I carefully spread out the map on the table, my fingers tracing the lines and shapes as I immersed myself in the intricate details of the plan. The base we were facing was unlike any other, a grotesque and eerie mass of living flesh that seemed to have sprouted from the very earth itself. It stood unmoving, an ominous and unsettling sight at the heart of our challenge.
The defense mechanisms of this freakish flesh-type base were solid, and our adversaries, the Fleshlings, were a disturbing sight to behold. Composed of ground-up living matter, they resembled wriggling chunks of meat, yet to my surprise, they were capable of handling tools and implements. It was as if they were mere puppets under the control of a sinister main brain.
But the most concerning aspect was the possibility of their agenda. If their intention was to resurrect something formidable, like a Titan, the consequences would be dire for the entire Mindanao region. The mere thought of such an event sent shivers down my spine, and I knew that we needed to act swiftly and decisively to prevent such a disaster.
As I opened my eyes, snapping out of my imaginary trance, I noticed Sandra shooting me a playful glance from her bed, a slight pout on her lips. "Hey, you went all quiet. Was my plan that boring?" she teased, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
"Nah, not at all," I chuckled, shaking off the focus that had consumed me. "Sometimes I just get lost in thought. But anyway, it's already six. Time to hit the cafeteria," I announced, getting up from my chair and carefully stuffing the plan into my pocket.
Unbeknownst to me, Sam had been scribbling in her notebook, her gaze steady and focused on me the whole time. "Big Brother, you're a real weirdo sometimes," she remarked, her voice a mix of playful teasing and genuine concern.
I let out a sigh, realizing that perhaps my solitary life had affected my social skills more than I had realized. "Sorry," I admitted, a tinge of regret in my voice. "It's been ages since I hung out with people, other than bandits, Gustav, and some villagers. Guess I lost my touch in socializing."
Sandra chuckled, breaking the tension with her lighthearted demeanor. "Don't worry about it," she said, giving me a reassuring smile. "We'll be your socializing practice buddies, right Sam?"
Sam nodded, her earlier stare softening into a warm expression. "Of course, Big Brother. You can count on us."
The cafeteria, or chow hall if we're talking military style, was Gustav's attempt at keeping things decent. It had been neglected, but now that it was just the two of us, he had put in some effort to make it kinda presentable.
The walls were coated in a shiny steel grey, almost blinding under the cafeteria's harsh lights. Despite its simplicity, there was a sense of tidiness about the place. The serving counters gleamed with cleanliness, a testament to Gustav's attention to detail. As we entered, the aroma of freshly prepared food greeted us warmly.
Inside, Gustav was bustling about, hauling out two trays filled to the brim with an array of grub. "Heads up, it's more food than you can handle," he grinned, placing the trays on the counter. "Time to line up, folks. Chow's on."
The sight before me was a welcome change from our usual meals of canned goods and rations. The dishes were a mix of home-cooked favorites and some experimental creations that Gustav had whipped up using whatever ingredients he could scrounge up.
"Looks like you found yourself a new hobby," I chuckled, appreciating Gustav's culinary efforts as I headed over to grab a plate and spoon.
The two followed suit, though Sandra seemed a bit hesitant. Sam reached out and grabbed her hands.
"Come on, big sis, Gustav can apologize later," Sandra urged, giving Sandra a playful tug toward the utensils.
Sandra sighed and went along with it
I took my place at the front of the line, eyeing the trays filled with chicken adobo and white rice. Both were generously portioned, with the adobo looking especially appetizing and the white rice perfectly cooked.
"What's with the surplus of food?" I asked, setting my plate down in front of Gustav.
Gustav served me at least 10 cups of rice and nearly a whole chicken's worth of chunks. "Eat up, champ. Tomorrow's a big operation."
With my abnormal appetite and energy requirements, it wouldn't be too difficult to finish it all, but I hadn't expected such a generous portion.
I nodded and made my way to a table near the exit. The mound of rice seemed daunting until I realized I hadn't eaten anything since waking up that morning.
Using my spoon, I scooped up spoonfuls of the flavorful adobo broth and grabbed a chunk of chicken breast. With a single bite, the spoon almost snapped. The spices were perfectly balanced, and the chicken was delicious.
As I chewed, I glanced over at the three of them. They had received better treatment, but it seemed they would be sharing plates.
"Wow, that's a lot of food!" Sam exclaimed, wide-eyed at the mountain of rice.
"Of course, for the ladies," Gustav grinned.
Sam beamed. "Thank you so much, big sister, come on!"
Sandra held the big bowl of chicken adobo and stammered, "Tha-thank you so much."
Gustav nodded. "You're welcome. I'm sorry for the things I said. Now, that big dude is waiting for you over there."
Gustav pointed at me. They looked in my direction, as if they hadn't noticed me. I waved, and they waved back. Meanwhile, I realized that I had been absentmindedly eating my food while observing them.
They joined me at my table. Sam sat beside me and placed a plate full of rice in front of me, while Sandra sat across from us with the large bowl of adobo.
"So, the conversation went well, huh?" I remarked, taking another spoonful of rice and adobo.
Sam nodded enthusiastically. "Yup! But how did you hear us? We almost didn't even notice you!"
"Yeah, you were only a few steps ahead of us," Sandra added, sipping a spoonful of adobo broth. "This is really good!"
"I'm just pretty good at being unnoticed," I replied, spooning another portion of rice.
"Like, I didn't even notice you entering the room," Sandra said, with a bit of adobo broth on her lips.
Sam skillfully spooned a piece of chicken along with its flavorful broth and spread it onto her rice. "Where's Russ?"
"He's either in maintenance or out scouting," I replied.
"But Gustav is right there," Sam pointed out before shoving a spoonful of rice into her mouth. "Mmm, it's delicious!"
"Most of the ship relies on AI to handle its operations," I explained, nearing the end of my meal. "So even if he's away for a while, things still run automatically."
Sandra had finished her meal and seemed fully satisfied. "Woah, it's been such a long time since I ate until I was full," she chuckled.
Noticing rice and broth on her mouth, I handed her a blue cotton handkerchief. "You have a bit of food on your mouth. It's not very ladylike."
Sandra's cheeks turned red, and she took the handkerchief to wipe her mouth. "Th-thank you."
Sam narrowed her eyes and giggled. "You looked like a clown, big sister."
"Well, it's been a while since I had such a big meal," I said, finishing my own bowl and plate.
After a while, Sam and Sandra finished their meals and headed to the showers. I made my way to the armory to return some of my gear.
The entrance to the armory was a regular steel door with a disabled passcode lock. I turned the doorknob, and the scent of freedom and democracy filled the room.
The armory resembled something out of a movie, with guns of various calibers neatly placed on the walls. Ammunition was arranged on a table, all stored in boxes. The armory itself was unguarded, as no one would dare attempt to steal from it.
I placed my guns down, and a small robot came to pick them up. The robot had a box-shaped head and body but moved smoothly without tumbling. Using its iron pinchers, it grabbed the Glocks and walked away. However, the tiny steel creature couldn't lift the assault rifle I had brought with me.
I secured the rifle to the wall, closing the clamps to prevent it from falling.
Looking around, I saw that the ammunition was still plentiful and could last us a decade if used wisely. Since the rapture, raw resources had become more abundant, including materials like oil, sulfur, and others used in various industries.
With my gear unloaded, I decided to head back to my room for some much-needed rest. The ship was as quiet as ever, with the hallways clean and devoid of any sound.