Author Notes: "I started to feel anxious about writing this kind of conversation, but after reading Mihara's character episode, I felt relieved. The depiction of the walk had me laughing so hard."
-----
Volume 2, Episode 3
The days of misfortune continue.
Lieutenant Shaw Moore is 22 years old. The hardships of this young man might have started right after his commission. At least, that's from what he remembers.
"... I'm sorry..."
He murmurs weakly while maintaining his assault rifle inside the armory of the forward base headquarters.
The apology muttered while assembling the components of the TetraLine assault rifle, after disassembling and cleaning it. This statement was acknowledged by the three Nikkes
"Please don't worry about it."
"Yeah, yeah. You looked cool, Commander."
"Even Sensei shouted like that, huh? All the mass-produced Nikkes were surprised and rushed over."
Even though he had a gun pointed at him, and even though his subordinate,Neon was insulted as "junk metal" , it wasn't the appropriate response when dealing with the CEOs of the three major corporations. Whether it's even possible to describe the experience of encountering that... That's a whole another story.
The shouting was so loud that the mass-produced Nikes who were resting in the quarters rushed over, thinking that something abnormal had happened in the headquarters. But putting that aside, it became an even more troublesome situation.
Syuen left the headquarters half in tears, and due to also wetting her lower body, but the two remaining Nikkes were left to explain why she had come here.
The two were Mihara and Uni, who make up the squad named "Wardress."
In brief, according to their explanation, Syuen came all the way here on the specific order of capturing a certain Rapture.
"... Is this a legitimate operation? Rapi, contact Shifty in the Information Division."
"Understood."
The CEOs of the three major corporations seem to possess authority equivalent to the vice commander of the military, and with their orders, refusal becomes difficult to say the least.
In Moore's mind, the image of the military's goal to defend the large-scale community named "Ark" and reclaim the surface has become even more distorted. He can't understand why civilian individuals like CEOs can intervene in the military's chain of command. They don't need to be completely virtuous, but they should at least maintain an appearance of propriety.
With a sigh, Moore alternately pulls the lever of the assembled assault rifle's trigger and checks whether the safety, single-shot, and automatic switching lever are functioning correctly. In between, he orders Rapi to contact and confirm with the operator. She immediately attempts communication by placing a finger to her ear.
"... Commander, I can't get in touch with Shifty."
"─ Well, that's expected. Syuen cut off all communication networks. The headquarters must be in turmoil right now."
A tall figure wearing bondage attire, who had just appeared with loud footsteps in the armory, affirmed Rapi's words and provided additional information. In response, their attention turned towards her.
"... Your name, Mihara right? What's going on? Cutting off the communication network is no trivial matter. I hope it's not the case, but are we being dragged into some kind of rebellion?"
"Hehe. No, Lieutenant Moore, it's more like..."
Her walking style alone could be described as enchanting. In fact, it's hard to find a Nikke, or even a human, with such allure.
Mihara, who had approached Moore's side while he finished inspecting the assault rifle and began attaching accessories to the rail mount, suddenly extended her arms around his neck.
Though Moore was tall, Mihara was equally so. Wrapping her arms around his neck like a snake, she exerted force, her ample bosom forming a cleavage that surrounded his arm as he worked on the rifle. Then, as if stretching, she leaned her lips against his ear.
"─ It's-A-Sec-ret-Mi-Ssion."
As if on a whim, she blows a sigh into his ear, emitting a scent from her white limbs that could almost compromise his rationality, and whispers. However, his expression merely shows annoyance.
"... How boring. Don't you dislike it when a Nikke does this to you?"
"It's not a matter of liking or disliking. It's just not to my taste."
"Oh my... So, if it were normal, I would be in "your" taste then?"
"... Get away from me. You're in the way."
Shaking his arm slightly to free it from the cleavage, Moore decides to leave the armory, clutching the assault rifle and accessories, intending to complete the rest of the assembly in his command room. However...
"── I've come to receive ammunition. Number 1 high-performance explosive C-5 and detonators... those with fuses attached. Assault rifle ammunition for this one, 360 rounds, and also 6 hand grenades... That's all. Please take care of it."
