I woke up slowly, stretching as the dream began to fade away. I made my way to the living room to see how things were after I had left all the work to them. Quietly, I walked over to the door and from the shadows, I watched Doll and J, who were in the middle of an argument. Doll, as usual, was raising her voice in her broken Russian, and J, with his usual arrogant tone, was ignoring her with his nose in the air. They seemed to be arguing over something so insignificant that it almost made me laugh.
Just when I thought I had managed to slip through unnoticed, Doll's eyes instantly found me. Her expression quickly changed, and in the blink of an eye, she began to play the victim. She turned to me with a pout on her face, raising her hands in supplication.
— "Он снова издевается надо мной…" (She's making fun of me again…) —he said in Russian, while casting a fleeting glance at J, who maintained his haughty posture, ignoring all of Doll's theatrics.
— "Oh, come on, it's not that bad," —I said as I approached Doll and, in one smooth movement, lifted her into my arms.
She pouted again, more exaggeratedly, but didn't object to being picked up. Rather, she seemed to be enjoying the attention. I knew this was her game, but I also knew how to end the dispute quickly.
— "I told Nemo to hide all your tools," I said soothingly as I held her, "because we almost didn't tell you last time, remember? That EMP that shut you down for two hours. You were so angry when you woke up."
Doll feigned surprise, but quickly made herself more comfortably in my arms, while trying to continue her victim act.
— "Но я не виновата…" (It wasn't my fault…) she muttered.
J, who had been watching with a disdainful expression until then, snorted, clearly fed up with the scene.
— "I understand that you're amazing and perfect, J," I said lightly, trying to soften the situation, "but you have to be nicer to my little flea."
J raised an eyebrow, and though she seemed about to respond with her typical arrogance, a small smile of satisfaction formed on her lips upon hearing the praise. She reluctantly accepted, knowing that, even if she wouldn't admit it to herself, she liked it when I recognized her qualities.
— "I'll try... although I don't promise too much," —she replied in a cold but clearly proud tone.
Doll, meanwhile, took advantage of my distraction to mock J, sticking her tongue out from my arms in a childish manner. Although I tried to keep a straight face, it was impossible not to notice how ridiculous the scene looked. J, for her part, rolled her eyes, but this time she decided not to enter into the provocation,happy with the fact that I had recognized her perfection.
— "See, J? It's not that hard to be nice," I said, trying to keep the mood light.
— "Yeah, sure…" — J replied, keeping his tone distant.
Doll, more comfortable now, was still pouting, but it was clear that she had won this little battle. Although her dramatics sometimes tired me out, I couldn't help but feel a little protective of her. YJ, although arrogant and perfectionist, had learned to tolerate her, even if it was in her own way.
At least, for now, there was peace… or as close to it as one could hope for in a situation like this.
After the whole scene with Doll and J, I decided it would be best to clear my head a little in the control room. I still had Doll in my arms, who, despite her small size, didn't complain one bit. I had gotten her used to complaining about everything, except when it was her turn to receive some attention, like now.
I walked through the halls with her snuggled up comfortably as we reached the control room. As soon as I entered, I saw the tea I had asked J for hours ago. It was on the table, cold and forgotten, just as I expected. I took it with my free hand and took a sip, knowing it would be ice cold. J, from the doorway, was looking at me with some frustration.
"I can make another tea if you want…" she offered, visibly uncomfortable with the fact that I wasn't taking her job seriously.
"No, don't worry, it's perfect," I answered without even looking at her, focusing on Nemo as I took another sip of the cold tea.
The truth was that, thanks to one of the modifications Doll had made to my oxygen mask, I could drink the tea without having to take it off. Something practical, considering the circumstances we were always in. Doll had saved me on more than one occasion with her little inventions, although some turned out to be more dangerous than useful. Fortunately, this was not one of those.
"Nemo, tell me, how is everything outside?" "I asked, staring at the monitors with a mix of tiredness and curiosity.
Nemo, true to form, answered instantly, his mechanical voice echoing through the room:
"[Monitoring active. Enemy signal not detected. Base remains cloaked under holographic interference. Security stable."
I felt a slight sense of relief upon hearing that. At least, for the moment, we didn't have any major problems on the horizon. Though that never lasted long in our world.
"Perfect," I muttered, taking another sip of tea, which at this point didn't taste so bad anymore, probably because my mind was elsewhere.
