Waifu, chapter 31. (Patreon)

So here we are. This one will be the last update of this month, as I have decided to work on some Whateley. A specific bunny has been neglected for far too long, and I'm trying to change that. See you all next month, and of course until then please enjoy.

I hated tactics. I had decided, and I would not change my mind. It was all stupid numbers, and even more stupid rules that seemed... arb... arbit? Random, whatever.

Why could the Achilles only fly five spaces, when it could move eight? Why could it only fire a dozen missiles, when the actual war machine could empty its racks in seconds?  Why could the lizards fly at fifteen spaces when they could do supersonic and escape atmosphere? Who came up with this trash and why?

It felt like Geraldine was taking all of this stuff less serious than the piloting, yet she still jumped on me verbally for every minor mistake. If I only moved four spaces? a mistake worthy of punishment. Step out from behind the fake ground? A mistake. Fire six missiles? A mistake. It was silly and stupid, and simulations could do the job much better.

My supposed superior was smiling as she sat down in front of me. As usual we were alone at the table, with matching trays of treats from yesteryear before us. She was chewing on something hanging out, and her grin seemed more smug than usual.

What was a 'pocky'? My own... had a light fruity flavor I vaguely recognized... it was a fruit I'd had before, here. Yeah, strawberry. It was an odd taste, and not very filling. Some kind of snack maybe?

"These are good," Geraldine informed me, as if I needed that. She had stuffed her last one in her face already, after chowing down on the first two.

I'd save mine. Well, the other two at least. The mystery meat waited, placed on the tray. It was a heavy kind of meat, dark and slathered in some form of dark gravy. One of the many things I did not understand was: why was it called 'meatloaf'? it wasn't bread. Could you even make meat bread? I'd never seen any.

The other stuff on the tray were potatoes, which led me to believe we were now repeating meals. Not that I minded that, not at all! But the variety seemed to have reached its limit. These potatoes were the usual paste of course, and I'd like to see what the foodstuff looked like before. Maybe I'd ask Blue for a picture? It seemed like a waste of the artificial intelligence's time, but it would find one if I asked.

The desert was some form of cake, a small brick of sponge with a white topping. I'd had this before as well. So where had the sticks come from? They were not listed in the ingredients from the thin metal bags our food had come from.

It tasted a bit different than the last time. Geraldine couldn't possibly have tasted hers... it was already gone. She was giving the side eye to my remaining two pocky sticks.

"You can look, but don't touch."

My mentor narrowed her eyes, then opened them up and grinned. "Of course not. I wouldn't dream of it. It's very good stuff though, I must say, working for Blue does have its perks."

I'm glad she approved. Maybe the A.I. would decide it liked her as well, and they could hit it off. After all, if the machine could do all this to me, shrinking a woman so she was less of a giant should be simple.

"Don't be bitter," Geraldine whispered softly. "You're alive. That's better than most can say. Well, if those others could talk."

Right, she had a point. "I'll be bitter if that hand goes a bit further and steals my pocky."

My partner bonked herself on the head with a laugh. "Right, you caught me. Still, I mean what I say."

I didn't doubt it for a second.

Gray walked over to us, and sat down, next to Geraldine, who grudgingly made room for him. He was bearing his own tray, which was filled with some form of stew, straight from the cooks' pots. I couldn't help but feel it was inferior to my own meal, and from the look he gave it, he felt the same way.

He didn't say anything though. He was no fool.

"Good afternoon," he opened with, as if we hadn't just seen and talked to him five minutes ago. An awkward start, but I should cut him some slack, because I was just as bad myself.

"Good afternoon sir," I replied, as nicely as possible as one could to their boss.

The man picked up his spoon with a clatter and sighed.

Should I explain myself? "Don't look at me sir, Blue is in charge of food assignments here."

"What? No, I could never dare scorn the food our cooks work so hard on."

Geraldine snorted. "I could. They could to."

