Restoring Mankind (NieR Automata) Chapter 12 preview 1/5 (Patreon)

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Her bed never felt more comfortable.

Commander White glanced at the stark ceiling of her own private quarters, having long since returned to the Bunker. She was bare and naked, very much like how she was first manufactured oh so many years ago. Her clothes were in a pile at the corner of her room, still crumpled and dirty. It was a contrasting image, from the prim and proper view she had cultivated to her actual private habits. Though, her neglect of personal maintenance stemmed from not really having any reason to. It wasn't as if she was going to get any visitors into her room. 

But this time though...

She felt the sandy particles on her skin, her systems replaying all the wonderful memories she had made in descending back into the planet again. And this time...she didn't want to clean that part away. 

Her cheeks flushed, her sensors replaying all that had happened in perfect recollection. The benefit and curse of every android, the ability to truly record what had happened as if it just occurred not a second again. A pit formed in her stomach, a fierce and intense longing that only those who have felt the touch of affection and love could know. But she couldn't. She still had duties to perform. 

She sat up on her bed and prepared to get into new clothes. Here, she was simply White. Outside of her room, she was Commander White. 

Time to get back into it. 

She stepped in through the room, and beheld a massive chamber. The nerve center was just as she remembered it. Operators typing away or speaking at their terminals, the massive holographic screen at the far wall showing a map of the world, as well as the statuses of all YoRHa agents in the planet. As soon as she set foot inside, all activity stopped as the Operators stood up as one, saluting her with their palms to their chest.

"Welcome back, Commander," the Operators all greeted her as soon as she had stepped foot back inside YoRHa's nerve center, the one room in the Bunker that decided the fate of those under her command.

White returned the salute. "At ease, and return to your duties. Operator 210, 60, report to me." 

She took her place at the platform overlooking both the lower and upper levels of the nerve center, casting an oppressive eye at the Operators under her. White quickly noted that some sat a little bit straighter. It seemed in her absence, some of her girls allowed themselves to be lax. 

That would not do. Not when Smith could visit them anyday now. 

But first...

She could hear 210 and 60 approach her. Not hard to do really since 60 was chattering excitingly about something to her fellow Operator.

"Sitrep," she said simply, her riding crop slapped gently against her palm for emphasis. That cut off their conversation quickly as 210 stood forward. 

"Operations in the Kingdom of Day remain at nominal levels, Commander," 210 reported dutifully and smoothly. The Kingdom of Day of course referring to the one side of the planet that experienced eternal sunlight, eternal day. Really, it should mostly be a blasted desert much like the place she had just left but maso kept things as they were, locked in stasis. She was sure that some artful android or human could find a lesson to be learned here but not her. 

She thought of logistics, and tactics, and formations. Not art or philosophy. 

"What is the status of our operatives on the planet?" She asked, stepping forward to glance up at the massive holographic screen brightly shining against the far wall. 

"U-um, the 17th and 4th Combat Squads have reported success in their missions, m-ma'am!" 60 squeaked. "The 17th have managed to reduce Engels-class units in the Philippine Sea to acceptable rates with minimal casualties!" Her eyes then brightened. "Oh, and the 4th Squad's Captain personally engaged with a local machine controller in the Yellow Sea!"

That was good news. "That'll soften the pressure for the Resistance in the Philippines and those operating in the Yellow Sea. Good. Asides from the 4th Squads Captain, anyone that distinguished themselves?" 

210 nodded. "Yes, Ma'am. 5B from the 17th. She led a successful distraction that allowed her squad to engage the Engel's units piece by piece." 

"Then give her a reward. A new sword perhaps and a promotion. If she keeps this up, she'll be able to have her own squad someday," White nodded. Good work ought to be rewarded and bad work corrected. Chastisement was only for those who needed it. Failures of the men came from the officers and a bad officer was better of dead than wasting the lives and talents of their subordinates.

All in all, good news. But that wasn't what she wanted to hear.

"And the status of Station 7?" she asked, turning towards the both of them. 

At that, the mood of the two Operators turned. Standing a bit straighter now, they met White's gaze. "Station 7 is at 90% conversion, ma'm. It is ready for habitation," 210 reported, her tone stoic but yet, quivering with poorly hidden emotion. 

Finally. 

"Colonel Smith will be pleased, then." She sighed in relief. The good Colonel cared for his people, and her and the androids despite them not really needing any supervision or care. They were not infants after all. But...it felt nice. To have a human look and care for them. And the way Smith just made her feel....

"What...what were they like?" 60 found herself asking, wonder in her eyes. 

For a moment, a crack appeared on White's persona. "Wonderful. Just...everything that we all have dreamed of," White admitted, her voice filled with reverance and awe. She sighed in bliss, glancing at her hand. "Their leader, Colonel Smith. He touched my hand." White whispered, her voice less a commander now and a more akin to a devotee visiting a shrine to their god. 

"Woah," 60 gasped in awe, her eyes wide. At her side, 210 cleared her throat. "Commander, if I may...were there any human children?" 

White tilted her head. "I do not seem to recall. While there were multiple pods, I didn't see any pods containing human young. Why do you ask?" 

"....For data interests," 210 said simply, after a long and pregnant pause. 

Right. White shook her head. "There will be plenty of time for either of you...or all of you, to meet them." White said, glancing over her shoulder to see her Operators stealing glances, discreetly or otherwise, at them. 

They looked away. White continued. "But first, we must ensure that the humans below get to Station 7 securely and safely. Once that is happen, I will petition high command to allow us visiting rights to the station considering how close we are, as well as be the station's security." 

Around Earth's orbit was many great space stations that acted both as factories for the Army of Humanity and as to function a important strategic role. Her bunker was among one of them. Great in its use and function but there were others that were greater. Station 7 occupied an area in orbit just a flight away. 

Hearing that, 210 and 60, and their fellow Operators took in a deep and excited breath. "Understood, ma'am. You will not find us, or our charges, lacking," 210 vowed. 

"I will work hard t-too, Commander!" 60 promised, clearly eager for the chance to see humans for the first time. 

"See that you do. For Mankind," White nodded. 

Then suddenly, there came a shout. "C-Commander! We have a urgent transmission from the surface! It is from Captain 1D!" 

From 1D? Did something happen to the Outpost? 

"Patch her in!" White ordered, stepping forward. At that, an image of 1D appeared on the great screen of the nerve center. Her mouth moved, the words registered into White's receptors. 

Her eyes widened as shock and fear gripped her. But it all simply fizzled away as something else took her. Rage. Fury. 

Bloodlust. 

Kill. 

KILL

KILL


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A/N: Oh deere