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Rüstkammer base had fallen silent once again with the end of the day. All the humans had retired to their beds already, so the only light being cast was provided by the full moon. Its silver rays were sharp against the backdrop of the dark forest and navy sky, trickling through the open hangar doors. Parked beside them, I was about to go into standby mode for the night when I heard someone speak my name.
“Fido.”
I raised my head towards the voice. It seemed Master Nouzen had crept up on me with that typical silent stride of his. Placing a hand on my hull affectionately for a brief moment, his expression showed a faint smile.
“Pi.”
Good evening, Master Nouzen. It’s rather late for you to be out here. Did you need something?
His face took on a more serious calibre. “I have something to ask you…”
Even so, surely there was a more appropriate time and place for this. Why here and now? Perhaps it was something my master only wanted known between the both of us. In that case…
“Pi.”
Anything, Master Nouzen. I only hope my answer will be satisfactory.
My master looked downwards and turned away slightly, apparently harbouring some reservations. He parted his lips but then closed them again, struggling to get any words out. Looking up at the shining moon, he let its glow bathe him in silver light. As if that light gave him strength, he stood tall again and finally spoke.
“... How do you feel about Lena?”
“Pi.”
Lady Milizé is an exceptionally kind person, much like yourself, Master. Whenever she happens upon me around the base, she always pauses her business to ask how I am fairing and offers me words of praise, sometimes even giving me a tender pat.
During missions she leads her forces with the utmost grace and dignity, and she’s as determined and courageous as anyone else here. Although she is only a commander, I can see she has a deep connection to you and the others, and would do whatever she could to assist you in battle. However, that kind of persistence sometimes results in reckless actions at the cost of herself…
Much like yourself, master.
He smiled fondly at my reply, the moonlight reflecting red in his eyes. Once again, he hesitated before speaking.
“Would you take orders from her… as you would from me?”
“Pi.”
If you would like me to see Lady Milizé as your equal, then I’m more than happy to do so, master.
The young man, content with my answer, kept his eyes on the moon. He seemed to have a fascination with it tonight, quite similar to his recent growing fascination with Lady Milizé.
“You know… back in the Eighty-Sixth Sector, almost every time we spoke the moon would be visible. Back before I knew her face, I’d often look at it when we talked. After a while, the only thing I could imagine in place of her was the moon.”
Hung on his every word, I did not make a sound. It was so rare for Master Nouzen to open up like this. He had changed so much from the boy I met on the battlefield eleven years ago, and even more so from the young child I knew before the Legion War. How I wished that the master, missus, and older brother could see him as he is now...
“After I saw her for the first time, and even more now that I know her, the moon always reminds me of her whenever I see it.”
He stared into the gentle, silvery light, a slight look of yearning on his face as he reached out to it. A long trail of clouds partially obscured the disc, following their endless path among the stars.
“A silver goddess leading a white army across the sky…”
His voice was tinged with melancholy, but at the same time, filled with reverence. My central processor deduced this was likely a rendition of a quote from a book my master had read, and he was merely musing to himself.
He looked down once again, his eyes closed in thought. It seemed the topic of Lady Milizé was more complicated than I had first presumed.
“Fido.”
I stood to attention, even though his voice was as calm as ever. Whatever my master needed, be it battle supplies, a leg to sleep on, or a friend to listen to, I would be there for him.
Master Nouzen took a step towards me, crouching onto one knee with the silence of a shadow.
“...When I’m not around, would you mind looking after Lena for me?”
“Pi?”
It was a sound of genuine confusion.
“It’s like you said. Lena is very dedicated, especially when it comes to her job. She’ll forgo sleeping and eating to get things done, even when I tell her not to push herself. When you see her around the base, please help her however you can.”
“Pi!”
It would be my pleasure, Master Nouzen. Though, I’m not sure how useful I will be in office situations…
“You’re smart. You’ll find something.”
“Pi…”
You flatter me too much, master.
“Also…” he began, but paused, contemplating his words. No, not quite. The thing he was about to bring up was not pleasant to think about. “There will be missions where you won’t be able to come with us, like in Charité.”
I recalled the mission, only taking place a few months ago, but my annoyance at not being able to join my master that day was still present.
“And similarly, I’ll be too far away from Lena to protect her. So… would you protect her for me?”
His eyes stared at me, unwavering and determined. Underneath his blank face, I could tell how desperately he was asking this of me, needing me to say yes, or else he’d forever be stuck between her and the battlefield, unable to fully devote himself to either one until his worries were put to rest.
I would do this for him. Of course I would. How could I not? I wanted nothing more than my master and future missus to be together. And for that to happen, I would have to put my master’s mind at ease.
“Pi.”
Master Nouzen… All I’ve ever wanted was to stay by your side. To serve you until this body turned to rust. If my understanding is correct, Lady Milizé has become more important to you than your own life. You are asking me to serve someone you regard higher than even yourself. I don’t believe I am worthy of such an important task, but you would put your faith in me regardless. Master, I am truly honoured to carry out this duty.
I dipped the head of my body as a nod, showing my unequivocal acceptance of this responsibility.
Master Nouzen smiled warmly, overjoyed by my answer. He embraced me, as he would often do when he was younger, even though the shape of my current body was not built for such affection.
“Thank you, Fido.” My master rose to his feet, leaving a hand resting upon my head. “Hopefully this will stop me from worrying about her so much. Lately, it’s become a little unbearable…” He rested his other hand on his hip and sighed to himself.
“Pi...”
I’ve been wondering, Master Nouzen…
“Hmm?”
“Pi…?”
Should I start calling Lady Milizé my ‘missus’ yet?
Master Nouzen was blank for a moment, then seemed to register the implication of my question. He quickly retracted his hand and turned his back to me, his shoulders tense and his head lowered.