I looked to where she was pointing ans saw the cooks themselves, glancing at us.

"Say what you will, Blue has done a good job singling us out, without singling us out."

What the hell! The A.I. would hear!

"Oh don't look at me like that. We know it. It knows it. It should know we know, that we are at least that intelligent."

Geraldine was insane. That had to be it. "Are you drunk?"

"Stone-cold sober," she replied, flicking a glance at the helpers near us, which hadn't even twitched. Not that I'd been looking for such a thing.

"I don't want to be sober." Whoops, had I said that out loud?

Geraldine favored us with another grin, so I had. "Me either. Think if we ask, Blue will crack out its reserve of the good stuff?"

"Surely there isn't a stock of ancient booze on the base...." Okay, both my superiors were now staring at me as if I was the insane one. "Or is there?"

"There has never been a base found without a stash of alcohol somewhere within it," Gray told me. "Human nature, it seems. Some of the varieties found were unrecognizable, and most had gone bad, but there are always seem to be a few that can be consumed without harm."

"That's a fancy way of saying 'every time a base is found, the finding party gets a massive drunk on'. I approve."

Gray ignored Geraldine, which seemed to suit her fine. Now I wanted a drink even more. Back home, we engineers would be responsible for brewing, usually out of hekin roots... or whatever else we could find. The still I'd inherited at Gray's base had to have gone dry by now. I'd been gone for quite a long time, now.

Then again, it was possible some of the others had taken up that torch.

I was curious. "How about it, Blue? Do you have such a thing?"

The helper came alive, and its eyes flashed for a full second before responding. "I might have something like that, if I can remember where it was. I had no reason to keep inventory of any such goods, you understand."

I didn't believe it for a second. "Sure. Can you give it a try? I'd like to sample anything that's still good." You owed me that much, you stupid machine. That much and more.

"I'll look, of course," Blue respond through the helper. "Is there anything else you would like? Some specific flavor, perhaps?"

There was nothing like that. "No. Without knowing what you have, there is no way of knowing what we'll like." That much should be obvious.

The helper's eyes flashed again, just a moment this time. "Understood. Beginning the search now."

"...right. Thank you for that, Blue." Gray deadpanned. He hadn't even started on his soup.

He finally did, and actually winced at the taste. Glad it wasn't me. Hm, Blue, Gray... people needed to get better names. Not that I could throw stones myself, with Silas, but colors as names just seemed really lazy.

Now why was I thinking about that? I should be working on something.

Geraldine all but slapped the mapper out of my hand. "Nope. Eating time. Unwind, reduce your mental stress, and don't add to it. You can add more later."

"But...."

"No buts, and no whining. I've seen what you're doing, and its promising. A mantis with a few of those drones linked to it would be a real force in battle. But between that and piloting, you need at least some small breaks. So focus on your pocky."

"Fine." The sooner I finished, the sooner I would be able to do as I wanted, is what she was really saying. I picked up my own utensil... the thing Blue called a 'spork'.

"What is that?" Gray asked. "Some kind of desert?"

As if he couldn't see that much? "Yes, some kind of candy. Very old and rather odd candy."

Everyone knew what candy was of course, but not everyone had tasted some. Most candies were old, made or shipped in before the invasion, with only a few types able to be made by us today. Just another thing we lost.

"I imagine it is very different than fruit jellies."

Case in point. "Yes, its got some fruit in it, but there is another flavor in it. Not a sweetener, or just a sweetener, but something...."

Ah, he was drooling. I quickly snatched my sticks up. "You're not getting any, sir. Not from me."

See? I could be polite.

Gray cleared his throat and looked away from the goods. "I wasn't going to take them, mechanic. I was just curious."

"Well, you can make a deal for some with Blue, if you want." I wouldn't recommend it, but you could. Maybe you'd be a better fit for the A.I. than I am.

Gray looked over at the helper. "Pass."

