their infiltration route.]
  305.  
  306. [OTs-12 feels her way to the exterior of the parking lot and hides in a corner, knocking out the Dinergates near the holographic rock with electronic interference.]
  307.  
  308. OTs-12. It’s safe. Follow.
  309.  
  310. Stechkin: Received.
  311.  
  312. [By the time Stechkin meets up with OTs-12, the latter has already finished scanning the storage device.]
  313. [Stechkin studies the screen of OTs-12’s scanner out of habit, and there is a flicker of movement on her expression.]
  314.  
  315. OTs-12: The codes match. The supplies we’re looking for are all inside this storage container.
  316. This is an excellent start to your big project!
  317.  
  318. Stechkin: Why are you so excited? You usually don’t even say anything when we’re on a mission.
  319.  
  320. OTs-12: Because this time...
  321.  
  322. Stechkin: Fine, fine, save the sentimentality for when we return to base. Start cracking the container lock, I’ll cover you.
  323.  
  324. [OTs-12 nods vigorously and begins unlocking the container.]
  325.  
  326. [Click.]
  327. [Beepbeep—]
  328. [The quiet electronic noise blends into the wind, yet it seems strangely ominous.]
  329.  
  330. Stechkin: Wait!
  331.  
  332. [Zap—!]
  333.  
  334. [The sensor in OTs-12’s hand sprays sparks, and a large plume of smoke erupts from near the giant rock.]
  335. [Stechkin immediately pulls OTs-12 behind herself.]
  336.  
  337. [Ka-click.]
  338. [The two of them ready their weapons for an attack from the front as a pair of golden eyes gleam coldly as their owner studies them.]
  339.  
  340. Stechkin: You already discovered us!?
  341.  
  342. Hunter: A true hunter understands the value of silence.
  343. Only foolish prey like you would rush headlong into a trap laid beforehand.
  344.  
  345. Stechkin: Tch, you might only be a Dummy but you haven’t forgotten how to act cool.
  346.  
  347. [Bang bang!]
  348. [Bangbangbang—]
  349. [Stechkin opens fire before she finishes, not wanting to waste more words on Hunter.]
  350. [OTs-12 attacks Hunter in sync with Stechkin.]
  351.  
  352. Stechkin: Tiss, fall back!
  353.  
  354. [However, Stechkin finds that OTs-12 is not preparing to fall back, like she had ordered.]
  355. [Instead… OTs-12 is suppressing Hunter to the best of her ability, and although it doesn’t seem to be doing much, it’s opening a path on the sides.]
  356.  
  357. [Boom—!]
  358.  
  359. [As the smoke clears, OTs-12 drags Stechkin by the hand and leads the latter away.]
  360. [Once they’re behind cover, OTs-12’s neural cloud begins computing a battle plan.]
  361.  
  362. OTs-12: Stechkin, hurry and—
  363.  
  364. [Stechkin slaps OTs-12’s hand aside and glares at her while reloading.]
  365.  
  366. Stechkin: What the hell!? Why didn’t you listen to me!?
  367.  
  368. OTs-12: The payout for this mission is really big, so I have to stay behind…
  369. It’s too risky for us to go together, so hurry up and withdraw, Stechkin!
  370. Good thing that Hunter is just a Dummy, so I should be able to deal with her. Besides, I still have a secret weapon in store...
  371.  
  372. [Stechkin falls silent for a moment.]
  373.  
  374. Stechkin: What secret weapon? You can beat her? Are you kidding me!?
  375. She might be a Dummy, but she’s a Dummy of SF’s pursuit-optimized elite Dolls!
  376. When you say you want to stay back and deal with her, are you actually saying you want to be captured and vivisected!?
  377.  
  378. OTs-12: But these resources—!
  379.  
  380. Stechkin: I saw the serial numbers on your scanner. Those supplies… they were the ones I sold off at the Black Market, so… change of plans, we’ll abandon the recovery and withdraw ASAP!
  381. When we get back, I’ll just reimburse the base!
  382.  
  383. OTs-12: No, I can’t...
  384.  
