Trevor, Jeanne, Vincent, and Shu followed the two girls. The group made their way through the neutral territory, the landscape a mixture of fields, trees, and the ruins of buildings. As they walked, Jeanne and Trevor shared a look, their eyes wide and unsure of what was going on.
As the group approached a large building that was still standing, Livana and Veili paused.
"One sec, I'll get the door open," Veili said as she pressed her hand against the large door.
With a loud grinding sound, the heavy door slid to the side, revealing a mostly empty warehouse. Inside were several other girls and a few trucks. A tall woman with dark skin was standing off to the side, talking into a radio.
Veili stepped through the doorway, the others following behind.
"Welcome to the 701st's temporary reconnaissance base. Please, this way." She led the group through the building. As they walked, Jeanne, Vincent, Trevor, and Shu took in their surroundings, noting the equipment, the other girls, and the general state of the warehouse. There was a makeshift kitchen, and some other girls were cooking, while a third was cleaning a large sniper rifle.
They eventually came to a stop at an area of the building where a girl with short brown hair was sitting at a table.
"You know can't bring strays here..." She muttered, her voice laced with a tone of irritation. The girl looked up, her blue eyes piercing through each of the newcomers.
"They had a girl named Shu, Lyvern," Veili said with a serious tone. "An ATI unit, serial MTR771-04133. Shu should be one of ours, but..."
The girl with the blue eyes stood, her demeanor changing to a serious expression as she stepped towards Shu.
Shu stared back at her, her expression confused.
"What happened? Weren't you supposed to be decommissioned? You didn't die? If you were mobile, you should've come back immediately!" Lyvern asked, her voice rising in intensity with each word. "What the fuck are you wearing?"
Shu's eyes were wide, her gaze fixed on the other girl's. She was unable to find the words to reply, her body shaking. "I-I don't know who you are..."
Lyvern's eyes narrowed, her lips pursing in anger. She turned to Veili, who stood to the side. "Where was she?"
Veili shrugged, "Ask them."
"Please... calm down. Shu has lost most of her memory. She can't remember much." Trevor explained, his voice calm and soothing. He could feel the tension between Shu and Lyvern.
Lyvern slammed the stock of her rifle on the table in anger, causing the other three to jump in surprise. Her eyes locked on Trevor's. "You'd better explain from the beginning. And Veili, Call Yuren. Tell him we need immediate extraction." She turned to Shu and grabbed her by the arm, "You sit. And don't move." Lyvern's tone was cold, her words sharp.
"Still think it was a good idea?" Vincent nudged Trevor and motioned to Lyvern.
Trevor sighed. "This wasn't how I wanted this to go down." He mumbled as he looked at the group of androids. He glanced at Vincent and leaned in to whisper, "They're all androids..."
"I know..." Vincent whispered, "And I know what you're thinking, so don't even ask. They're probably all like her." He said, nodding to Lyvern. "And that's the only one I'm worried about. She looks pissed." He added, motioning to the angry android.
Jeanne's gaze darted between the two of them. "I thought it'd be fine. But this is really weird, she seems so..."
"Angry? Frustrated?" Trevor offered. "She definitely doesn't seem to like us." He sighed and shook his head. "I'm not sure what to do."
"Shut up." Vincent whispered, "Let me do the talking."
"We got a problem." A girl with 'NIT72' marked on her shoulder walked in with a device in her hand, its antenna spinning around. "Eisendrache won't be able to pick us up from here. Commander says rendezvous in Arlith in ninety-two hours for a fly-by pickup." The girl looked up, her face partially obscured by her dark hair, her expression grim.
"Dammit. Just under four days to get there..." Lyvern sighed. "You heard her! Pack it up, soldiers; we need to move. Double time!" She shouted.
The androids replied and quickly started breaking down their camp.
Jeanne and Trevor exchanged a glance. "What just happened?" Jeanne whispered.
Trevor looked back at the androids, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Are we... coming along?" he asked.
Lyvern stopped and turned to look at them, "You're not going back until my suspensions are abated. Get in one of the trucks and keep your hands visible."
"Oh fuck that, I'm out," Vincent said and started to turn to leave, but he felt a hand grab him.
