Story/Night 5-4 (Part2)/Script

Destroyer: Dammit, they escaped... What's with these monsters, it's like they turned suicidal all of a sudden!
All units cease fire! Return to base and await orders!
I'll let them off for today, but mark my words, it won't be so easy next time!

[...]

M99: And so... we broke through the SF lockdown in a single charge, thanks to the Commander's assistance.
We reached the human residential area 2 hours later and delivered the resources to the person in charge.
Ah, naturally, that person did not question our "reasons" for the misplacement of certain items.
After all, these were chaotic times, and the materiel we transported meant little to these fairly well-off people.
But we could not escape Helian-san's eyes...

[In Griffin HQ.]

Helian: What's the meaning of this, M99?
I checked the cargo manifest and there was a discrepancy between the items you received and the items that you handed off.

M99: Ah... I explained to the supervisor of the contracted area...

Helian: According to your report to the contractee, they were lost during combat.
But when I saw the photos, the packaging of the other items was neat and tidy.
You should have protected your cargo well during your operation, I don't think you'd lose a single piece for no reason...

M99: Ah... ahhh...

Helian: There's no point in lying, you know.
I don't want to have to inspect your neural cloud for something as trivial as this...

M99: ...
(It might have been unimportant and trivial, but as dolls, we don't have the right to lie to our superiors...)
(In that case... I'm sorry, everyone...)
I'm sorry, Helian-san...
We couldn't find any safe and provisioned resupply points back then and it was difficult keeping our strength up to complete the operation.
So, about those items...

[Beep.]
[Helian receives a call on her transmitter.]

Helian: Excuse me.

M99: *quietly* I ordered everyone to open them up...

Helian: Hello? ...Please, go on...
Er... is that so...
...I see. It seems it was a misunderstanding.
...That's fine, you don't need to apologize, I didn't cause her any trouble, I was just clarifying some things with her.
...That'll be all, then. Please continue your work.

[The transmission ends.]

Helian: M99, the Commander contacted me just now and said...
He ordered you to open the emergency rations because of a supply shortage during operations, is that so?

M99: Huh?
Ah... yes...

Helian: That is an acceptable reason, but it should have been stated up front in the report.
That way, we can plan and upgrade our resupply points to avoid this sort of situation coming up again.

M99: Yes, I'll keep that in mind next time, please accept my sincerest apologies...

Helian: Also, you all did well in this operation.
You'll be rewarded once the residents send over their evaluations of you. For now, go get some rest.

[An hour later, the transport team gathers outdoors.]

M99: Hawk, you asked the Commander to lie, didn't you?

97S: Hey hey, that's not a lie.
After all, you don't have the authority to touch human stuff without the Commander's unspoken permission.

NZ75: Hmph, so the Commander's an accomplice too.

56-1: Leader, do you still feel guilty after all that?

M99: Whew... well, not really.
Since the Commander's on our side, we'd be doing him a disservice if we didn't understand what he was trying to do.

97S: Hah, still it's a shame about those persimmons... the land around Griffin can't grow anything that good...

56-1: Same goes for that piece of boar meat, the texture of it still lingers in my neural cloud...

M99: Heehee...

NZ75: What are you laughing about, leader?

[M99 opens a box by her feet.]

M99: Take a look at this.

56-1: Oi, isn't this... !?

97S: Meat and vegetables... like the batch from just now!

NZ75: Leader, where did you get these from?

M99: Hehe... well, about that...
After learning that we finished the job on an empty stomach, the requesters gave us a bit of food as a thank-you gift before we started back home.
"Cute dolls really are more popular! If you were a human deliveryman, you'd have been scolded terribly no matter whose fault it was."
...That was how Hawk summed things up as everyone grabbed the food and headed to the cafeteria.
At this moment, I realised that Helian had assigned me as team leader because she wanted to leave a better impression on the people of the contracted area.
I'm honored to be able to serve as the face of Griffin, but someday I will prove myself with my own abilities.
But for today... well, of course I'm going to enjoy the fruits of our labors with everyone.
I believe that there's nothing we can't do as long as we work together.

56-1: Oh yes, M99, don't forget to invite the Commander over tonight.

97S: Yeah, we went through a lot of hardship together, so obviously we need to share our joys and sufferings as well!
Still, have you asked the Commander about his preferences? If he doesn't like vanilla or garlic...

M99: That's true... I wonder what the Commander likes...
Is someone going to go find out?

NZ75: Speaking of finding out, I just heard some bad news, everyone. Really bad news...
64's started making wax sausages again recently...

56-1: What!?

M99: Huh? This... is important?

97s: 64 makes salty wax sausages! It's the only kind she makes! How can you eat that sort of thing!?

56-2: Leader, those aren't wax sausages, they're pieces of brined meat disguised as sausages!

M99: Ah... (personally, I don't mind them...)

NZ75: And the old-timers like 56 and 59 have gotten quite into those things recently...
Our position is becoming more and more dangerous...

56-1: Let me make this clear; I'm on your side, at least where sausages are concerned!
We need to work together and form an alliance against the resurgent flood of capitalists!
(TL Note: 56-1 says 走資派的復辟洪流)

M99: H-hang on, do you really have to go online...

NZ75: Hawk, just say you're making cola wings tonight and let Type 64 open a few pull-ring cans.
I'll bet that in less than 10 cans, she'll have lost so much blood from her fingers that she won't be able to do anything but lie in the repair vat tonight!

M99: Are you trying to murder a comrade? Stop that!

56-1: It's called removing contradictions from among the people! I'll go get a case from 92's!
(TL Note: As usual, 56-1 is using Chicom sayings; in this case 化解人民内部矛盾)

M99: Hey, 56, stop right there! I won't let you do this!

97S: Aiya, Leader...
Things rarely go as you expect in life. Sometimes all you can do is just bear with them.

M99: What does that have to do with anything!?
Behave yourself, all of you!

Of course... the prerequisite for victory is when we all truly work together...
Perhaps next time I should get the opinions of the people from 64 and 95's side...