A mysterious contract

Part 6 - Dark clouds

Once i arrived in the room, everyone was looking at me. Anis approached with a serious look. I guess I was taking too long for them to return.

Anis : What were you doing, Commander?

Lowell : Giving you privacy and having a smoke break. I suppose the maintenance is finished by now.

Rapi : Yes, Commander, no abnormality detected. And please don't go too far without us for your security.

It's good news that everyone is well. I will comply to Rapi's request to ease her worries. I should be able to get another occasion to contact my team.

Lowell : Understood. And Marian.

Marian : Yes?

Lowell : I'm glad you're ok. Let's go together towards victory.

Marian : Thank you, Commander. I'll protect you.

Anis : Okay.

Rapi : All right.

We march in the direction of the missing Nikkes, fighting our way throught waves of Raptures. With that much amount of them, I wonder if there are factories producing Raptures somewhere in this world.

 We're currently following the broken road and I see trees claim the territory lost by humans here. Is this how our world could have been if it has been us that where invaded? At least our office could use it as a testing ground later or more, I was thinking about ours interests here until we hear someone trying to communicate with us.

??? : ... Do you... copy?

I think... this is a female voice. Wait, did we have communication? This is some really long reaction time.

Lowell : ... Did someone hear what I am hearing?

Rapi : ...?

??? : Ark Control to surface. Do you copy? Rapi, Anis?

Rapi : Communication... This is Rapi, Shifty, do you copy?

Shifty : About time we got through! What's the situation on your end?

Rapi : The new Commander has arrived. The operational coordinates have been confirmed and we're proceeding as planned.

Shifty : Excellent. We had quite the scare back there when we lost contact with the transport ship.

Anis : You took the transport ship straight into the middle of an enemy camp? What were you thinking?

Shifty : What?

Anis : It's completely obliterated. With friends like you, who needs enemies?

Shifty : ... Raptures in that area have no anti-air weapons.

Anis : ... What?

So I can suppose their intel in that area was off or this was a friendly fire however I didn't see or sense anything else in that area. However with this much evidence, i cannot conclude so this question must hold for now.

Rapi : Shifty, can you send me the data for the transport ship's black box?

Shifty : Sure, once I'm done analyzing it. It won't take long.

Well, at least we will get an answer to this soon.

Rapi : Okay, thanks.

Shifty : Just a sec. Well then...

A hologram of Shifty appear before me. She has long blue hair, blue eyes and is wearing a white headphone who matchs with the color of her clothes.

Shifty : Hello, there! I'm Shifty, a operator from the Ark Intelligence Department. I will be assisting you throughout the operation from here on out? Nice to be working with you.