"Don't test me," Lyvern said through gritted teeth as she yanked on Vincent's arm, almost pulling it from its socket. "Tayno, break down that motorcycle and put it in a Prometheus container." She barked as she dragged him back. She then looked to Jeanne, Trevor, and Shu. "All three of you. Get in a truck. Now." Lyvern commanded, her voice sharp and authoritative.
"Wait! Wait!" Vincent protested as one of the girls dismantled his motorcycle with remarkable speed and precision. He struggled in vain; his attempts at resistance were in vain.
"I'm not going to tell you again. You've been warned." Lyvern's words were cold, her expression stern and unwavering. "Now get in the fucking truck." She said as she dragged Vincent to one of the trucks.
Jeanne, Shu, and Trevor complied and climbed into the back. They were joined by Vincent and a few other androids. Veili and another girl climbed in as well.
"Like sardines," Veili said with a chuckle as the first truck filled with people.
Jeanne looked around at the faces of the girls, their expressions serious and stoic. She could see the patches and markings on their armor and the designations tattooed on their necks.
"Are they really... all androids?" She mumbled.
"Damn, they're fast. They cleared their setup in about four minutes. Now they're just loading it all on the trucks." Trevor said.
"Is it that unusual?" Jeanne asked.
"Even for a small platoon, yes. But that actually makes me more concerned. If Argentia has android units like this, then what the hell can our Republic's human soldiers even do against such quick and coordinated soldiers?" Trevor's voice was low, his words spoken in a hushed tone.
Vincent sat next to Trevor and Jeanne and glared at Veili and the other androids. "We're so fucked." He muttered under his breath.
The truck's engine started, the vibrations of the vehicle shaking the passengers inside. It rumbled and moved, the noise of the tires and engine echoing throughout the cab. They drove for a few hours in the darkness. The moonlight and stars above provided little in the way of visibility for Trevor, Jeanne, Vincent, and Shu.
***
It was a restless three nights for Jeanne, Trevor, and Vincent; they were always on the move. The androids drove the entire time, not stopping to rest. They would only stop momentarily to rotate driving and defense duties and trade spots between trucks.
As dawn broke on the fourth morning, Arlith's border was finally within view. It was a city of tall skyscrapers and sprawling streets. It was the kind of place where one could get lost in its maze of buildings. As the trucks drew closer to the city, Jeanne and Trevor saw the familiar signs of a city: the buildings, the roads, and the cars.
"This place is pretty big. How are we going to get to the pickup spot without being noticed?" Jeanne asked.
"I have no idea," Trevor said as he looked around.
"Communication from the Eisendrache! We got a point. Westminster Bridge." Veili shouted from the front.
"Alright, that's not too far from here, just on the other side of the city. Let's roll." Tayno shouted.
"Wait, that's the famous high bridge right in the middle of the damn city!" Vincent shouted. "How the hell are you gonna get picked up from there?"
"We're experts at wingin' it." Tayno laughed, "You're in good hands, don't you worry."
Vincent looked at Trevor, his eyes wide. "They're crazy."
"They're androids. What did you expect?" Trevor said, "They can't feel fear."
As the trucks sped through the border and into the city, police sirens blared and lights flashed, the sound and light filling the cab with a sense of urgency and panic.
"We've got a police escort, let's roll!" Lyvern said.
Trevor looked around and saw several police officers in pursuit. "It's not an escort!" He yelled, "They're trying to pull us over!"
The trucks accelerated and sped through the city streets. It swerved around cars, the tires screeching against the pavement as the trucks narrowly missed the vehicles in their way.
"Eyes up!" Tayno yelled.
Jeanne and Vincent looked ahead to see what he was yelling about.
An aerial battleship burst through the clouds in a rapid descent, 'C15' visible on its hull.
"What the fuck? Is that what's picking us up? How is this gonna work?" Vincent yelled.
"We got one shot at this!" Lyvern said, "Everyone, hold tight."
As the trucks approached a long high bridge, Lyvern hit a switch, and the side door opened up.
The aerial battleship dropped in altitude; it passed through the arches under the bridge, and its deck was visible.
