JayJay - This isn't one of thouse swipe and grind ambushes! IF the intell is right, our target is extremly good at using terrain, managing fire resourses and capeble of using complicated tactical manuevers. As well as he has expirienced soldiers, advanced firepower and even robots at his desposal. Once again, this is not your usual ambush. Not even a URNC fought like that. If someone want a comparison, I would say we are going back into 'slaughterhouse three way firefight' if not even worse. So keep your heads up and don't treat that lightly.
A group of cars, and a light truck filled with robots, huddled near a single ruined house. Everyone listened silently for an speech that was told through a radio. JayJay were sitting in his car, still barely beliving that he were doing this, and what even more irritating.
Anekin - Jay... I think that's enough for now. You just trying to scare them at this point.
Near JayJay, were sitting Anekin. A late-middle aged man with burn marks all over left hand and a few on the neck. That was a faithfull JayJay,s advisor and right hand. But he was not a reason for JayJay irritation. The reason were sitting on a back seats.
Blaze - I think that's enough speech for now, we don't even know how much time we have to prepare our ambush, so the faster we prepare, the better.
JayJay - Shut up doll! I wasn't asking for your advice in first place.
Blaze - Well, whatever then. I'l just take a look around and see if anything we can use.
With that being said, Blaze left the car. JayJay looked at her as she walked to the ruins.
JayJay - Damn this doll and damn the Kilmure! Why the hell does he allows his dolls to be so free?
Anekin - Maybe part of his charm? He and his team are a top dogs after all!
JayJay - Yeah. That sucker Martin, the smarass Andre and four dolls. One of which is Beda that was MY doll. She was MY doll! Then she crawls and begs after him to take her with his team! What kind of a joke is that? And now she is calling in for a favors from me? This is a sick joke! If it wasn't for me, wasn't for MY generosity, she would have been forever forgotten in that damned truck! Should have left her there, should have let her in that damned pod for decomissioned dolls... Or better just scrap her for parts and sell to someone. Or just let workshop crew handle that.
Anekin - Okay... Jay, want some?
As JayJay kept ranting in frustration, Anekin pulled out a metal flask, took a sip and offered some to JayJay. After a short bit of thought, JayJay took the flask and drank half of it. Strong spirit hit his brain in a matter of seconds.
JayJay - Oh... *uah* That thing is strong! Where did you get that stuff?
Anekin - An old friend of mine gave me a crate of vodka half a year ago. Slowly sipping through this stuff. Not a fan of being drunk, but if needs rises, it comes in handy! Still have five bottles somewhere in my personal chest.
JayJay - Gods... That's why dolls like Beda would never replace a human soul... We should get moving. Else this one doll over here, would screw us over.
Anekin - Yeah. I was about to say that too!
Both man, took out a gasmasks and pulled them over their faces, before stepping out of the car.
=== Yellow Zone ===
A column of cars, APC and few IFV kept riding through a dunes of yellow zone, as a slight rain were covering the tracks and weighting down on a dust. And as such, muddy roads were still in acceptable condictions for a travel.
Nomomo - So... Have any idea how you ended up like that?
In one particular truck, inerior were remade to fir a mobile command center. Nomomo, Beda, Shafir and his assisstant were all there. Mostly waiting untill they would reach an ambush point. And right now, Nomomo took a seat near a Beda, who looked like she was having some down time.
Beda - Only one person I know, can pull something like this.Nomomo - Duval?Beda - Duval!
Both doll let out a sigh.
Beda - This man... I could have worked everything out without being put in charge. And honestly, I would have preffered if I could have been just an simple front line assisstance for this mission.
Nomomo - Maybe Kilmure somehow put a hand on all this? But I don't think he would ask for that kind of help... And now it's strangest situation dolls like us could have ever endup with.
Beda - With all and all... I'm not really scared of Duval right now. If he wanted us to fail, he would have gone for such extend... I'm more afraid of JayJay... And what he would do.
And now, both dolls sigh again, but this time in anxiety.
Nomomo - So... What did he said? Is he going along with your plan?
