[[ NINE ]]
At last, I realize something that can help my NIKKE squad more than anything.
Yes, it’s…!
… Taking cover, of course!
Originally, I had the idea that I’d get up and call shots like a brave warmonger, but I’m nothing like the legendary commanders shown in this world’s story. I’m a shut-in at heart, so being amid this deafening gunfire and threatening aliens has me shitting my pants, figuratively speaking. I really thought I could get up and make a change, but even with my determination to do something like that, I could only stand in fear. Finally, my legs gave out, and I crawled back behind the overturned vehicle Lysanne had determined as cover. So far, the NIKKEs are firing at a rate that is preventing most of the Raptures from making their own shots, but every so often, a volley of energy-like bullets pelt our cover, weakening it over time. Lysanne’s gatling gun is mowing down enemies like grass, and for a moment I think these girls are SSR class; that is, until the old commander’s knowledge outclasses my guess and ranks them all at mere, though still capable, SR ranks.
Anyway, I guess you were expecting me to do something cool. I’m sorry. Please forgive this cowardly soul.
On the battlefield before us, it’s been about twenty minutes, and the Raptures are thinning out already. While it was our first encounter on the surface since departing, to say it was underwhelming is an understatement, but it’s one I’ll take any day over whatever the real deal might have been. Still driven by a hunger for strife and our heat signals beckoning them further, the Raptures are making themselves known well enough for the girls to eliminate them easily. An hour passes, and Astrid takes down the final enemy unit with a torrent of bullets.
[“No further Rapture signatures detected,”] Koda says through our connection, and I breathe a sigh of relief. Before us is a sea of Rapture corpses, mingled in with the destruction of a bullet-torn post-apocalypse city. We’re gonna have to wade through that, huh?
The Purem squad takes account of their damages, and for now, Ukenna is taking the time to use her nanobots to repair the damages to her teammates. It doesn’t seem like they sustained significant damages. In the distance, we all hear an echo of a massive explosion.
[“Be advised, the sound of your firefight will likely draw more Raptures, and…”] Koda trails off.
“What is it?” I say without thought after looking to her holographic video feed to see an expression of pure shock and perplexion.
“What was that?” Ukenna whispers to Astrid, about the echoing explosion.
[“… It’s nothing.”]
Yeah, right. I hold my tongue, but it hasn’t escaped my mind that Chapter Zero starts today. I’m still learning the coordinate system in this world, but based on what I understand, we’re far enough from the general area to avoid it. Right?
“Well, let’s keep going,” I say, and the girls around me get up from their maintenance and shoulder their weapons, ready to move without a single word.
[“… Actually, I have a new report from the higher ups. An urgent mission has overwritten your current set.”]
My blood runs cold. It’s too close together, that explosion and this new order…
[“A massive heat signature has been detected over the last known location of the Search and Rescue caravan involving Silver Gun, implying a massive explosion. It has been issued that all available squads on the surface in a 50 mile radius to make their way to contact the lost group.”]
“So a search and rescue within a search and rescue,” quips Lunari drily.
Shit.
I’m gritting my teeth, positively shaking. I’d done all I could to avoid this mission, but it’s inevitable in the end. I feel utterly defeated; in over my head. However, even as I quickly feel myself sinking with despair, I suddenly come up with a vague plan. Let’s say this… If I follow directions but navigate poorly, crossing wires with the protagonist of this world can be entirely avoided by ineptitude. Surely, I can do this so poorly that I succeed in my own goals, right?
“Alright,” I say, but there’s a clear tremble in my voice. Everyone hears it, but says nothing about it.
[“Good. Head west to get in the general direction of the heat signature. Expect to be tailing Raptures.”]
Right.
Shit…
Even though I have a plan, I can’t help but feel dread when it comes to this new mission I tried so discreetly to hide from. It’ll fly me too close to the sun; I’ll be too close to this world’s protagonist commander, and the cast supporting him, Rapi, Anis and potentially even Marian. If that happens, just my presence alone will diverge them from their original destiny, even in its slightest effect. That much I’m certain of.
The squad looks to me expectantly to set off. In my dread, I’d nearly forgotten to issue the go ahead in the direction I didn’t want to go. I let off a small, unheard whimper and nod to my squad of NIKKEs.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
“Let’s head out,” I say, but damn, do I sound like a coward. Thankfully, it isn’t unusual for their commander to sound that way, because the girls head off their formation without complaint or question, and I’m stuck in the middle marching towards pure doom.
Maybe I’m overreacting, but I really don’t want to mess with this world’s timeline.
I begin rifling through my mind while we march on for a conclusion to this uncertain spot I’m in. Chapter 0 just occurred for certain. With that, Silver Gun’s Marian implanted corruption led her to detonate the explosives on the carrier they were in, which contained the game’s protagonist. The protagonist goes into cardiac arrest and Marian’s corruption is temporarily overwritten with the command to protect him, which is programmed into the root of every NIKKE. This allows her to act normally for a bit longer, which is the time we’re running right now. In short, we’ll be exiting Chapter 0 and entering Chapter 1 officially while we make our way there. I was sent the rendezvous point coordinates, and that’s exactly where Rapi and Anis are waiting, two core NIKKE characters in this world. If I make it to the rendezvous too soon, I’ll come across Rapi and Anis, and they will likely appointment me their new commander since theirs basically committed suicide, instead of the protagonist.
I rapidly shake my head. I need to stop thinking so hard, it’s making my head hurt…!
