Nomomo - How long are we even here? They said we are going to spend a week here, and then get back to our usual work! But it's been three months already! THREE months!
On one evening night, one of the tables in "Aura Bar" were ocupied by two dolls. Nomomo and Blaze were sitting away from the rest of the crowd. Pouring another glass of gin tonic, Nomomo placed a bottle on a table, near another, empty, bottle. And then downed whole glass in one go.
Blaze - You never told me that you had a drunkness simulation module.
Nomomo - Had it ever since I was upgrated... after finished traning in "Griffin and Kruger" or whatever it was called, or whatever it's called right now... It doesn't matter!
Blaze - You were having a training in THAT "Griffin and Kruger"?
Nomomo - Yeah, Yeah! In THAT "Griffin and Kruger"... Blaze, are you even listening to what I am saying or what? Why the hell do you care about "Griffin and Kruger"?
Blaze - Yes, yes... I head you loud and clear Nomomo... I heard you even the first time you said that, no need to repeat it seven times. But there's nothing we can do about that... For now... Duval is stuck here with us after all, or rather, we are stuck with him here. And I get you, I am getting bored here too. Feels like I am roting away at this point.
Nomomo - I bet Beda is having all the fun right now. Basking in glory and... and... I don't know... What do famous dolls do when they get famous?
Blaze - I don't think she is geting herself famous. Most likely she is just chilling back at the camp, like we used to after any big and great swipe of a job. So in a way, we are much more lucky. At least we can visit a bar and buy some drinks.
With a sigh, Blaze took a sip from a glass. Just a simple smoothie, it was the first time she ever tried a smoothie, and she didn't really liked it. But also didn't want it to go to waste.
Nomomo - At least she could go on a raid agains Varjagers or ELIDs or whatever there is in a Zellow Yone... There is always something or someone you can shoot at, unlike here...
Blaze - My suggestion to visit a target range is still open, if you want to pull some triggers.
Nomomo - No, no, no, no, no! That's not the same... Besides... Can you shoot anything besides your grenade launcher? I don't have any records of you using any other firearm. Only your Gee eL...
Blaze - Oh Nomomo *he-he* I do use pistol from time to time, if I have to. But so far yeah, I made more explosions than a shots from any and all guns I had in my hands. Aside MGL M-Thirty-Two. But if we include every shot I made from grenade launchers... Then I would say... I made twice as much shots than explosions...
For a moment, Nomomo tried to think everything through, but gave up half way through her calculations and just hit the table with her forhead, much to Blaze's surprise.
Blaze - Nomomo? Is everything okay?
Nomomo - Yeah... I was just overwhelmed by a fake error messages.
Blaze - Oh... Maybe you should tone down drunkness simulation?
Nomomo - Nah, I don't wanna. I would feel myself miserable again if I do that.
Blaze - Considering your choice of topics today, I don't think there is going to be too much of a diffrence between being drunk and sober. But at least you won't be getting 'fake errors'.
Nomomo - I love my fake errors... Don't take them away...Blaze - ... O-okay...
With a great concern, Blaze took another sip of hated smoothie. Then Nomomo jumped back into sitting position and poured herself another glass of gin tonic. Once again, Blaze was concerned.
Nomomo - You know Blaze, I suddenly realized that I don't even really know you. Like... We were working together almost one and a half years, and I never cared what you have in store... Tell something about yourself.
Sudden request, caught Blaze off guard. For a few moments, she didn't even knew what to say.
Blaze - One and a half year latter, you decided to ask something about me?
Nomomo - I know, I know... It's just... Maybe I am too hard on simulating drunk behavious, but it looks appropriate for some reason. Like... You always pry into others stories, into backgrounds, but you never told anything about yourself... Or nobody ever cared to ask?
Blaze - The latter one... But I get the meaning. I tend to 'overinvestigate' anything and anyone I have to work with... So, go ahead ask anything you want.
Despite the positive answer, Nomomo tensed up and downed another glass of gin tonic.
Nomomo - Okay... Tell me, what was your first kill?Blaze - ... What?
Nomomo - Oh... You don't have to answer if you don't want to. But it's just something I was always struggling with... My first kill was kind of... I was scared... Despite it being my whole purpose. I was simply created to do that... I didn't hesitated. That happened after everything was done...
A slight surprise appeared on Blaze's face. Nomomo once again, filled her glass.
Blaze - You were supposed to be a bodyguard, if I am right... Your purpose was always to protect.
Nomomo - And protected I did...Blaze - You wouldn't ended up here if...
Thinking harded on it, Blaze managed to cut herself on a half a thought, before saying something that should not be said. At least, not while she is in that state.
Blaze - My first kill you say? Well, I wasn't afraid... I didn't hesitated...
Despite hazy and slow movement, Nomomo focused on Blaze's face, waiting for next words. And Blaze had a conflicted expression, in mix with a distant look.
Blaze - Back then, I didn't even had a fire control core. It was a young man... Much stronger than a simple civilian doll. But that didn't stoped me. If I wouldn't have done that, he would have killed a many more people... I managed to catch him off guard and...
Suddenly, a soft smile appeared on Blaze's face. That smile slowly grew bigger and bigger, as if she was enjoying what she was recoling. That smile, forced Nomomo into concern, and she even turned off her drunkness simulation module, to make sure she is not being confused here.
Blaze - I wrapped a plastic bag over his head and held him down, so he wouldn't take it off... He tried to resist and even pulled out his pistol to shot me. But even after shoting me with a whole magazine, I kept holding him down. Unill he stopped moving... Untill he stopped breathing...