"Understood, Commander! ... What are the explosives going to be used for?"
"Just a little something... Oh, I forgot. While I'm not here, absolutely do not enter the command room. This is an order. Make sure to convey it to everyone."
After receiving ammunition and such from the mass-produced Nikke in charge of the armory, Moore vanished into the command room.
An hour later, the three accompanying Nikke, together with Moore, completed the reception of ammunition and such, and they boarded a car for departure from the forward base. Left behind to watch them go, the mass-produced Nikke who were tasked with staying back exchanged puzzled looks.
"So, he's with another squad..."
"Was there any kind of notice about such an operation?"
"I don't know? It seems it was decided suddenly. Oh, right. The commander said, 'Don't enter the command room under any circumstances,' remember?"
"Huh? Why?"
"I have no idea."
"Speaking of which, about 30 minutes ago, the commander went to the command room with thin wires and duct tape. Does that have any connection to it?"
----
The vehicle driven by Mihara entered the elevator, and shortly after, the ascent towards the surface began.
Is he the only one who still hasn't gotten used to this indescribable sensation of floating?
It would take some time to reach the surface. Trying to pass the time, Moore puts a cigarette in his mouth, but then remembers that this isn't a squad vehicle, and he addresses the driver's seat.
"Is smoking prohibited inside the car?"
"Yes. Uni is also here, so I'm sorry."
"Sorry... Commander."
Sitting in the rear seat, the vertically oriented chairs facing each other, Moore asks the driver's seat, and the response indicates the Nikke girl with peach-colored hair seated in the front passenger seat.
Well, that can't be helped then. He puts the just-took-out cigarette back into the soft pack. He tosses the lighter and the cigarette into a plastic bag meant for storage, together with his body armor pouch.
"How about chewing gum?"
"... Is it the kind with caffeine? It's not that I don't like the taste..."
At Anis' suggestion, who sits on the opposite seat with Neon, Moore lets out a sigh. While strong in flavor, it's far from a substitute for cigarettes.
The body's craving for nicotine and tar leaves no room for other alternatives.
However, without much more ado, Moore takes out a bottle with a warning label from his bag. After wearing gloves, he takes one pellet, pops it into his mouth, and starts chewing. His expression becomes blank the moment he starts chewing.
"... Is it tasty?"
"... Want to try it?"
Seeing Moore chewing expressionlessly, Anise became curious if the taste was particularly interesting. She asked him, and he responded by leaning out with the bottle still open and gesturing for her to take a pellet.
"... No thanks, your feeling's enough."
That's a pity. He shrugs his shoulders as if to say that.
The elevator doesn't simply move up and down. In order to reach various points on the surface, it's structured like a network. Because of this, it's not uncommon for it to take more than several tens of minutes to reach the surface.
However, this time seemed to be relatively short.
After about 15 minutes, the elevator doors opened as it reached the surface, and Mihara revved the engine, beginning to drive the car.
"How far are we going?"
"Don't be in such a rush. Impatient boys is not popular, you know."
"No, I just want to know the destination."
It's unsettling not to even be told the coordinates of the destination. In fact, it increases one's wariness. Neon asked Mihara, gripping the steering wheel in the driver's seat, but received a skillful dodge in response.
While Anis voiced her dissatisfaction, he also turned his attention to Mihara and spoke.
"... Are you okay where you got shot?"
"Oh, worried about me? Hehe, I'm fine. ──I like it. Feeling pain."
"....."
── Ah, as expected, her "taste" is in THAT sense...
Recalling the conversation he had with her in the armory of the forward base a little over an hour ago, he regretted not having been more careful with his words.
Well, as long as one's preferences and tastes don't inconvenience others, a certain level of acceptance should be granted. With that in mind, he didn't say anything, allowing himself to be swayed by the motion of the car.
-----
Author Notes: This commander is probably skilled at taking the dominant role. Verbal teasing, handcuffs, maybe even rope work for bondage (rumor has it)...
