[[ NINE ]]

It’s about eight in the morning.

Lined up behind me are the NIKKEs I’ll be commanding today, who I’ve barely gotten the chance to know. In fact, all they know about me is that their commander suddenly started acting strange and wants to be called Nine now. Anything else they knew about their commander went down the drain on New Year’s Day, but telling them that isn’t so simple. Instead, we’re awkwardly standing in the elevator as it ascends; they’re all trying not to stare at me, but I’ve made myself into enough of a spectacle compared to their previous commander that it’s pretty inevitable for them to be stealing glances while I check a phone that is apparently mine.

I’m faking checking my phone, by the way. There’s nothing on there that I find of note. I’m genuinely just looking for anything to keep me from making eye contact with these girls.

They’re in different outfits from what I first met them in; I suppose when I first met them, we were still on holiday and were in casual wear.

Starting with Lysanne, the towering NIKKE still has her visor, but it’s brought up to her forehead to allow her brown eyes to be seen for the time being. She’s wearing some cross between a Chinese dress and mechanical armor, black in color, her cleavage left bare and on display. It’s only now that I recognize how large Lysanne’s bust is, because truly, it is massive, befitting her tall stature. She’s lugging a gatling gun, the myriad of interlocked barrels extending out a good few feet in the air based on the angle she’s holding it. It’s a hard type of gear to just sling over one’s shoulder, so she’s simply carrying it.

Astrid, looking straight ahead best she can without stealing a glance at me, is wearing a white bodysuit with a pastel yellow capelet and accents. There’s a belt on her waist with a number of pouches for ammunition and other things, armlets on her wrists, and she’s wearing pastel yellow headgear with simple extensions on the ears that angle upward. Her gun is more of a bullpup looking sort, painted that same pastel yellow and white to go with the rest of her gear.

Lunari is coolly staring ahead, still wearing a bikini top as her main choice of topwear. That being said, she’s wearing cargo pants now and a studded jacket that looks like it has some armoring to it. On her back sits a sniper rifle with a myriad of added specs, but the entire firearm is a pitch black color unlike Astrid’s. Compared to most of the troupe, she’s the closest to streetwear that we have.

Ukenna’s outfit is close to streetwear too, but she’s a medic. A brown coat hangs loosely on her arms, the cuffs adorned with a golden design. She wears a green sweater dress that matches her hair, and at her waist she has a belt with pouches attached to it for ammunition and various things. A shotgun is holstered comfortably on a strap that hangs from her shoulder. Unlike her counterparts, she’s staring directly at me, and each time I steal a glance at the group, it’s Ukenna I catch in the act.

“... Is something wrong, Ukenna?” I finally decided to ask after catching Ukenna for a fifth time. Unlike yesterday, I’m feeling a lot calmer, so I’m able to speak concisely. I should be a nervous wreck considering I’m heading into dangerous territory, but for whatever reason, despite the knot in my stomach, I’m calm.

Ukenna jumps in her skin, and looks to the others for help, but they’re all looking to her expectantly for her to clean up her own mess. After all, she was the one who got caught.

“... Ah… Um… It’s just… you’re really calm right now, Commander…”

Hm, was the previous guy really a coward? I guess so… Apparently I’m supposed to be shaking in my boots…

“... Am I?” I say, and open the palm of my free hand to investigate for trembling. There’s a little there, but her observation is overall correct. I’m a little jittery, but…

“Yes… Your vitals are all stable. Usually you’re a nervous wreck…”

Have I really adapted that quickly to life in this world, or am I just in denial now to have myself in this state? I vote dreamlike denial, but I can’t tell Ukenna that. So instead, I tilt my head and think out a response. Everyone’s waiting for an answer.

“Well… I did tell you I had a New Year’s resolution to be a better person. I guess it’s working out?” I suggest, and somehow that venture doesn’t work well. They all level their gaze at me in doubt. “Would it be better if I was more anxious?”

“... N-no, Commander, it’s fine!” Ukenna stammers, waving her hands, “I think, strategically, this is a much better arrangement. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I just want to make a good impression as the new me,” I reply, and Ukenna seems to take it well with an earnest nod. Astrid, however, narrows her eyes and frowns, already having looked rather cranky. She doesn’t say anything though, and for that I’m rather grateful. Lunari and Lysanne seem to have their own thoughts but don’t voice them in the slightest, not even with a change of expression. Looks like I’m bombing this thing by holding it together. Honestly, I desperately need to spend one-on-one time with these girls to get them to trust their new Commander again. Then again, what trust did the old Commander have with them? So far, they just felt… assigned to him.

With a slight jerk, the elevator reaches the brink of the surface and I nearly lose my balance. Below us, a secure gate closes, locking us out of the underground civilization. Above us, another secure gate opens only when the chamber is locked out. I’m nearly blinded by the natural light as it pours in. The elevator stops at ground level, and with the hiss of hydraulics and compression systems working their magic, the elevator opens up to let us out.