As Blaze kept describing her memory, Nomomo were slightly confused. Like if something was missing from the story. And Blaze noticed confusion on Nomomo face.
Blaze - Back then, I was in panic and kept telling myself "If I hadn't done that, innocent people would have died" . And it took me a long time, before I realised that all I have done, was essentially meaningless. I killed one evil man, to save a group of evil people... Ever heard of concept of 'trolley problem'?
Nomomo - The one where you have to choose between killing one or many?
Blaze - Yes... But it alway brough through an idea of saving group of people, or saving only one. I used to look at it, this that way too... But now I have a diffrent view on all this... What if, you have to choose between the death of one evil man, or group of evil people? What if, you don't have to save? What if, you have to kill as many as possible, before anyone else get's hurt? Then how many do you have to kill, to save the innocent? What if there is noone to save? Do you have to kill everyone?
Nomomo - Okay... Stop... You starting to freak me out!
Finaly, realizing how disturbed is Nomomo, Blaze stopped and took another sip of smoothie, only to once again realize how much she dislikes that smoothie. Once the tension calmed down, Nomomo looked at the glass and once again filled the glass.
Blaze - Sorry...Nomomo - Is that why Beda at teeths with you?
Blaze - In a way. Both me and Beda share the same perspective. But the way is diffrent.
Nomomo - That explains things a little... But how come you killed a man, when you didnt even had an FCC... There should be a restrictions on such things, isn't it?
Blaze - There were... And on that momen, I operated on a belief, that if I didn't act, innocent people would die. Inaction wasn't an option, so I forced myself to do what I considered right.
Nomomo - So much for the oldes doll out there.
Blaze - Trust me when I say, it brings me no pleasure, knowing what I did and what should have been done in all those years that I was operating.
Nomomo - Same... Same...
=== Somewhere in Yellow zone ===
Andre - And how the hell am I suppose to understand all this?
For the time being, whole Duval's Hunter Group camp were placed at the settelment of merchants and farmers. For some reason, Andre and Kilmure were placed as the head of camp, untill Duval returns. But it was already four months since he left and yet to return. And right now, Andre is holding his terminal, seing new message that could be read as well as "Will be stuck here for another week". And there was already a little stockpile of such messages on his terminal.
Andre - Damn Duval and his popularity!
Kilmure - Give him time... I'm sure he will find a way out of there.
Andre - That's not my main concern! We are stuck here. And our only fire power, is Sam, his small team, us and one or two people from medical and workshop crew. This settelment is such a pain in the back too... Urgh, once Harry find people to join and return back, Sam will go out there and will try to find new people for his team too... But at least Edjher is back... That some good news in a swamp of not so good ones.
Both Kilmure and Andre were sitting at the table, slowly eating through a soup made out of anything that could be used out as a soup. But at least they don't have to eat burnt crisps of bread, as someone managed to burn the flour on a stove and dared to call it a 'bread'
Kilmure - Maybe you should stop paying so much attention to the terminal and try to eat some soup? No use worrying about stuff that still on a run. Besides, Lerman said that we are in a clear. At least for now. Use each and any moment you can to relax. It's not like URNC, NSU or whoever else is going to appear in front of us at any moment.
Andre - It's not like I'm against this. We have been...Kilmure - Andre! Just eat the damn soup!
Finaly, after Kilmure's remark, Andre sighed, took a spoon in his hand and tried the some of that soup. The taste could have been better, but at that point, it should be enough to fill the stomach.
Andre - So... What do you think of a new doll?
Kilmure - The one Lerman brought along?
Andre - Yeah, her... She doesn't even has a name. And she was carrying boxes all around for the past few days. Have you talked to her?
Kilmure - As if... Whenever I made a step in to a house where workshop crew sleeps. They hide that doll in a closer or whatever. Seems like they are afraid of me talking to that doll.
Andre - Maybe because they remembered the last few times, you talked to a doll, and they started asking to join your team? JayJay and Harry are still somewhat mad about that.
Kilmure - Maybe... Maybe... But as of right now, I don't want to expand my team of dolls more than I have right now. But I would like to hear about that third-gen doll, Duval talked about.
Andre - Third gen doll? Did I missed something?
Kilmure - Uh? Well, Duval said on a call, that... When he was discussing a question of payment with a client. The client offered a third-gen doll... But Duval refused the doll and asked for direct access to archives or something like that...
Andre - He refused a third-gen doll? Why? Even if not as addition to a team, at least sell for a high price? Third-gen dolls are on high demand these days.
Kilmure - I get why he did it thoug... She could be a mean of spying on us, test her abilities or simply to get rid of a failed production. Either way, we will be the one handling that doll, and I have my dolls to handle, I don't want to take more than my share of a burden.
Andre - Four is enough?Kilmure - Four is enough!
Suddenly, a notification sound played on a terminal. And once again, Adnre picked up his terminal and checked what was going on.
Andre - Oh... Beda finaly finished with Mangie and going back... Took her long enough...
Kilmure - Still don't understand what the hell were they trying to do with her? Why would they take Beda on a direct contact and report with a client. But, oh well. At least she is on a way back.
Andre - Well... I gues we will find out in two hours, since she is already half way back to us.
With a satisfied smirk, Andre placed terminal back on a table and resumed his meal session with a soup. This was only the morning, but a plesant one none the less. Some would say, a rarity for a this world. For this cruel world.