[[ Clear ]]

It takes a minute before Nine feels comfortable speaking, and I am content to wait. He parts his lips.

“... That search and rescue mission…”

“... Yes, Commander? You turned it down.”

“... You don’t understand… The game starts there.”

It’s strange, the way he says it, but I think I understand.

“In your other world?”

“Yes,” he replies. There’s something disturbing on his mind, and it’s making him continue to sweat from nervousness. His voice drops to a whisper. “If I’d accepted that mission…”

“... Commander, I don’t understand.”

“I’m sorry. It’s just… If this really is the mission I have knowledge about, we… could prevent a disaster,” he says, leaning forward, cradling his chin in his hands. “... But if we do that, we’ll likely die. ”

“... What?”

“... There’s… there’s a NIKKE, she becomes corrupted by the Raptures. But I don’t know when or how. It happens from within the Ark… I didn’t get far enough in the campaign to…”

“... Commander, are you certain this is the self-same mission you’re thinking of?”

“...”

“... Commander,” I repeat, prodding for an answer.

“... No,” he finally says, and it’s evident that doubt has him in a gridlock. “No, there’s no way to confirm if it’s the same mission. There must be plenty of missions that are search and rescue, and I’m sure Silver Gun collaborates with other squads all the time. But I’m creeped out. It feels like it’s too convenient.”

I let him simmer. I, too, simmer. Finally, I come to a conclusion. But first, Commander speaks up;

“We have to tell the Central Government about this.”

“We cannot,” I immediately replied.

“What?”

“Commander, just how would you explain yourself? How would you explain knowing this information?”

“I’d just say I--”

“-- Played a game about our world?” I cut in, marking just how ridiculous it sounds. The Commander has to know what he’s planning can’t and won’t work. “Every facet of planning to prevent a tragedy like this is impossible. You will be questioned for your intel, and at best you will only be dismissed. At worst, you’ll be discharged from your Commander position and sent to a psychiatric ward for evaluation.”

That seems to reach him. He stiffens at the idea of an eval, and his eyes are wide and straight ahead for a long, long while. We sit in silence as he takes the time to accept what I’ve said, and by the time he opens his mouth, he’s decided to close it again. For a moment, he looks occasionally like a fish out of water, gasping for air -- but for him, he’s gasping for words. I can tell the Commander wants to prevent this mission from occurring more than anything, but fears being found out more that he’s not himself. I frown, and lean forward to level a bit closer to him.

“Commander, we don’t even know for a fact if the game you played is a true record of events. The only way we’ll be able to actually tell is --”

“-- Is if this search and rescue mission fails like I saw,” he breathes, and sinks his face into his hands. There’s an immense damned-if-you-do feeling in the air, and it’s all coming from him. I shut my eyes and exhale through my nose.

“... Yes,” I say mutely, keeping my tone even and factly. “... I understand your motivations, but we can’t risk you being wrong with something like this.”

“We could go and try to prevent it,” he said.

“Do you honestly think that would work?” I ask, nearly exasperated. I understand his reasoning, I do, I understand his stubbornness, but this is…

“... No,” he admits to me while I’m sympathizing. “I don’t have the balls.”

I’m quiet. So that’s the kind of person the commander is… I don’t want to go on some AWOL mission to prevent something that may or may not happen, but him admitting he doesn’t have the courage to do something like that reminds me he may not actually be any different than the old Commander in terms of guts. Still, I’m grateful to have him instead, so I don’t dare to ridicule him for his honesty. After all, that was certainly something the old Commander lacked.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

“I see,” I say. Commander is hidden in his hands again. I let him stay like that for a while, but after some time, I decide to issue some words of encouragement. “... Then let us stick with the idea of laying low and confirming if your foresight is true. That being said, how do we confirm if it happens at all? Something like that would not be reported to us for any reason…”

The Commander is silent for some time. Then, he jolts up straight.

“We’ll know if a squad named Counters is formed!” He says, as if in an epiphany. “... Counters… Formed after the incident, as a result of the incident. And Counters… is responsible for changing the world. That’s why the story revolves around them. We just have to wait and listen for a squad named Counters.”

… I’m at a loss as for what to say. There are many moving parts to this situation. The main one is simply the Commander’s understanding of what kind of world he is in. Is he truly in the one he recognizes from his game? That’s something I need answered sooner or later. It is possible knowing what will happen next in the world will embolden him, but it’s also entirely possible he could become a lost cause depending on how this story he knows winds up. I find myself eager to know just how he’ll wind up. So, I allow myself to ask a question.