We step out, and I immediately receive a video call. Flashing before me once I accept the transmission is a holographic screen displaying the face of a young woman who can’t be older than 20, coy violet eyes framed neatly beneath a set of black bangs and sidelocks. At her shoulders her hair transitions from black to purple before being cut off by the video feed’s angle. Fair skinned, and adorned by a black headset for clear communication, she’s clearly an operator. Namely, our squad’s operator. Her name comes to me as ‘Koda’, but this is the first time I’ve actually interacted with her since entering this commander’s body. I have to play things cool.

[“Happy New Year, Commander,”] she opens, [“We haven’t been in touch for about over a week, though I’m sure that nothing’s changed. How was your holiday?”]

“Good,” I manage to say, reining in my nerves. So far, I feel like I’m able to pull it off. I might as well introduce her to the excuse I came up with... “I decided to turn over a new leaf and become a better person. So, if you think I’m acting strange, uh… Just go with it.”

[“Oh? Turning over a new leaf, huh? Well, if that means you’re gonna do your best on these missions then I’ll take it! Let’s get right to it!”] Koda says, and it’s clear she’s got some sense of humor, because her tone is just a touch patronizing. She might not have liked the old Commander, but whether or not it’s like that is something I can’t really tap into; the old Commander was apparently entirely aloof to it, because I have no knowledge stating one way or another. [“Right, I’ll be sending coordinates to you shortly. Arrive there and let me know when you get there. So far, the path is clear, but I’ll let you know if that changes. Proceed with the first mission.”]

“Understood,” I say, and the squad takes a light formation around me as we walk out of the elevator and head north as the coordinates state.

I’m worried about being able to keep up with them on foot, but an hour flies by and I’m keeping up just fine with their pace. In my old body, I couldn’t dream of making it even half a mile on foot without being in pain. So far, we’re spending the time in silence; Lysanne is scanning the perimeter with her visor on, and Astrid, Lunari and Ukenna all have their weapons at the ready despite the intel that the area was secure.

Six hours pass like this. By this time, we’ve entered the urban jungle of an abandoned city.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

It’s unbearable! Nobody’s talking…!!

…

…

...

“C-Commander,” Ukenna says at the six hour mark. “Are you alright? You look… anxious.”

I’ve been caught!

“... Well… It’s just quiet,” I manage to explain. I’ve been fidgeting with my shirt buttons and glancing around like crazy, and it looks like it made it all too obvious I wasn’t keen on how things were arranged.

“... I see,” Ukenna replies, and for a moment, she seems to be looking for a solution. “Why don’t we play a game?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Astrid says, narrowing her eyes at Ukenna. “We need to be on the lookout for Raptures.”

“Isn’t Koda keeping a lookout for us?” I inquire.

“We need to be ready for ambushes,” Lunari says evenly, then leans into her next words leisurely; “... But I’m curious what this ‘game’ is that Ukenna is thinking about.”

Ukenna seems exceptionally excited now that Lunari seems to be on her side, but it’s only seen in her eyes, which start glittering. Astrid lets off a mild groan. Lysanne looks like she isn’t about to jump in, but she parts her lips suddenly and speaks to the group.

“I’ll keep a lookout. You guys can play Ukenna’s game.”

“I never said I was interested in some --!!”

“You immediately lost focus on the field when Ukenna mentioned it.”

“What are you--?”

“You’re bored too, aren’t you?”

“... Well… How could I not be?! There’s nothing going on…”

“Then play. I’ll keep watch.”

“You sure you don’t want to play, too, Lysanne? Astrid could keep watch instead,” I offer, and Astrid quietly gawks in shock that I would single her out like this. Looks like she really does wanna play.

“No, it’s alright. My visor’s pretty good at scanning the area. You guys just have the regular sensors. And you, Commander, are only human.”

“If you insist…” I say, looking now to Ukenna. “What was the game you were thinking of?”

“Well… It’s an old game, but it’s called ‘I Spy.’”

“Ah, I know this game! I used to play it all the time as a kid!” I say. It’s true, at least, in my past life; we had every I Spy book they published in the 2000’s, and I picked apart the poems like a hungry wolf until I’d memorized where everything was from the poems.

“You did? Wow, then you already know how to play!” Ukenna said, releasing her gun for it to hang on its strap and clapping lightly. “Well, just so Astrid and Lunari know how to play, basically you find something in your field of view and describe it vaguely until the other players guess what it is you see.”

“I think I can follow along,” Lunari murmurs.

Astrid looks happy to have something to do. She raises her hand. “I think I get it! I’ll go first,” she says, basically strong-arming her way into trying to start the game off. Ukenna doesn’t have the guts to say no even though she came up with the idea, and nods for Astrid to start. For a moment, Astrid peers around with a determined purse to her lips, before going ‘ah!’ and grinning. “I spy… something with multiple colors!”

“Multiple colors?” Lunari repeats, looking a bit taken aback by the hint.

All around us are dilapidated half-destroyed city buildings, overgrown foliage and trees; there’s hardly anything with a color scheme in multiples. I scan the area curiously along with the other two NIKKEs, and it takes a good few paces before I catch it. In a shattered window on the sixth floor of a building we’re passing, tattered and floating in the wind, a rainbow-patterned curtain bleached by the sunlight and time’s cruel touch waves subtly at me. Even though the flow of time has ruined the curtain’s original brilliance, it still stands out decently in this grey city.

