I dreaded the daunting task of waking up my echelon.
Entering their quarters, I tried my best to be gentle as I shook them from their slumbers.
One by one, the dolls stirred, rubbing the sleep from their eyes.
All of them were still in their sleepware, with their combat clothes swung over their shoulders and guns devoid of any magazines.
Too "sleepy" to pick up the pace, they say.
A mouthful of bullshit, I say.
I knew that they were stalling, but the emergency deploy meant that a delay couldn't be afforded.
"Hey, wouldn't it be easier to change before getting on our ride?" I asked, tapping my heels against the ground.
"Shut the fuck up." AK-74M grumbled.
"What?"
An extremely apologetic Mosin walked up to me.
"My apologies, 36! As political officer of this sub-squad, I was not able to stop AK-74M from drinking last night... Thus, this wayward personality."
I sigh.
"Why would we even be on a ride?" C-MS asked, slowing herself even more and very obviously feigning innocence.
"Do you not know?" I swallowed back a "fucking" as I responded, trying to keep my frustration in check, "We're being emergency deployed for combat."
"Eh. I suppose we can just change on the ride there." C-MS replied, yawning in her pink Bunny onesies. In which 9A-91 was staring intently at. Very. VERY INTENTLY.
I found myself staring very intently too, at an obvious soy sauce stain.
GODINEEDTOCLEANTHATWHYDOESUSEHAVETOMAKEAMESSOUTOFEVERYTHING.
Shaking my head and trying to throw matters of cleaning in the back of my mind, I exit swiftly and head to the shed, where we kept our Toyota Technical.
The only technical.
Stopping in front of the steel door, with the car stationary behind, I made a reach for the handle.
When I felt a slight tap at the back of my shoulder.
I spun around, alert, half expecting it to be C-MS asking for candy.
But instead saw M4A1, fully geared and ready, with NVGs covering her facial features.
Much unlike the rest of my too responsible echelon mates.
"Uhhh... S-Sorry, b-but can I c-come?" She asked softly.
"Huh? M4? Whatcha doing here?" I query, barely containing myself
"C-can I come? To the mission?" She asked again, louder this time, with demureness adding to her aura.
"Hmph. Why?" I was curious.
"Well... They are my echelon mates, s- so I kinda wanna save them. It's a r-responsibility, y'know?"
"Hmph."
"Y-you can refuse if you want to... it's fine." She said as she tilted her head down.
"I'm sure the commander would be thrilled for you to join us," I flashed a curt and reassuring smile, "Now, uh, just give me a few moments as I get this technical running.
"I'll help, if you want." A voice sounded behind me, lazily articulated yet cheerful.
I stopped dead in my tracks.
It was Kalina.
The logistics officer wore a black blazer over a casually buttoned shirt, along with low-heel boots. That of which accented with a red bow tie and a silver watch.
What was she doing here?
"Wait. Weren't you working at uh... what did they call it... Forbidden Fashion or something?" I asked
"Hm? Yeah. What about it?"
"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to rest properly for work tomorrow?"
She sighed. A long one.
"Well... Since the commander is broke, I figured that I had to help in some way," Her eyes darted around, before settling to continue in a mysterious whisper, "Commander cut off my internet access because it was "too expensive"! I can't live without internet, you see? I need it to read fanfiction during work!"
"..did her personality change or is it just me?" I heard C-MS mumble, barely audible, "Since when were you the technician?"
I shook my head, unsure of what to make from this. Bro probably watched too many Uncle Dane videos during work.
"Since... always? I also got basic training Y'know? Anyways, gimme a second."
Kalina said, seated herself into the car, awkwardly pulling on the handle a couple of times before the mechanism finally locked in place.
She just turned into the jack of all trades.
By some miracle, the coughing engine was actually running after a few attempts of ignition.
"Come in now!" She yelled through the open window, barely audible through the engine.
Bending down, I sat myself in the back seat.
The roof was torn off roughly to accompany the barrel of the Dushka.
We're really broke huh.
"Welp, good luck."
Kalina commented, before heaving the door aside and walking out.
What the hell?
"Wait wait wait, who's driving?"
I pulled on Kalina's sleeve, stopping her in her tracks.
"Sort it out yourself. You dolls are able to drive right? Gotta get back to work, y'know? I gotta prepare for the advent of Team G&K's design! And then I'll win the prize money and ehehehehe..." Kalina's eyes glistened with mischievous excitement, as she removed my hand carefully, walking away.
We looked at her silhouette in the dark.
"...yeah no, her personality is off. She's using informal contractions. The hell happened in her workplace?" C-MS said.
"At least she still loves money."
"Fair."
"Less bullshit, comrades. First, who drives?" Mosin's stern voice, sounds from behind, promptly jumpscaring me on the spot.
Since when were the Soviets here? I don't know.
Brief moments of silence.
Unsurprisingly, no one volunteers.
"Selfish bastards," The sniper mutters, breaking the silence, "You there, uh, G36... Yes. Go drive the car.
I sluggishly got out of the backseats as I watched them pile into the car.
M4 stayed on spot.
"U-um, I can drive if y-you want me to..." She looked down slyly.
My god. At that very moment, I swear that M4 shone with an aura of just and kindness.
A bit like opening Discord light mode at 3am in the morning, but without losing your eyes in the process.
"Ah. Excellent. You won't mind?"
"No."
"Go ahead. Thanks," I graciously accepted. "Time to go. Get in the car."