“What will you do if Counters is formed, Commander?”

“...” He opens his mouth, but no words come out. “I want… to keep you guys safe.”

“... Safe?” I repeat his words, then reply with some of my own. “NIKKE are not intended to be kept safe. We are intended to keep humans safe.”

“... Still. If I can manage it… I want to keep you guys safe from the corruption, and from being hurt.”

I pondered that for a bit. He’s barely making sense, really, wanting a group of NIKKEs to remain ‘safe.’ A NIKKE’s purpose has been and always will be to protect humans.

“... Commander, if what you say is true and the corruption hit this NIKKE from within the Ark, there’s no way to keep us safe at all. It’s possible for us to get corrupted, even if we do not go to the surface. Do you really want to jeopardize us by keeping us from our intended purpose, knowing that your intent is defeated by corruption allegedly being anywhere?”

He doesn’t like the idea. His face twists, and he’s faced with being cornered by the inevitable.

“... I’ll have to be a proper commander, huh,” he said, clearly to himself. “... I don’t know the first thing about military strategy. I guess I can consult the old Commander’s knowledge, but I doubt I have the logic to put it to good use… Then again, the fact I’m even giving it a try is better than most other commanders, right…?”

“... That would be correct,” I interject. It’s true; over 70 percent of graduating Commanders from the military academy either back out, lead their squads to death or even take their own lives. So, considering numbers, he’s in the current top 30 percentile. The bar is set pretty low here, but it’s enough to encourage him. “I don’t know what you know. I also don’t know if this knowledge you have is relevant. But if it is, you need to use it in the best way you can while keeping us active as NIKKEs.”

“I think I can do that,” he says, seeming to work himself up. “But, Clear. There’s something that I know exists in this world if Counters is created. It’s called Vapaus… And it can cure corruption at the cost of a NIKKE’s ability to back up memories. It kills all the NYMPHs in their brain…”

He’s dumping more information on me that I’m not prepared for. I widen my eyes a little at the idea of a cure for corruption… If there is one, that means NIKKEs don’t need to be executed for being infected with it. It’s a lot to take in, but I take a moment to process it. It also means a sort of salvation for me in a lot of ways…

“If Counters is formed, we need to tell--”

The Commander cuts me off. “We can’t tell anyone. Remember what you said? How do I explain where I know that?”

I’m defeated by my own logic.

“What’s more, I don’t know the first thing I’d do if I took the reins on beating Counters to the punch… I don’t have that kind of willpower to get to where it’s hidden. Not to mention the enemies I’d make…”

“... I see,” I murmur, and it dawns on me now that Commander Nine, while entirely fresh to this experience, does have the capability of some strategy in his mind. His caution with the butterfly effect he might create here is commendable. So I clear my throat, and look at the time.

“Commander, your next appointment is in two hours. I suggest we depart so you may get changed for the occasion,” I suggest to him and I’m met with a look of incredulity. “Your military uniform is not befitting a date. You’d be better to change into a suit..”

“... I don’t know the first thing about men’s wear.”

“... I’m sorry?”

“... Um… The thing is… in my previous life, I was a woman…”

“You haven’t mentioned this until now,” I say. I’m a little at a loss again. Wouldn’t someone say at least something about being a completely different gender before now? Then again, it isn’t as though I complain. I don’t remember my first moments when I woke as a NIKKE, nor do I comment when I wake from memory wipes. Maybe it’s a similar sensation?

“I didn’t see it as a problem until now,” He explains. “... I was kinda happy about becoming a man. And the old Commander’s knowledge on appropriate fashion is just as sparse as mine, because I’m getting nothing…”

“... I will assist you,” I reply, and I find myself getting entrenched deeper into this man’s problems. I don’t feel any sort of wrong with it, but I certainly am starting to feel a though my plate is getting fuller by the hour.

The Commander brightens at the idea. “That’s right! You’d have a better idea than me… Please, Clear, help me find something to wear to this… d-date.”

He doesn’t seem to like the word. It is with a woman, so I suppose the Commander prefers men… Or he’s just incredibly poorly versed in romance. I won’t get to see; he’ll be on his own for this early dinner. We depart from the meeting room, my wheelchair rolling along by command with a soft whir.

“Do you possess any formal wear in your closet?”

The Commander thinks for a while. Perhaps waiting for the old commander’s knowledge to come to him. He then gives a response; “... No.”

“... Royal Road it is. Let’s be quick.”

[[ CHAPTER 04 END ]]