durnar

Rhodes Island Landship, 'Just One More Pint' Bar

Dario...

Yes, ma'am?

Can I drink yet...?

Today, I—

Yes, yes. You've told me plenty of times.

You had to teach some kids who weren't listening, and you fought the reserve operators in a drill to test both their limits and yours, which led you and the other instructors into a heated, 'friendly' conversation.

Would you like me to repeat your ramblings?

No...

Very well, then.

I just want some booze!

Ten more minutes, ma'am. We serve alcohol after 9. Those are the rules.

Following all those rules will kill you one day!

Following rules is what gives our lives order.

If you are not happy with that, I am sure you know with whom you can file a complaint.

We are just staff members here, and we must follow the rules she made.

Grr...

Gimme an apple juice.

Coming right up.

Hmph...

I worked my butt off the whole day, and I can't even get a sip of booze...

If I were—

If you were younger, you would've flipped the table and put your electric blade to his throat.

Huh?

Hank?! What are you doing here?!

I've been here the whole time, Instructor Makayla.

Don't use my real name here. I'm Dur-nar.

Right.

Instructor Dur-nar.

Drop the 'Instructor.'

That's a no-go, Instructor.

Ma'am, your drink.

Thanks...

*Sigh*, everyone's so stubborn, you're all a bunch of burdenbeasts...

Thank you for the compliment, Instructor.

Thank you for the compliment, ma'am.

That wasn't a...

Whatever...

Would you like something to drink, sir?

Ice water, please.

Coming right up.

Hah... How come I've trained up a man like this...?

(Takes a gulp of apple juice)

Go on, Hank... What are you up to now?

Yes, Instructor.

I'm usually out in the field as a liaison between Blacksteel and Rhodes Island.

Our partners at Blacksteel are here for a meeting, and I'm their bodyguard. I'll be taking them back once they're done.

Sounds like something you'd do.

Did anyone get hurt on your way here?

We had some injuries, but nothing too serious.

It's all thanks to your teaching, Instructor.

The stuff I taught you back then is way outdated by now. Keep using those tricks, and not even the Originium armor they're testing in the military can save you.

They've already deployed that armor to a few teams.

Not the original either, mass produced ones, usually to elite soldiers like you.

Well, count me out. I can't wear that stuff.

You can. Even Big Mark wears it fine.

(Finishes the apple juice)

Phew.

Well, you haven't changed one bit. Just a few sentences and you drive the conversation into a dead end.

Sorry, Instructor.

Here's your ice water.

Thanks.

Speaking of Big Mark, where is he?

The guy wrote in for me, and got everyone to sign off on the paperwork to let me work here, but he's too busy to come see me?

Big Mark isn't a Rhodes Island employee. He's a project testing manager at Volvort Kochinski. He's a busy man, so it's only natural he hasn't had the time to leave Columbia and come visit.

Volvort Kochinski? Why did he send me to Rhodes Island, then?

I'm not too sure myself. You should probably ask him.

He's the one you were the most proud of. I'm sure he'll be glad to tell you.

Now don't be like that. I'm proud of all of you.

All of you, Hank.

All of you...

Ma'am, it's time. May I get you something?

Hm? Booze time?

Yes, ma'am. It's 9 o'clock.

Hell yeah. Give me a 'Raging Sands.'

And give this guy a 'Liberi Tears.'

Instructor, I—

Say no more. I get it.

Go.

Coming right up.

Instructor...

Come, tell me, how did you survive?

If my memory serves, my objections didn't change anything, right...?

Yes, Instructor.

The field commander sent us to the front lines. He treated us like cannon fodder.

Thankfully, his men didn't think that way.

They saw us as a kind of symbol. They saw in us you.

It was like as long as we were there, Sergeant Major Makayla Springthunder was there fighting the battle with them.

I was just a sergeant. Where'd they get the major part...?

*Sigh*... And then?

We finished our original objectives with the help of the surrounding units, and after getting some rest, they sent us a new mission.

To seize the enemy's HQ.

The enemy forces weren't in any shape to mount much resistance, so we split into two teams as soon as we reached their HQ.

One team stayed outside, to mop up any remaining hostiles and provide support. The other went inside.

We never thought the enemy would blow up their HQ to take everyone with them. The guys who went inside didn't make it out alive.

This apparently drove a wedge between the top brass after the war was over, and while they were busy fighting each other, we were reassigned from the front.

And a couple months after that, our team was discharged.

Just like you.

Yeah, I know.

All of us blamed ourselves. We were lost.