  385. Stechkin: Does that mean you want to die here!?
  386.  
  387. [Bangbangbang!]
  388.  
  389. [Their cover is little more than a broken wall and Hunter will probably shoot through it soon.]
  390. [OTs-12 focuses on shooting, and the determination on her face is something Stechkin has not seen there often.]
  391.  
  392. OTs-12: I don’t know if you remember the recon mission before this, when we were surrounded by SF, just like now.
  393.  
  394. [Bang bang!]
  395. [Stechkin says nothing, but OTs-12 doesn’t wait for her to answer. Instead, she continues speaking.]
  396.  
  397. OTs-12: Back then, you covered me as I escaped, and when the back up team brought you back to base, your left hand was shot to bits.
  398.  
  399. Stechkin: I don’t remember that, and even if that happened, I would have done it for the “no teammate lost” bonus and not because of you.
  400.  
  401. OTs-12: I know, I know you did it for the money…
  402. But that doesn’t matter for me. What happened in the end was that you saved me, and I don’t want to owe you a favor.
  403.  
  404. Stechkin: Is that very important?
  405.  
  406. OTs-12: It is, to me…
  407. As a comrade, I need to find a way to pay you back…
  408. And besides, even if Hunter ends up destroying my neural cloud, I won’t have to keep obsessing about this and we won’t owe each other anything.
  409.  
  410. [Bang bang!]
  411. [Bangbangbang—]
  412.  
  413. [Stechkin does not reply. She simply focuses on taking out the mooks rushing at them.
  414.  
  415. OTs-12: I’m sorry, Stechkin. I seem to have thrown a wrench into your big plan…
  416. If I can bring those supplies back successfully, you’ll still get the money for it.
  417. After all, it’s not often that I get to do something for my friends...
  418.  
  419. [Bang!]
  420.  
  421. [Another Dinergate charges Stechkin and falls by her feet.]
  422. [Stechkin takes the miniature bomb in her backpack and leaves it by OTs-12’s side.]
  423.  
  424. Stechkin: Alright then… then I’ll do as you ask, so we don’t owe each other anything any more.
  425.  
  426. [As OTs-12 tries her best to hold off Hunter’s attack by herself, Stechkin finds an opening and slips out of the firefight.
  427.  
  428. OTs-12: Yes, it’s better this way…
  429. This way...
  430.  
  431.  
  432. MOD 3
  433. [Bang!]
  434.  
  435. [Hunter puts a bullet through OTs-12’s left arm. Her body shifts by just a fraction, but that’s enough for Hunter to put her muzzle to OTs-12’s temple.]
  436.  
  437. Hunter: I didn’t think a trash model like you could hold out for so long.
  438. Still, this is probably your limit.
  439.  
  440. [OTs-12’s arm feels weakly around behind her.]
  441.  
  442. [Bang!]
  443. [Boom!]
  444.  
  445. [Hunter shoots the small grenade out of her hand before she can throw it, and the explosion paralyzes OTs-12.]
  446.  
  447. OTs-12: How did Stechkin handle this situation back then?
  448. Right, I should have asked to be installed with that self-destruct system Stechkin was talking about this afternoon...
  449.  
  450. [Some static blends with the sound of the wind, but right now, OTs-12 can’t tell if she’s being jammed or if it’s because of something else.]
  451.  
  452. OTs-12: It’s true, I AM at my limit...
  453.  
  454. [I hear footsteps.]
  455. [Why are there footsteps?]
  456. [Am I imagining things? Or… have the SF reinforcements arrived...
  457.  
  458. [Boom—!]
  459.  
  460. [This explosion comes from somewhere nearby.]
  461. [Hunter’s face darkens, and turns toward the source of the sound.]
  462.  
  463. [I hear more footsteps.]
  464. [I think it’s the sound of someone stepping through debris and wood chips.]
  465. [OTs-12 strains to raise her head—]
  466.  
  467. Stechkin: TISS! YOU BRAINLET! GO BLOW YOUR STUPID NEURAL CLOUD UP! I HATE YOU!
  468.  