“Commander,” Lysanne pipes up, and I jump a little in my skin.
“Yes?”
“Raptures up ahead. There’s a way to avoid them, considering they’re only attracted to the explosion that sounded off not too long ago.”
“No,” I say, “Let’s engage.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, engage. The less Raptures headed that way, the better it is for them, even if we can’t make it on time.”
That’s a good way to make it seem like I’m trying to do what’s best. In general, doing this will prevent me from being on time. Naturally, it will cost Marian’s life as she knows it, but that’s how it’s supposed to be here -- she was already a goner when she left the Ark. As I take cover and the girls ready their weapons, it’s suddenly like shooting down flies considering the Raptures are so distracted. I stay hidden for about ten minutes, and soon enough my NIKKEs are done shooting down the crowd we came across.
The pattern repeats for over an hour, maybe even two. About three encounters, all rather short, have transpired.
Koda murmurs on her line, [“If you hadn’t taken off on foot, you’d likely have made it long ago.”]
“No sense in bemoaning what could have been,” I suggest to the woman, to which her holographic reflection gives a hearty pout. “Is anybody able to get through?”
[“Nothing. Alva Particle concentration is too high to get a signal. We’re working to reduce it, but so far it’s been a tough nut to crack. That being said, if we continue to the rendezvous point, we might find some survivors.”]
“Right.”
So we were still in Chapter Zero. If we’re being generous, the first third of Chapter One could be the latest. I don’t know anything until Shifty, the main story’s Operator, breaks through to the main cast. When that happens, we’re almost halfway through Chapter One. In this state, I still don’t fully know if this is the timeline. Even without that knowledge, though, it’s pretty damn close to the main story that I don’t have much room left to question it. Still, I would have rather heard this any way other than first hand.
[“Raptures ahead, small enough group to avoid,”] Koda reports. [“Head slightly north to prevent encounter.”]
Did somebody say encounter?
“Engage,” I say with keenness to continue my strategy, and there’s a sound on Koda’s end that sounds like she’s slammed her desk a touch. My NIKKEs had started to ready themselves for an attack, but Koda’s potent outrage is enough to make them reconsider and await orders once again.
[“No, I said head slightly north to prevent encounter!”] She bursts, and it turns out she’s been frustrated for the better part of thirty minutes catching onto my shtick. [“Honestly, what are you hoping to achieve?”]
“A lower enemy count for possible survivors,” I say, bullshitting entirely.
My bullshitting is too smelly for her to ignore at this point.
[“You don’t even know if there are survivors! You need to head to the rendezvous point before sun sets, Commander!”]
“Hey, now,” I manage, but Koda’s already blown her lid enough to have her head in her hands. “... Koda?”
[“...”]
… Ah, I feel myself shrinking. One of my weaknesses is being exploited; I don’t like having people disappointed in me. Even though I’m sucking on purpose here, I feel a wash of guilt when Koda gives me the silent treatment that sways even my most steadfast determination. My hands ball up into fists and tremble for a moment. Ugh… Ugh!
I can’t stand it!
“... O-Okay, fine, we’ll avoid this encounter,” I say, and the NIKKE squad I command looks to me in exasperation, stowing their weapons shortly after. Nobody can understand why I’m acting this way and honestly, if I wasn’t any wiser, I wouldn’t understand it either.
[“... Good,”] Koda sighs, and somehow I feel as though I’ve lost an important war that remained unspoken. [“Maybe we’ll make it yet.”]
I shut my eyes and suck in a long breath.
We avoid the crowd of raptures, and within about thirty minutes with no further detours, Koda announces our arrival at the rendezvous point.
As we get closer, the ground becomes more uneven and the rubble and debris gets worse, until finally we come up on them. I feel a lump raise in my throat as it's clear to me; the man sitting before me atop a heap of rubble is the main story's commander. Messy brown hair, relatively handsome looks, and finely built in his military uniform. He looks up at me, and he's completely checked out, not a hint of light in his eyes, which hide mostly behind his messy bangs. Previous to my arrival, he had to execute a corrupted NIKKE he'd grown fond of. I know it's not the last time he'll see her, but that doesn't give me the opportunity to provide respite to the sad looking man. I hold my hand out shakily, and he takes it, pulling himself up. Two other NIKKEs named Rap and Anis are in tow, silent from the heavy air that permeated the area.
I am part of the main story now, despite being a small, unmentioned portion. Seeing the commander for myself lets me know this is indeed the same universe as my game.
"I'm Commander Nine," I manage, and the man before me looks up at me with tired eyes, before nodding.
"Commander ▇▇▇▇," he responds, and the air is so thick and quiet that I hear the rustle of the breeze against the rubble. His voice distorts when he says his name, and I can't fathom what he could have possibly actually said. It doesn't shock my too much to hear this distortion; he's meant to be a blank slate character in the game. Maybe the universe couldn't decide on a single name for him.
"... Nice to meet you," I say, and his expression doesn't change.
"I suppose we'll be traveling back together."
"I suppose so."
With a nod to his subordinates, Rapi and Anis step forward and walk beside their new commander. I look at my girls, all of whom are blankly staring at the scene before them. They're likely not new to the situation and are on standby for anything that might go awry, but I can't help but feel as though there's already a massive rift between me and the main character with how our NIKKEs view us.
Not another word is exchanged during the trip back, and I'm glad for it. Despite my plan failing, I feel like things could have ended a lot worse.
[ CHAPTER 14 END ]