Beda - No... Yes... I don't know... He said that he would move out. And they took Blaze's spare frame with them. So, we have that. Last time I called on him, he sounded unpleased with the fact that I giving away orders at him. In a way I am stuck between JayJay and Mangie version of JayJay.
Nomomo - It's not that bad... At least Mangie is propperly equiped and trained. Not gonna talk down on JayJay, but the last time I worked with him, he tends to overcomplicate things and prefers to make a decision on the spot. Must admit, he is good at improvisations, but not everybody is good at following through last minutes changes.
Beda - Yeah... Yeah... But then again. But that's why his team is great at last minutes calls... If we think about it, Duval has all sorts of strange teams around him.
Nomomo - Then that means he just got himself a Mangie team leading doll.
Beda - I'm not leading anything over here. Look at this mess. In a first place, if you want to lead someone, you have to trust someone. And in somewhat roundabout way, I can understand why they don't trust me. Nobody is going to trust some stranger on such a short notice.
Nomomo - Or maybe because we are dolls?
Beda - As much as I would like to say yes... I don't think that the fact that we are dolls plays the biggest difference for situation like this a first place. If my guess is correct, these people spent their time mostly among their own. And we are strangers not really approved by Mangie, but rather forced to be approved.
Nomomo - I don't know... It's something I have never understood. So if you don't mind, I will leave all of these... Human and dolls relationships for you to deal with!
Beda - Just like I always did. Though, I would prefer for a Blaze at times like these.
Nomomo - You have me though.
Beda - Thanks Nomomo, you are the best fighter anyone could ever ask. But not a high in regards for planning and strategies... Not always at least.
Nomomo - That again? I was fine with that power plant assault!
Beda - That's not the same Nomomo.Nomomo - How?
Beda - Well... How should I put it..? I know that you are relyable, when it comes to a fight. Right now we don't even have any fight in front of us... We have a problem of dealing with people around us.
Nomomo - Oh, you mean that.Beda - Yeah... And it's hard to come up with a plan, while not really knowing what I have at the disposal and how many people are up to a certain tasks. And that man? Shafir? Every time I talk to him is like walking on an eggshells. Somehow I can manage all that, but a few more close calls, and I will start catching blue screens all over my systems.
Nomomo - Sound's tough... Even if I can't help it. I'm here.
Beda - Thanks... I will make through. I hope...
Shafir - HEY! Doll brats! Why don't you stop your chit-chatter and get ready for a walk outside. We are going to reach the ambush point in a few seconds!
With a sudden shout, Shafir walked up to a pair of dolls. Beda quickly stood straight up, while Nomomo shaked her head slightly, as if in denial, and stood up too.
Beda - Great. We are five whole hours ahead of schedule. How many units are we still have available to set up this ambush point?
Shafir - You have no-one, but yourself and your little assistant. I'm not going to let my options run thin and dry. How many ambush points are you going to set-up?
Beda - Two more. This one, and one more, on a line through a up north. On a way to Warsaw.
Shafir - Who it this guy that you are after? It would be a death sentence, if he were to go through a red zone and then right to Warsaw. You are wasting both my patience and resourses doll!
Beda - There is a reason to believe that his team is highly skilled professionals and veterans. Some might even be former neo-soviet soldiers. Which says alot.
A concerned look pierced through Beda, as Shafir were trying to understand what does she mean by that. Everything she said, were pointing to one thing...
Shafir - You think my people won't be able to handle some petty handicapped NSU idiots?
Beda - Sir, if they were at least something like that, they wouldn't have ended up as prime target...
Shafir - THAt IS NoT FOr YOU tO DECIDe, bloody doll!
Another incident of irritation, Shafir grabbed Beda by her neck and pushed against the inner metal wall of a truck. Shafir's assisstant jumped up a little, while Nomomo was taken aback. Nomomo was about to hit Shafir in a face, when she saw Beda commanding her to "stop" with a single move of her hand with an open palm.
Beda - We can't underestimate our... Opponent... No matter what. And that's what I am doing! I'm just being cautious! It was your words, that you won't tolerate any form of casualty. And so I am trying to minimize any sort of a threat to your people as a first priority.
With a calm and shaken voice, Beda managed to put up an answer, all while looking right into Shafir's eyes. It looked like Shafir wasn't pleased with an answer, but after a few seconds, he released his grip form Beda's neck.