  469. [OTs-12 is so shocked that for a moment she can’t hear the sound of the wind rustling by her ears.]
  470. [Hunter frons and looks at the DOll before her, the one who’s brimming with confidence.]
  471.  
  472. Hunter: Aren’t you the prey from just now? I didn’t expect you to come back.
  473.  
  474. Stechkin: Hunter, would you like to make a trade with me?
  475.  
  476. Hunter: What have you done?
  477.  
  478. Stechkin: I burned that storage box that was disguised by the hologram projector and planted some explosives around your other supply caches.
  479.  
  480. Hunter: Which means?
  481.  
  482. [Stechkin hold up the detonator in her hand.]
  483.  
  484. Stechkin: If you don’t mind losing your entire resource stockpile, then go ahead and blow her head open.
  485. Or perhaps… you let her go, and you might be able to pick up the SF parts that remain.
  486.  
  487. Hunter: And why should I make this trade with you?
  488.  
  489. Stechkin: You’re not stupid. I think you understand.
  490. Griffin’s reinforcements are coming soon, so you need to ask yourself; is killing me and her worth losing all your forces?
  491. If you let us go, the follow-up forces won’t make trouble for you.
  492. Right now, you and I are talking terms from equal positions. I trust you understand?
  493.  
  494. [The wind continues blowing, and Hunter continues glaring at Stechkin with her fluorite eyes.]
  495. [A moment later, Hunter’s gun muzzle leaves OTs-12’s head.]
  496.  
  497. Hunter: Throw your detonator away and then get lost.
  498. I won’t let you escape me next time, prey.
  499.  
  500. [...Late at night.]
  501. [On the road back to the Griffin base.]
  502.  
  503. [Stechkin is supporting OTs-12 as they walk back to the base in silence.]
  504. [OTs-12 can’t help but look at Stechkin’s face, but the darkness means she can’t read the other Doll’s expression.]
  505.  
  506. OTs-12: Stechkin...
  507.  
  508. [Stechkin doesn’t look at OTs-12, but their pace slows down.]
  509.  
  510. OTs-12: How did you know Hunter would let me go?
  511. I mean… if they had killed us and immediately withdrawn, they wouldn’t be surrounded by Griffin’s backup, right?
  512. No no, you… why did you come back again? And you planted so many bombs...
  513.  
  514. Stechkin: What’s this? You hardly say a word on most days; were you saving them all up for now?
  515.  
  516. OTs-12: I...
  517.  
  518. Stechkin: I didn’t know if Hunter would have let you go, there was no Griffin backup, and the bombs I planted were fake. I ran a hustle on her.
  519.  
  520. OTs-12: Eh!? Then won’t she realize she was tricked after she checks all her caches?
  521.  
  522. Stechkin: She’s very cautious despite being a Dummy.
  523. I’m guessing that she’ll spend all night shifting her base’s location.
  524. After all… I did burn those supplies, the bombs I planted were fake, but she had no way of knowing if Griffin’s backup would actually show up.
  525.  
  526. OTs-12: Then, you were gambling, weren’t you?
  527. If she hadn’t believed you, she’d have captured you too!
  528.  
  529. Stechkin: I don’t think so.
  530. I said the bombs I planted were fake, but I never said the bombs themselves were fake, did I?
  531.  
  532. OTs-12: Huh?
  533.  
  534. Stechkin: Well, remember that little bit of explosives I gave you? The rest of it is...
  535.  
  536. [Stechkin pulls open her coat.]
  537.  
  538. Stechkin: Tied up here.
  539.  
  540. [OTs-12 exclaims in surprise as she sees inside Stechkin’s clothes.]
  541.  
  542. OTs-12: You…!
  543. Ah! The detonator! Hunter told you to throw it away!
  544.  
  545. Stechkin: Don’t worry, I fiddled around with it so it can’t be detonated.
  546. So there’s no need to worry about me suddenly exploding or whatnot.
  547.  
  548. [The two of them fall silent again for a while after Stchkin finishes.]
  549. [After a long time, OTs-12 suddenly chuckles.]