J, seeing that I wasn't going to pay any more attention to her, went back to her business, though I could sense that she was somewhat irritated that I had ignored her offer to make another tea. Meanwhile, Doll was still curled up in my arms,apparently satisfied with the direction the situation had taken.
"Thanks for the mask, by the way," I said quietly, addressing Doll as I stroked her hair with one hand. "Always helpful to have someone as brilliant as you around."
She made a satisfied little noise, enjoying the praise, as I stared at Nemo's screen. It seemed that, at least for a little while, things would be under control.
As I held Doll in my arms and continued to drink my tea, I couldn't help but think about how things had changed lately. The truth is, deep down, I was kind of grateful that Nemo wasn't as sarcastic as he used to be. There was a time when every response from him came loaded with a robotic irony that managed to get on my nerves. Now, his tone was much more direct and functional, which I deeply appreciated.
"You know," I said, speaking out loud, more to myself than to anyone in particular. "It's a relief that Nemo isn't so sarcastic anymore… that was really annoying."
However, as if my words had flipped a switch in his programming, Nemo decided to revert to his old ways.
"[Sarcasm detected. My apologies, master. I will try not to overwhelm you with my *inevitable* brilliance.]" he said in his mechanical tone, laden with subtle irony that made me frown.
I stared at a wall, staring at nothing in particular, clearly bored and unsure of how to react. Doll let out a small laugh in my arms, enjoying the situation. Nemo, despite everything, was still able to get a smile out of me, even if I had a hard time admitting it.
"It wasn't supposed to be a personal challenge, Nemo," I said with a sigh as I continued to stare at the wall, letting the monotony of the moment wash over me.
Silence filled the room again, and as I stood there, with Doll in my arms and the cold tea in my hand, I knew this brief calm wouldn't last long.
After a few more minutes of silent contemplation, I decided it was time to move. Still holding Doll in my arms, I headed down to the second underground floor, to the training area of Sector 5, which is just around the corner from the storage facilities. As I walked down the stairs, I felt Doll starting to get a little restless, probably already bored of hanging on to me, but she didn't say anything about it.
"Nemo, give Doll her tools back. It's about time she let me go," I said, a hint of annoyance in my voice. It's not that I minded having her there, but I knew that, at some point, she would want her hands free.
"[Understood. Restoring access to tools.]" Nemo replied, without her usual sarcasm, which I internally appreciated.
As soon as Doll heard that her precious tools were once again available, she stopped clinging to me and slipped out of my arms, landing softly on the ground. She gave me a quick glance, as if she was debating whether to continue pouting or run for her tools. In the end, the second option won out, and she quickly disappeared in the direction of her workstation.
With that settled, I turned to J, who was observing the situation with her usual impassive and slightly haughty expression. I knew I couldn't just leave her doing nothing, or else I'd end up finding some excuse to provoke Doll. I wasn't in the mood for any more bickering between them.
"J, I need you to count the supply in warehouses 1 through 8," I ordered her in a casual, but firm tone. "It's not the most exciting task, I know, but at least you'll keep yourself busy and won't have time to argue with Doll."
J frowned, obviously annoyed at being given what she considered an inferior job, but as always, her pride wouldn't allow her to outright refuse.
"Understood," she replied in her usual superior tone, though I noticed she was trying to tone it down a bit, probably remembering that I had praised her perfection a little while ago.
I watched her walk off in the direction of the cellars, her posture straight and dignified even as I tasked her with mundane tasks. I knew her pride was safe only because I had made sure to tell her how amazing and perfect she was. At least that would keep her busy for a while.
With Doll and J now out of my way, I could finally focus on what I had come to do. The training area in Sector 5 was quiet. The room was spacious, with advanced combat simulation equipment and various exercise machines. A soft light flickered on the walls, indicating that the systems were on standby. I decided that after all this chaos, a little training wouldn't hurt.
I activated the hand-to-hand combat simulation program. Holograms began to form in front of me, projecting images of various adversaries. Their movements were fluid and fast, perfectly emulating advanced level fighters. I launched myself at them, feeling my body respond to the effort, striking, dodging, and blocking attacks with precision. It was a good way to clear my mind.
Between a kick and a punch, I said to Nemo over the communicator,
"Hey, Nemo, keep everything under control upstairs. How's the security system?"