Author Notes: "I started to feel anxious about writing this kind of conversation, but after reading Mihara's character episode, I felt relieved. The depiction of the walk had me laughing so hard."
-----
Volume 2, Episode 3
The days of misfortune continue.
Lieutenant Shaw Moore is 22 years old. The hardships of this young man might have started right after his commission. At least, that's from what he remembers.
"... I'm sorry..."
He murmurs weakly while maintaining his assault rifle inside the armory of the forward base headquarters.
The apology muttered while assembling the components of the TetraLine assault rifle, after disassembling and cleaning it. This statement was acknowledged by the three Nikkes
"Please don't worry about it."
"Yeah, yeah. You looked cool, Commander."
"Even Sensei shouted like that, huh? All the mass-produced Nikkes were surprised and rushed over."
Even though he had a gun pointed at him, and even though his subordinate,Neon was insulted as "junk metal" , it wasn't the appropriate response when dealing with the CEOs of the three major corporations. Whether it's even possible to describe the experience of encountering that... That's a whole another story.
The shouting was so loud that the mass-produced Nikes who were resting in the quarters rushed over, thinking that something abnormal had happened in the headquarters. But putting that aside, it became an even more troublesome situation.
Syuen left the headquarters half in tears, and due to also wetting her lower body, but the two remaining Nikkes were left to explain why she had come here.
The two were Mihara and Uni, who make up the squad named "Wardress."
In brief, according to their explanation, Syuen came all the way here on the specific order of capturing a certain Rapture.
"... Is this a legitimate operation? Rapi, contact Shifty in the Information Division."
"Understood."
The CEOs of the three major corporations seem to possess authority equivalent to the vice commander of the military, and with their orders, refusal becomes difficult to say the least.
In Moore's mind, the image of the military's goal to defend the large-scale community named "Ark" and reclaim the surface has become even more distorted. He can't understand why civilian individuals like CEOs can intervene in the military's chain of command. They don't need to be completely virtuous, but they should at least maintain an appearance of propriety.
With a sigh, Moore alternately pulls the lever of the assembled assault rifle's trigger and checks whether the safety, single-shot, and automatic switching lever are functioning correctly. In between, he orders Rapi to contact and confirm with the operator. She immediately attempts communication by placing a finger to her ear.
"... Commander, I can't get in touch with Shifty."
"─ Well, that's expected. Syuen cut off all communication networks. The headquarters must be in turmoil right now."
A tall figure wearing bondage attire, who had just appeared with loud footsteps in the armory, affirmed Rapi's words and provided additional information. In response, their attention turned towards her.
"... Your name, Mihara right? What's going on? Cutting off the communication network is no trivial matter. I hope it's not the case, but are we being dragged into some kind of rebellion?"
"Hehe. No, Lieutenant Moore, it's more like..."
Her walking style alone could be described as enchanting. In fact, it's hard to find a Nikke, or even a human, with such allure.
Mihara, who had approached Moore's side while he finished inspecting the assault rifle and began attaching accessories to the rail mount, suddenly extended her arms around his neck.
Though Moore was tall, Mihara was equally so. Wrapping her arms around his neck like a snake, she exerted force, her ample bosom forming a cleavage that surrounded his arm as he worked on the rifle. Then, as if stretching, she leaned her lips against his ear.
"─ It's-A-Sec-ret-Mi-Ssion."
As if on a whim, she blows a sigh into his ear, emitting a scent from her white limbs that could almost compromise his rationality, and whispers. However, his expression merely shows annoyance.
"... How boring. Don't you dislike it when a Nikke does this to you?"
"It's not a matter of liking or disliking. It's just not to my taste."
"Oh my... So, if it were normal, I would be in "your" taste then?"
"... Get away from me. You're in the way."
Shaking his arm slightly to free it from the cleavage, Moore decides to leave the armory, clutching the assault rifle and accessories, intending to complete the rest of the assembly in his command room. However...
"── I've come to receive ammunition. Number 1 high-performance explosive C-5 and detonators... those with fuses attached. Assault rifle ammunition for this one, 360 rounds, and also 6 hand grenades... That's all. Please take care of it."