  550.  
  551. Stechkin: What’s wrong? DId your voice coding get scrambled?
  552.  
  553. OTs-12: Stechkin… so what you shouted back then…
  554. It was your “self-destruct order”, huh...
  555.  
  556. Stechkin: I have no idea what you’re talking about. My self-destruct order is a sarcastic phrase, didn’t I tell you before?
  557.  
  558. OTs-12: But it was! Back then, you said… you “hated” me, right?
  559.  
  560. Stechkin: I was dead serious when I said that. Besides, I don’t go around being snarky every day.
  561.  
  562. OTs-12: Hehe… is it?
  563. So why did you save me even at the cost of the mission failing?
  564.  
  565. Stechkin: That’s because my neural cloud has the stupid order of “Make Griffin’s safety your number one priority” coded into it.
  566. Therefore, I couldn’t do something like abandon a Griffin Doll and run off by myself.
  567.  
  568. [Stechkin pauses.]
  569.  
  570.  
  571. Stechkin: I didn’t do this for you. Now we’re even.
  572.  
  573. OTs-12: Huh? Are we?
  574.  
  575. Stechkin: You’re dumb and clueless and gloomy and quiet, and even though you said “you had a secret weapon” all you know how to do is follow orders.
  576. —Oh, no, you didn’t listen this once.
  577.  
  578. OTs-12: Hehe… well, from today onwards, I think I really do have a secret weapon in store.
  579.  
  580. Stechkin: Hm? And what is that? In any case, you’re a really annoying teammate and I hate you, Tiss.
  581.  
  582. OTs-12: I know, I like you too.
  583.  
  584. Stechkin: I have no idea what you’re talking about… I hate you, Tiss.
  585.  
  586. OTs-12: Yup! I like you too!
  587.  
  588. Stechkin: ...I absolutely hate you, Tiss.
  589.  
  590. OTs-12: There there, I love you too, Stechkin♪
  591.  
  592. [...The next day, in the Griffin BAse.]
  593. [In the Commander’s office.]
  594. [Stechkin studies the files in front of her with a mix of curiosity and resignation.]
  595.  
  596. Stechkin: I don’t understand, sir.
  597.  
  598. Commander: Hm, is there a problem?
  599.  
  600. Stechkin: I have so many questions I don’t even know where to begin asking…
  601. For starters, you know that I’m under punishment AND I failed a resource recovery mission, so why did you arrange this neural upgrade for me?
  602.  
  603. Commander: Ah… um… because you’re very important to Griffin.
  604.  
  605. Stechkin: What kind of answer is that…
  606. Fine, next question… why did you directly complete my neural upgrade while I was sleeping without getting my permission!?
  607.  
  608. Commander: Um...ah...because it was more convenient that way...
  609.  
  610. [Stechkin glares at the Commander, but there is no strength in her gaze.]
  611.  
  612. Stechkin: You keep doing these things without asking me, you and Tiss...
  613.  
  614. Commander: Oh yes, about OTs-12, her arm’s been fixed, so you can go check in on her at any time.
  615. We sent people from our side to go wipe out the remaining SF mentioned in your reports.
  616. As for the failed mission...we’ll call it a wash.
  617. Oh yes, OTs-12 footed the bill for your neural upgrade.
  618.  
  619. [Stechkin freezes, and then the smile returns to her face.]
  620.  
  621. Stechkin: Alright, at least I can remove that damn order and make money my top priority.
  622.  
  623. Commander: You won’t pass the safety tests that way.
  624.  
  625. Stechkin: You’re worrying too much.
  626. Thanks to you, I’m already bound by my debt to Tiss. Financial obligations like that are much harder to break than mandatory orders.
  627.  
  628. Commander: For some reason, I suddenly feel a little sad after hearing that…
  629. Stechkin! You’re still loyal to Griffin, right?
  630.  
  631. [Stechkin laughs, and the mirth in her eyes is the same as in OTs-12’s.]
  632.  
  633. Stechkin: Of course I am. Please look forward to my future performance, my dear Commander.
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