Shafir - As you should, damned doll!
While anger and irritation of Shafir face were still very much present, at least he did calmed down. If only for a short while, untill he finds a new reason to blame the dolls for everything. Finaly, shafir walked back to his previous spot and started saying commands through a terminal.
Despite that Beda was the prime target of Shafir's anger, she was first to regain composure and sit down. Nomomo was still shaken by a even that just took hold in front of her.
Nomomo - I would have beaten the shit out of him...
Beda - I know, that's why you should leave me all the talking.
=== Odesa ===
Just a usual park, just a usual day. Kid's laughter, someone talking through a terminal. Some people who were just passing by, were cautiously taking an extra step aside when walking through one of the paths of a this lavish green park. The cause of everyone's uncertainty, was a certain enourmous doll, who were sitting on a bench, flipping through a file with a name "Maria" on it.
??? - NITA!
Sudden call forced Nita to snap back into reality. She looked around, but noone was around. Or rather, noone who she could knew that would call her out. But otherwise, there was a plenty of people of all ages walking or sitting around. Only an old man with a cane, took a seat on the other side of a same bench.
After old man pulled out a bag full of seeds for birds and threw fistfull of seeds on a stone-paved path, Nita relaxed and continued reading. But just the more she was reading, everything were making less and less sence. At some point she was tired and lost among all these pages, so she closes a file and hides it deep within her own frame.
??? - NITA!
Once again, she heard someone calling for her name. Again, she looked around, to find nobody who would approach her or who she would have recognized... She kept looking around, trying desperatly to find the sourse of that call. It didn't took long for her to give up once again.
Old Man - What happened to you? You'v been spinning like my son's spinning top.
Nita - Oh... Sorry, just... Things.
Old Man - Anxious little doll dont you? But oh well, you ain't that little for a doll. So I would have say, but you are anything but little. Then again, with everything what is going on around the world, who knows? Maybe I am wrong all along.
Nita - Heard something like that one somewhere before.
Old Man - I'm sure you did. A fine doll like you, probobly went through alot. What kind of doll are you? Never seen something like you before.
Nita - Never seen? I'm more of a prototype... Forgoten and lost. I would have been surprised If you knew something. And yes, I'v been through alot. Why would you even ask that a doll?
Both Nita and Old man kept talking without even making an eye contact with eachother.
Old Man - Doll or human, soldier or outlaw, woman and man, young and old... I don't even know, why so many people are obsessed with their image? Like there is some kind of a difference.
Nita - Sounds like you don't care about the fact that you are talking to a doll.
Old Man - I know that I am talking to a doll. But once again... Is there any difference?
Nita - For the most people out there, there is a big difference.
Old Man - Most people are in such a hurry, that they miss the point of everything they see and learn nothing from anything. Then they expect everyone to know everything, can't explain what they want to others, get angry when they don't receive something they don't know, and finaly, get ashamed of nothing they have ever done to thouse around them. Overall, what difference is there? I'd say none! There is no difference between anyone out here. There used to be a difference. But not anymore. So in the end, I am here, talking to a doll just for the sake of talking and nothing else.
Nita - Talking just for the sake of talking? How old are you, old man?
Old Man - I am a ninety two years old, mind you young lady.
Nita - I am not worth it to be called of a lady. And I can't even tell if I am a young.
Old Man - Every lady can be worth of being called a lady, it's just a matter of wheather or not the lady in question surrounded by a propper company.
Nita - Does that mean, you are a propper company, old man?
Old Man - I hope so... The only thing I could ever do...
After a short moment of silence, old man reached into a bag of seeds once again, and threw another fistfull of seeds onto a path in front of him. Birds kept piling up to eat a few more seeds of the ground. Nita's gaze were fixed on a flock of birds in front of her. What was so attractive in feeding birds, so that old may would come here with a bag of seeds prepeared?
A minute passed by. Nita and Old man were still there, on sitting on a bench, surrounded by both restless birds and people who hurried through their way. And Nita pulled out her journal once again, adding a new line of ink on a page.
"It's just a matter of what kind of company you are surrounded by"