The leading truck burst through the guardrail and launched from the bridge, landing on the battleship's deck and skidding to a halt. The second truck did the same, the two vehicles slamming onto the ship and sliding to a stop.
"Brace yourselves in five!" Tayno shouted.
Jeanne and Trevor braced themselves, and Vincent gripped the seat tightly as the third and final truck slammed through the guardrail and flew into the air. The truck landed hard, the suspension groaning and the frame shuddering.
As they did so, the police officers on the bridge came to a screeching halt, watching in confusion and disbelief.
"Yeehaw!" Veili shouted in excitement. "Damn right! We just pulled off the sickest fly-by pickup from the world's highest bridge!"
Vincent was the first to exit the vehicle, and his legs wobbled, and he stumbled away, his body trembling from the experience. His mind raced with the insanity of what had just transpired, the sheer audacity of the stunt that the androids had just pulled.
"Holy shit... Holy shit..." Vincent muttered under his breath.
Trevor and Jeanne were next to exit the truck, their faces pale, their bodies shaking. The androids had just executed one of the most insane maneuvers they had ever witnessed. Jeanne looked around the deck, her eyes wide, her breath quick and shallow. The deck of the ship began to lower as the ship regained altitude.
"So this is an Imperial battleship..." Jeanne mumbled to herself as she took in the sight before her.
"Welcome to the Eisendrache. It's a one-of-a-kind! 413-meter-long flying beast!" Veili said with a smile, her arms crossed in front of her chest, and a proud look on her face.
Jeanne and Vincent looked around in awe, taking in the sights and sounds of the battleship. The androids were unloading the trucks, and the other girls had come out to greet them. Shu had also stepped out and looked around.
"That was an impressive display, soldiers!" A girl with red hair shouted, "I was able to watch the last truck's landing, that's going in the books as another of the 701st's wild feats!"
Veili's face lit up, "Hell yeah! A fly-by pickup from the Mile High Bridge!"
The other girl had a long red coat on and had several spare rifle magazines hanging from her belt. She turned to Jeanne, Vincent, Trevor, and Shu. "So whose the luggage?" She asked as she approached, her hands behind her head.
"I'm not luggage..." Vincent grumbled.
The redheaded girl walked around them, her gaze fixed on Shu. "Hm, I know you." She mumbled, "But these three..." Her eyes were fixed on Trevor, Vincent, and Jeanne.
"I'm Jeanne."
"Trevor."
"Vincent."
"Vincent, Trevor, and Jeanne." She said as she nodded and walked away. "Welcome to the Eisendrache."
As they walked, Vincent, Trevor, and Jeanne were escorted into a large and open area of the ship.
"This is the onboard barracks; you can sleep in any of the free beds," Veili explained as she pointed to an open door of a room with bunk beds. She turned and pointed to a doorway, "And over there is a washroom, the mess hall is on the middle level, and the bottom level is off limits to civvies."
She smiled and shrugged. "Well, that's the tour. Stay safe and don't wander."
"Where's Shu?" Vincent asked.
"Probably getting looked at in the repair bay." Veili shrugged again, "Well, later. I got to report in and stuff, ya know?"
Vincent watched as she walked away and then turned to Jeanne, who was sitting on one of the beds in the room Veili had pointed out.
"This is a bit much for a battleship..." Trevor commented, "There are so many beds, and they all look... lived in. Are they constantly on missions?"
"What'd you expect? Did you think it'd be like a resort cruise?" Vincent said.
Jeanne looked at Vincent and Trevor and sighed.
"Guys, It's everywhere on churp now. They're calling it 'Bridge Drop'. We've gone viral." She mumbled, showing them the latest post on her phone.
Vincent sighed. "Of course, a crazy stunt like that in the middle of the goddamn city was going to be noticed by everyone."
Trevor shrugged. "At least we weren't recognized." He said, trying to remain optimistic.
"Yeah, we weren't in frame, thank goodness. But still..." Jeanne's words trailed off as she glanced at her phone. "We should stay low until we're home."
Vincent and Trevor both agreed, and the trio settled down in one of the beds and started to rest.