One's Duty

5

Rapi: Neon, keep your voice down.

Neon: Sorry, I was just so excited!

Y/N: Hard to believe there's an unguarded entrance.

Rapi: Well, it's not necessarily a used passage.

Anis: What the hell does that mean?

Neon: It's a water drainage pipe.

Y/N & Anis: You've gotta be kidding me.

Rapi: No, sadly. Everything else is heavily guarded. Shifty has already made sure that it leads into the building unobstructed.

Y/N: Well, let's hop to then I guess.

Anis: Ugh, I'm gonna need a shower after this.

Arriving at the pipe, Rapi goes in first, followed by Neon, Anis, and me at the end. The old stagnant water smells horrible. Like rotting food mixed with a sewage leak.

Anis: Ugh, it's gonna take forever to get this smell off of me and my clothes.

Rapi: We're almost there, just a little bit more.

I'm trying so hard not to be sick from this stench. I suddenly bump into something....soft?

Anis: Ahhh~! C-commander, w-what are you doing?

Y/N: I'm sorry! I-its so dark down here and I wasn't focusing. Why did you stop?

Rapi: Because we stopped. We're at the entry point.

Y/N: Anis, you have to believe me. I didn't mean to-

Neon: To be fair, it is dark in here. Humans have far worse eyesight than we do.

Anis: ...True. (sigh) I forgive you commander.

Y/N: Thank you Anis. I really am sorry.

Anis: Just try to not let it happen again.

Y/N: Can do.

Rapi: Focus you two. Let's get in and get this over with.

She opens a grate and climbs out of the pipe. I climb out and enjoy a breath of fresh air.

Y/N: What do you think? Can we even get this old junk running? It seems a little rusty and decrepit to me.

Rapi: As long as the inner workings are fine, it should be ok.

Rapi goes to mess with the machinery. I look around to make sure the area is clear.

Neon: Don't worry commander. Even if there's raptures here, I'll blow them away with my massive firepower.

Y/N: Ha, thanks Neon. I feel safer already.

Anis: Commander! Get back here now! We have some company!

Neon and I run back to them just in time to see some raptures appear. Mostly small fry, shouldn't be a big deal.

Y/N: Do your thing, ladies. Just keep building damage to a minimum.

Everyone: Yes sir!

They get into formation, when the ground starts rumbling. Is it an earthquake?

No.

Y/N: Oh, fuck.

A giant rapture comes into view. It's assimilated part of the facility into itself.

Rapi: Commander, we have to retreat. They have too much of an advantage in this enclosed space-

A shot rings out. It hits Rapi in the back of the head. The force of the round is enough to separate her head from her body. I stare in horror at the floor.

Anis: Commander? Commander!

I look up to see Anis approach me. She slaps me, hard.

Anis: She's fine! As long as her brain isn't destroyed she can get a new body. We aren't human! Grab her head and give the retreat order!

Y/N: R-right. Fall back you two!

How the fuck did I get into this mess? This mission makes no sense. The chance any of us making it back alive are slim.

Y/N: Fuck, a dead end! Dig in and get ready to defend this position.

Anis/Neon: Roger!

The mechanical noises of the Raptures slowly draws closer. While they fight I need to figure out an escape plan.Yes!

Y/N: Shifty, is there any possible escape routes? Structural weakness to exploit?

Shifty: Not that I see. I'll keep checking.

Anis: Here they come!

The fighting begins. With only 2 fighters there's no way you'll be able to hold out.

Shifty: I found a possible solution. I'm not sure you'll like it though.

Y/N: Tell me! We'll take anything!

Shifty: There's a weak point in the ceiling. Fire on it when the large rapture is under it and it should take it out. But you'll destroy the facilities control system if you do.

Y/N: Better than us dying! You heard her you two! That's what we're going with!

They both nod in response. The large rapture enters the room and begins to charge its weapons.

Y/N: NOW!

They both turn their guns upwards and fire. They ceiling caves in and crushes the large rapture along with a large portion of the smaller ones.

Y/N: Large rapture is down Shifty! Get us an evac asap!

Shifty: I'll get on it commander. . . . All set! Have the landing site clear in 10!

Anis: Well have it clear in 5!

Anis and Neon easily finish off the rest of the small ones.

Anis: So, commander. Aren't you worried about getting in trouble for destroying the facility?

Y/N: Of course. But it was worth it to keep you all safe.

Anis stares at me with a shocked expression before smiling.

Anis: You really are a strange commander.