That's right, Gray had dealt with such bases before. At least once before, so he knew not to willingly walk into that trap. Not that I'd actually throw him at the machine, but... I mean, if he was willing....

No, bad me. Gray didn't know.

I finished my food and downed some water to wash the taste down. The better to delve into that odd taste again. Geraldine nodded approval at me, before getting up to turn in her tray.

I wondered what she would do. After dinner, I didn't have anything I needed to do, and my plans were to go back into the secret passage and tinker with my mapper until time to sleep. What would Geraldine do to remain productive?

The pilot went straight to the pinball machines, plugging in and starting up the one I had pegged as her favorite... right, silly me.

"So... how are my war machines?"

I turned back to Gray. "All of them work now. Some of them work better than others. I'll have all of them fully operational by the end of the week... I think."

"Fully?" Gray's eyes crossed, and I could understand it.

"Parts make a difference. I already have three of the tanks complete, with everything working, even the air conditioning and the old seals."

The old seals were a real pain to replace, but nothing compared to ripping out the old air conditioning units and then wiring in the new ones.

"Is the A.I. helping you?"

"Fetching parts and the like. I'm doing all the fine work." I could understand the question; I wouldn't want to drive anything Blue had built or repaired itself... not that Gray was giving his men much choice. I didn't think Blue would sabotage most of us, but our leader? I wouldn't take the chance either.

At least, not anymore.

Some bleeps, boops and bings went off from the  corner, reminding all of us that Geraldine was back in form, setting another high score just because she could.

I was finished here, and I wasn't asking. "See you later sir, enjoy your meal."

He wasn't. He hadn't had more than two bites, and his small loaf of trail bread was untouched.

Gray watched me snag my tablet, then clean off and put my tray away, He even watched me as I went through the secret door. Which wasn't really a secret anymore, I guess. A helper came down the hall as soon as the door closed, and followed me into my given room.

The room was how I left it... except for the small rectangular box that proudly proclaimed itself to be pocky. In a couple different languages, from the looks of it. It was interesting, that we'd have variety before. I could only think of a few people that knew any of the other old words we'd used, once upon a time.

Maybe I could learn some, if I played my cards right.

"What's this?"

Blue knew right what I meant of course. "Pocky of course. Once the box has been removed from deep storage, it cannot be replaced. It will not preserve again."

That was inconvenient. "Oh well. Guess I can eat a few more. How long will they last, out in the air?"

"Perhaps a week? I cannot be certain, as I do not have taste buds. I cannot detect the state of 'stale' to which these snacks will succumb.

Stale? if that was all, it was fine. I'd eaten stale things before, and been fine. "A week is plenty of time, I suppose."

I wasn't really in the mood for them now. Perhaps more of that 'popcorn' that Blue had given me before. It was light, but filling. I couldn't help but wonder how it would taste, mixed with fruit.

I should be working. I made the effort to sit at the desk provided, and not the bed. I'd change into something more comfortable later and just stretch out. I should work on the designs for now.

I couldn't work on the designs. I gave up when I realized I'd replaced the same wing section four times with older wing sections.  Maybe a movie instead? My mapper had a great choice of them now. I knew Blue was still holding out on me there, but it had released some of its library into my care.

Of course, with the movie picked, the alarm chose that time to go off. The lizards were on the move, and my mapper told the tale; a full force headed this way, spread out. Scouring the mountain? Looking for us?

At least I was still dressed. I hit the door running; I could pilot without my boots if needed. Hopefully I wouldn't need to. I shouldn't need to - with as many pilots here in the base, I shouldn't need to go near the cockpit.

Still, I was now someone with some knowledge, so I would be on standby. As a mechanic, I usually wasn't called until after the fight.

The mess hall was empty of course, but I caught up with a few of our slower members in the hall before the hanger; I'd have to watch that, I'd sprinted without thinking. I slowed down so no one would question too much. I arrived in due time to find the infantry staring at the door while putting their armor on, their weapons stacked beside them. The tank drivers were starting their engines, and Gray had just begun climbing into his mantis.