“There!” I say, pointing in the direction of the curtain. Astrid claps her hands together in delight.“That’s it! It’s that rainbow curtain!” She says. “I was surprised when I saw it, and decided it would be the thing I spied.”

“Wow, that’s amazing, Astrid. It’s really pretty considering where we found it,” Ukenna says, and looks now to me. “Alright, Commander Nine, it’s your turn since you guessed it right. Take your time!”

“I think I’m having fun already and I haven’t even done anything,” Lunari says with a small grin.

“Could this be considered ‘team building exercise’?” Ukenna adds in, looking amply happy to be providing a respite for the others.

“I can put it in the books as one. Alright, my turn…”

As I look around, I reflect on the team’s reactions to this game. I’m starting to get a better look at these girls’ personalities. A game as innocent as this is really opening them up, and despite the abrasive personalities I initially pinned on Lunari and Astrid, they’re both having fun in their own way. Meanwhile, Ukenna is earning a little respect by providing something so endearing to the team. I don’t know if they ever played anything similar to this in the past, but something tells me he never quite allowed them to do much of anything.

While I’m thinking, I spot a cardinal bird perched on some still-hanging telephone wires. It’s a brilliant red, and while not an especially difficult thing to spy, I decide to pick it as my quarry nonetheless.

“I spy… something red.”

“Red?! Is it blood?!” Ukenna yelps, looking around on the ground.

“Nope,” I say, shooting Ukenna a reassuring glance. “Look up a little.”

The team, save for Lysanne, gazes up in the direction of the telephone wire and all simultaneously spot the bird.

“A bird!” Ukenna exclaims.

“Birds can be that vibrant in the wild?” Lunari ponders.

“It’s… It’s so pretty!” Astrid gleams.

“Yes… I noticed it too,” Lysanne adds, apparently keeping up with our little game while staying on the lookout.

“They’re called Cardinals,” I say. “I used to…” See them a lot as a kid? I can’t say that, but I nearly do like some fool. I catch myself just in time, and pick back up. “... Read all about them as a kid.”

It wasn’t a lie, either. My father had an encyclopedia collection that spanned nearly 20 books, and the most viewed pages were those with bird illustrations, courtesy of a young yours truly. I’d pore over every page that had to do with birds until the pages were worn and delicate. My dad seemed happy to have me so absorbed with knowledge, but my fixation stuck with the birds section and that one alone. Although, I do vaguely recall referring to the books for other things, too, but those memories are less vivid.

Ahh…

“Oh… it flew off,” Ukenna says, and she sounds extremely disappointed. I let off a soft laugh, and despite the surprise from my squad at such an honest reaction, they too find themselves smiling.

It’s honestly a really pleasant scene. Which is why when Koda’s voice cuts in, it’s like a hammer to glass.

[“-- Raptures, closing in! 400 meters! 300 meters! 200 meters!”]

The air turns cold. Astrid is the first to ready her weapon, and she’s not happy.

“What?! That’s so close! They’re practically on top of us with those numbers?! Lysanne!”

“I don’t see anything! Unless--”

“They’re on the building tops!” I shout, already spying a few of those mythical forms closing in. Ah, this is my first time meeting Raptures in person. The reason for mankind’s near extinction…

[“Activating Alva Particle Purification! Reducing enemy communication by 10 percent! 20 percent! 30…! Commander, give the signal!”]

Approaching us at an angle from above are massive, car-sized unholy amalgamations of metal made in the mockery of Mother Nature’s creations. Metallic crablike bots scuttle from the building’s rooftop and plummet down with a massive thud, dust and debris scattering for yards; their carapaces are made of an unknown material, but only NIKKE weapons can pierce their armor and make any effect. Floating squid-like creatures make their appearance next, tailing slowly after the crab-like abominations.

… Somehow, I feel like time starts moving slowly when I spot these things. It strikes fear in my heart, and my muscles seize up. I find it hard to move.

“Commander! We need to get to cover!” Lysanne prompts urgently, and without warning slams her body into mine as enemy fire begins pelting the ground at our feet. "Give us permission to fire!"

Ah… I wanted to play more I Spy…

"Permission to fire," I manage, but I still can't move.

Lysanne lifts me up in my paralysis and carries me with her to cover, hiding behind rubbled cars. The rest of the group has taken up behind whatever they could find while remaining decently nearby each other, and the deafening sound of a firefight taking over the calm midday air. Lysanne lets me down beside her, and I scramble to my knees while her gatling gun charges with a deep whine. I watch from cover as bullet casings spill out from being spent, and while I can’t see the action, I can hear raptures and their mechanical screams as they meet their demise. Compared to five minutes ago, I’d gladly take boredom over this!

… But, I’m their Commander. I can’t just sit here and cower.

My legs feel like jelly, but somehow I stand. I’ve got to do something.

The question now is what am I going to do...?

[[ CHAPTER 11 END ]]