"[All systems functioning normally. Doll's tools have been restored. No anomalous external activity.]"
I continued training, grateful that at least for a while Nemo wasn't being sarcastic. But, as if he had read my mind,I heard his tone become colder and more condescending.
— "[By the way, you seem to be getting tired quickly. Maybe you should consider improving your physical endurance, for when you really need it.]"
I rolled my eyes as I punched another hologram. Sure, I should have mentioned it out loud, and now Nemo was back to his old tricks.
— "Shut up, Nemo," I said half-heartedly, as I focused on finishing the round.
Finally, exhausted but satisfied, I turned off the simulation and wiped my sweat with a towel from there. I had had enough exercise for the moment so I headed over to where they were to see how they were doing, the low hum of the machines working at full capacity accompanying me with every step. Upon arriving, I turned the first corner towards the storage area.
This level despite having a training area was also where we had all our main supplies: food, tools, spare parts for the systems, and a few more valuable things that I preferred to keep away from any conflict. As I walked through the narrow hallways, I heard the echo of my footsteps resonate. In the background, I saw J, who was going about her task of counting supplies, moving quickly but with a certain meticulousness that, to be honest, surprised me.
I walked over to see how things were going.
"How's that going, J?" I asked.
She turned around, keeping a serious expression.
"Everything in order. Although the supplies in warehouse 3 seem somewhat disorganized. I suggest an improved inventory system," she replied in her usual perfectionist tone.
I smiled slightly at her insistence on efficiency, but couldn't help but make a joke.
"Relax, this is just to keep you busy, it's not a contest of who organizes the boxes the best."
J gave me a look that could cut glass, her wounded pride clearly visible.
"Efficiency is always important, regardless of the purpose. I don't do things by halves."
I sighed, knowing that insisting on it would only prolong the conversation. Accepting her answer with a simple nod seemed the prudent thing to do.
I left J to her own devices and headed into the next warehouse, where Doll was supposed to be working on some invention of hers. As expected, I found her surrounded by tools, apparently working on something with a laser spotlight shining through the smoke.
"You know Nemo gave you your tools back, right? Did I release you from my 'captivity' yet?" I said, leaning against the doorway.
She barely looked up, focused on whatever she was creating.
"Да, знаю, ты мне наконец доверяешь," (Yes, I know, you finally trust me) she replied in a playful tone, but then gave me a 'you're interrupting' look.
I walked over to see what he was doing. It looked like he was trying to modify something with technology I didn't recognize at first. I couldn't help but feel curious.
"What is that?"
"Тебе лучше не знать," (It's better not to know) — he replied with a smile. Just make sure J doesn't bother me while I work."
I rolled my eyes.
"I already kept her busy counting supplies, calm down."
Doll smiled, satisfied, as she continued soldering something. I knew she wouldn't last long quiet, but for now, everything was under control.
I stayed there for a while longer, watching her work with a precision she rarely showed when she was outside the lab. It was clear that this was her element. I stepped back a little and let the silence and the sound of the tools fill the space.
I hope this coexistence remains peaceful and as stable as possible.
The days began to flow strangely in the underground, and the daily coexistence with J and Doll was taking on shades of routine, although always with some unexpected touch. Between tasks, training and some moments of calm, the situations that arose between the three of them varied from the comical to the critical, with some moments of inevitable tedium
**The coffee battle**
One morning, after an especially long night, I decided that I needed a good coffee to start. I headed to the small kitchen we'd set up at the base, where I found J and Doll arguing… over coffee.
"I'm telling you, coffee has to be strong, or it's like drinking dirty water," J said firmly, holding a nearly overflowing cup of black coffee.
"You don't understand much," Doll replied, trying to explain that coffee didn't have to feel like oil to be good. "Mild coffee is for enjoying, not destroying your stomach."
Obviously, I had walked into the middle of a seemingly endless argument. J, in his perfectionist guise, insisted that his method was superior, while Doll, of course, wasn't going to budge.
I sighed, scratching my head.
— "Girls, please, I just want a cup, not World War III."
They both turned to me at the same time, as if waiting for me to decide which side I was on. I grabbed the coffee pot that was in the middle of the battle and poured myself one without saying a word.
— "You're both right. But I prefer mine lukewarm, thanks."
They both stared at me with completely different expressions: Doll rolled her eyes and J frowned in disapproval. I just walked out of the kitchen with my lukewarm cup, glad to have avoided a nuclear war over caffeine.