The Achilles was already open, ready to receive me. The pilot's suit was out, in a helper's outstretched hands, ready for me to dive into it. Without a screen of any kind.

Yeah, that wasn't happening. My mapper was still in hand, and while a movie would be awkward, I could go ahead and work on the drone again. Gray's mantis moved by me as I sat down, taking up position in front of the main door. The alarm abruptly cut off; everyone was here and gathered.

My mapper showed the enemy forces approaching. Blue hadn't chimed in with anything yet.

A helper came zooming in from the same hall I'd left... with my boots in it's hands. I took them, but it would be stupid to put them on now, just to pull them off again later so I could wiggle into the dreaded suit.

No one called me on it.

Geraldine was also in her borrowed mantis... but off to the side, out of easy view. A smarter way to do things, in my opinion, even if it limits her own options to fire. After all, the enemy outnumbered us.

Of course my money, the good money, was on two mantis's. Even light mechs with full load outs were more than enough for a combat patrol of lizards. It made me wonder, for the millionth time, how our ancestors had lost the war.

The patrol itself, at least the air wing, went past without slowing down. They weren't at combat speed, so they weren't heading somewhere to bomb. Well, not anywhere nearby. Too slow to be alone too, so there had to be a ground group, and likely the air group was going to take up position and circle while the ground group searched. It was unlikely they would find anything.

So we waited. The expected group showed up (I guess the strategy lessons were already paying off) while the air wing settled into a circle pattern. On the other side of the mountain.

Time for a whisper. "Blue."

"Yes?" Blue whispered back, through the helper still holding my boots.

"Do you have another door back there? One in that area."

"The complex does have a door on the other side, of course, but it is not in the area the enemy is flying over. It is farther up the mountain. The ground force will pass near it if they follow their projected path, yet the terrain is such that they should divert far enough the hangar door will not be detected."

So there was one. "Is it big? As big as this one?"

"No. It is large enough that a Mantis might squeeze through, yet not large enough for the Achilles."

That was a comfort. Most of the lizards wouldn't be able to do much even if they found it. "If we have to go defend it, can we reach it? How long would it take to get there?"

We just didn't have enough people here.

"Perhaps ten minutes? The Achilles would have to go outside and around, I'm afraid. The Mantis can reach the other door internally, by simply going up one level and following the hall; I would light the way, and there are signs."

Well that was something. This hangar was far too large, really; if there was a hall up there, we couldn't see it. Maybe it too was hidden. Too much of this place seemed to be hidden, come to think of it; we needed to go exploring. I could understand why we hadn't yet, but we needed to know where to go and what to defend.

"How are the automated defenses? Would we need to move?"

Blue shut down this time. "They are well enough. It is unlikely you will need to move. If they find the other hangar door, I can hold it until the other pilots arrive. Especially against a force so small."

I wasn't entirely sure I believed it, what would it do? A force of drones? Even so, I'd take the A.I.'s word for it, since it let me sit here with my boots off and whisper questions at it, rather than squeeze myself into that cockpit. I was under no delusion that I was free of the machines control or possible reprisal, but the air was nicer out here.

Still, Blue was in the Achilles, and if Blue sortied and died, it would save us all some major headaches... while probably dooming me to my current form. No one I knew had even heard of such a thing as the drugs I'd taken, let alone how to make any to reverse the effect. For that reason alone, I was willing to sit here with Blue and talk while the mech it was housed in stood motionless.

The grays, our combat force, knew what they were doing, it wasn't my job, and I was a terrible pilot anyway. If I went in to help, I would be the one most likely to die. Stuffed into the largest, most shiny, most noticeable thing around. I'd be targeted the moment I stepped out.

If we had to go out, to sortie, surely they wouldn't die, being veterans.

The line of ground forces closed in, and then went past our own door, while we stayed silent. Tense and silent.