“Not yet…” His voice was uncharacteristically awkward - which was surprising - and so quiet that I had to strain my auditory sensors to hear him. Even more surprising was -
“Pi?!”
You haven’t told her yet?!
He shook his head back and forth, like a child being scolded. It seemed like my master still retained some boyish innocence when it came to Lady Milizé.
I slumped my head down, disappointed at my master’s lack of confidence. He was utterly fearless of the Legion, but was this scared of a potential - and extremely unlikely - rejection?
“Pi!”
A tone of complete vexation. If it were a sentence, it might’ve been something like, just do it already!
“I know… I will, eventually.”
“Pi!”
No! You must not put it off any longer!
The young man, more childish in appearance than ever, gave me a pained sideways glance. “Fine… We’re going on leave in the Alliance for a few weeks. I think that would be a good time to tell her.”
“Pi…”
You’d better do it… Otherwise I’ll tell her myself when you get back!
My master’s eyes widened with sudden panic, though he swiftly quashed it with years of practice. He held up a hand to reassure me before I could chide him again.
“Ok, I get it… I promise I’ll tell her when we’re in the Alliance.”
“Pi.”
Good. Have confidence in yourself and just go for it!
“Yeah…” He nodded, but his lips stubbornly refused to form a smile. Placing a hand tenderly on my head once more, his eyes showed a deep gratitude within them. “Thanks, Fido… for everything.”
His sincerity told me he was not just speaking about tonight’s events, but those long past as well. My master, who had walked alone on that battlefield for so long. I was the first and only one by his side at the beginning, but I was unable to ease the immense burden on his shoulders, nor erase the pain of watching his comrades fall over and over again.
Then he found others to stand by his side, if only through an inevitable, shared fate at first. People he became close with, but never again in the same way as he once could. That was, until his final Handler gave him hope that their deaths would not be meaningless anymore. That she would remember them after they were gone.
That was how it was meant to be, but by some miracle, he and his friends defied certain death and continued on. And at the end of that journey, my master was able to meet the person who had given him a purpose in life - something I, nor his friends could have done. From then on, they stood together, side by side.
My master was not alone any more, and I could not have been happier to see it.
“Good night, Fido.” With a gentle smile, he walked off in the direction of the main building.
“Pi.”
Good night, Master Nouzen.
With that, I watched him round the corner to the barracks, then tucked myself back into my favourite corner of the hangar.
My not-yet-missus Lady Milizé makes Master Nouzen so happy, and has brought so much joy to his life. Therefore, just as my master wished, and to show my gratitude to them, I will do whatever I can for both Lady Milizé and Master Nouzen. I will make sure they can be together as much as possible, and continue finding happiness with each other far into the future.
* * *
The next day, Shin was in the hangar along with Raiden, Theo, Anju, and Kurena. They were waiting for their Reginleifs to finish being serviced, and stood by a pile of crates, chatting about nothing in particular. Fido was tottering away, moving parts around to be stored in their proper places and tidying up.
A door opened on the far end as a girl in a prussian blue and white uniform entered, her gaze focused on the clipboard she was reading. The group of teens watched her walk through the space, completely oblivious to her surroundings. Whatever she was looking at, she was fixated on it to an almost comical degree.
“Not again…” Shin muttered, sighing. The others gave him a sympathetic look, but they quickly returned to the Colonel as she unknowingly dodged her way past hazard after hazard - underneath a gun barrel two people were carrying, barely finding footing amongst the numerous array of electrical wires on the floor, and missing the various maintenance personnel by mere centimetres.
All of them held their breath as the tactical commander’s path deviated left and right without warning, almost certainly bound to hit something eventually. Shin was about to walk over and snap her out of her trance when a cuboid, orange shape caught his eye.
Fido, helpful as ever, had noticed Lena’s situation and bounded over to her before she could accidentally run into anything. Shin let out an inaudible sigh of relief.
“Pi.”
“Huh?” Lena finally stopped and looked up from her clipboard. “Oh. Hello, Fido. How are you today?” She beamed at him with the warmth of the sun.
“Pi.”
Fido’s crane arm extended, holding out several pages of paper to her. She politely took them and scanned the first page.
“You brought me the Armament Requests for this round of maintenance? You’re such a good boy, Fido. Thank you very much!”
Fido lifted its head proudly, happy to have done its job. Lena gave him a long, loving pat on the head, which Fido eagerly accepted.
Four of the five teens looked at the scene in disbelief.
“When did Fido become so friendly with Lena?” Kurena wondered.
Raiden directed a smirk at Shin, folding his arms. “This wouldn’t be your doing, would it?”
“Not a chance…” Shin huffed.
After giving Fido his much deserved attention, Lena glanced around briefly, unsure of how she’d ended up here. Deciding to pay it no mind, she shook her head and turned back to Fido.
“Want to help me sign all of these?”
“Pi!”
Lena giggled at the Scavenger’s enthusiasm and walked together with it towards the hangar’s open doors. The five teens watched them go, all but one in awe of what had just happened.
“I guess the Colonel evened the score with how TP likes Shin more than her,” Anju teased.
Shin said nothing, instead watching the backs of his two dearest friends disappear into the bright sunlight.
“So… How does it feel having your best friend stolen away by your cru-” Raiden swiftly slapped Theo on the head before he could finish. Even though it was just one of his typical jibes, Shin decided to play along.
“Actually…”
Kurena and Anju giggled as Theo rubbed his head with a scowl, only deepened by Raiden’s grinning. The four of them looked at their friend, sensing a rare moment of sincerity. Shin’s blood-red eyes shone brightly as his expression softened into a peaceful smile.
“...I don’t mind it at all.”