**The Boring Day**
There was one day in particular when simply nothing happened. No sign of outside activity, no urgent mission, not even a minor malfunction in the systems. The boredom was palpable.
Doll, after a few hours of fruitless attempts to come up with something to entertain herself, finally lay down on the couch in the common area, staring at the ceiling.
"Как ты это терпишь?" (How do you stand this?) she asked me as she threw a wrench in the air and caught it back, over and over again.
J sat, impeccable as ever, going over some reports Nemo had given her to keep herself occupied.
"Boredom is a sign of efficiency. Everything is under control," J commented, not taking her eyes off the reports, her tone heavy with pride.
— "Of course, because being a perfectionist robot helps you deal with boredom," I replied, letting the sarcasm flow.
Hours passed in this state of utter boredom. At the end of the day, Nemo interrupted us with a warning about possible interference with the sensors, but it turned out to be a false alarm. Even J seemed disappointed that there wasn't something more interesting to do.
**The Fight Over the Tool**
Another day, while we were working on improving the base's defense systems, one of the most chaotic moments we'd had in weeks occurred. J was helping to rearrange some of the weapons and systems, while Doll was searching for a specific tool for her latest invention.
— "Ты взяла мою отвертку!" (You took my screwdriver!) — Doll shouted, visibly irritated.
J looked at her coldly.
— "I have no need for your disorganized tools. I keep my equipment spotless."
This clearly struck a nerve in Doll. Without a word, she approached J, ready for a confrontation. I was in the middle of calibrating some systems and had barely managed to turn around when the two of them were practically face to face.
— "Girls... please, now is not the time," I intervened, seeing tensions rising.
— "Она не понимает, как важно иметь всё под рукой!" (He doesn't understand how important it is to have everything at hand!) — Doll snapped.
J didn't flinch, her arrogant glare making things worse. It wasn't until Nemo stepped in with a distraction that I was able to calm the situation down.
— "[Suggestion: Resolve dispute through efficient reorganization. Inventory competition in Warehouse 1.]" —Nemo said in his usual mechanical tone.
The suggestion, as ridiculous as it sounded, was enough to calm them both down, though I continued to watch them exchange withering glances for the rest of the day.
**The Critical Moment**
But not every day was entertaining or absurd. There was one in particular that reminded us of how fragile our situation was. We were checking the security systems when a silent alert sounded.
"[Warning: Multiple signs of external activity detected. Estimated time of arrival: 30 minutes.]"
The usual calm was immediately shattered. Nemo projected an image of several drones approaching our location on the main screen. It was obvious that we had been spotted.
Doll and J, despite their differences, reacted instantly. Doll ran to the weapons area to prepare the defenses, while J began to draw up a plan of action. The coolness and focus of both at that critical moment was almost reassuring.
"Nemo, activate secondary defenses. We don't know how many more could be approaching," I ordered as I analyzed the possibilities.
The atmosphere became tense, but there was no panic. We knew this moment would come eventually, and we were all prepared.
— "We'll get through this," Doll muttered as she adjusted one of the automatic turrets.
— "Of course," J replied, no trace of doubt in his voice. "With perfect planning, like mine, there's always success."
I just rolled my eyes at his arrogance, but couldn't help but feel a bit of relief knowing that when it came to critical moments, we all knew what to do.
**The Day of the Culinary Disaster**
And then there was the day we tried to make a "special" dinner. The idea of a decent meal had come about after days of canned food and synthetic rations. Apparently, J had access to some sort of basic culinary knowledge, and Doll, for some reason, decided it was a good time to try one of her "improvements" on the process.
The result: a messy kitchen, a dish burnt beyond recognition, and a failed attempt at what should have been a dessert.
— "Well, this was a disaster," Doll said, watching the smoke rising from the pan.
J, for the first time since her reboot, looked genuinely embarrassed.
"Maybe… I underestimated the difficulties of the old cooking systems," she said, still keeping her proud tone.
In the end, we decided it was best to go back to canned rations. But that night was a good lesson: not everything can be perfect, even with J and his attempts to control every aspect.
Living together on base was like that, a collection of unexpected moments that ranged from the comical to the critical. And despite everything, we were surviving together, even if it meant having to calm down battles over coffee or trying not to die of boredom.