"Understood, Commander! ... What are the explosives going to be used for?"
"Just a little something... Oh, I forgot. While I'm not here, absolutely do not enter the command room. This is an order. Make sure to convey it to everyone."
After receiving ammunition and such from the mass-produced Nikke in charge of the armory, Moore vanished into the command room.
An hour later, the three accompanying Nikke, together with Moore, completed the reception of ammunition and such, and they boarded a car for departure from the forward base. Left behind to watch them go, the mass-produced Nikke who were tasked with staying back exchanged puzzled looks.
"So, he's with another squad..."
"Was there any kind of notice about such an operation?"
"I don't know? It seems it was decided suddenly. Oh, right. The commander said, 'Don't enter the command room under any circumstances,' remember?"
"Huh? Why?"
"I have no idea."
"Speaking of which, about 30 minutes ago, the commander went to the command room with thin wires and duct tape. Does that have any connection to it?"
----
The vehicle driven by Mihara entered the elevator, and shortly after, the ascent towards the surface began.
Is he the only one who still hasn't gotten used to this indescribable sensation of floating?
It would take some time to reach the surface. Trying to pass the time, Moore puts a cigarette in his mouth, but then remembers that this isn't a squad vehicle, and he addresses the driver's seat.
"Is smoking prohibited inside the car?"
"Yes. Uni is also here, so I'm sorry."
"Sorry... Commander."
Sitting in the rear seat, the vertically oriented chairs facing each other, Moore asks the driver's seat, and the response indicates the Nikke girl with peach-colored hair seated in the front passenger seat.
Well, that can't be helped then. He puts the just-took-out cigarette back into the soft pack. He tosses the lighter and the cigarette into a plastic bag meant for storage, together with his body armor pouch.
"How about chewing gum?"
"... Is it the kind with caffeine? It's not that I don't like the taste..."
At Anis' suggestion, who sits on the opposite seat with Neon, Moore lets out a sigh. While strong in flavor, it's far from a substitute for cigarettes.
The body's craving for nicotine and tar leaves no room for other alternatives.
However, without much more ado, Moore takes out a bottle with a warning label from his bag. After wearing gloves, he takes one pellet, pops it into his mouth, and starts chewing. His expression becomes blank the moment he starts chewing.
"... Is it tasty?"
"... Want to try it?"
Seeing Moore chewing expressionlessly, Anise became curious if the taste was particularly interesting. She asked him, and he responded by leaning out with the bottle still open and gesturing for her to take a pellet.
"... No thanks, your feeling's enough."
That's a pity. He shrugs his shoulders as if to say that.
The elevator doesn't simply move up and down. In order to reach various points on the surface, it's structured like a network. Because of this, it's not uncommon for it to take more than several tens of minutes to reach the surface.
However, this time seemed to be relatively short.
After about 15 minutes, the elevator doors opened as it reached the surface, and Mihara revved the engine, beginning to drive the car.
"How far are we going?"
"Don't be in such a rush. Impatient boys is not popular, you know."
"No, I just want to know the destination."
It's unsettling not to even be told the coordinates of the destination. In fact, it increases one's wariness. Neon asked Mihara, gripping the steering wheel in the driver's seat, but received a skillful dodge in response.
While Anis voiced her dissatisfaction, he also turned his attention to Mihara and spoke.
"... Are you okay where you got shot?"
"Oh, worried about me? Hehe, I'm fine. ──I like it. Feeling pain."
"....."
── Ah, as expected, her "taste" is in THAT sense...
Recalling the conversation he had with her in the armory of the forward base a little over an hour ago, he regretted not having been more careful with his words.
Well, as long as one's preferences and tastes don't inconvenience others, a certain level of acceptance should be granted. With that in mind, he didn't say anything, allowing himself to be swayed by the motion of the car.
-----
Author Notes: This commander is probably skilled at taking the dominant role. Verbal teasing, handcuffs, maybe even rope work for bondage (rumor has it)...
