Arknights: Starsfall I

Chapter 53

"Get rollin' along"

December 22th, Earth Time, 2055
October 23th, Terra Time, 1097

2nd Lt. Michael Middleton

"So what do you like?" Michael was going to try and initiate some Conversation with Skadi now that she is technically his Fireteam teammate. At the moment, they were sitting at the edge of what looked like a harbor of this abandoned city. Behind them, was a turbine Generator brought over from New Roanoke. It was currently powering the stations and computers that were controlling a small team of robots that were working on something in the old harbors.

Skadi looked at him, her legs firm against the pier. At now, she said nothing. Michael sighed. It's to be expected of her character. Silent, not talkative, and pretty blunt or straight to the point when she does find her voice. To the Marine, it was unnerving.

Over the past hours, Michael has been trying to get to know the person that the Marine Corps essentially hired in response.

And considering that she and him is now in the Same Fireteam due to like the brief 30 minutes to an hour they worked together, it would be useful to know.

They don't know a lot about her, and they don't know how she will act.

But, he began to think, could have been worse, there's some folks who won't talk for shit and folks who are just stubborn assholes. He came up with a plan. It was something, and it didn't seem like something one would speak about in polite company.

But then again, this isn't polite company. "Alright," he let out, "I think we can have a little chat about the Seaborne, huh?"

That got a reaction out of her, "...the Seaborne?" She faces him, a bit more intent in her features, "What do you want to talk about?"

"How are you so good in fighting them?" Michael began, waving back towards Sal Viento, "You saved the hides of many Marines for that, and we are still grateful." he admitted, leaning in, "But how exactly are you so good at fighting them?" Skadi slanted her eyes, causing him to raise his hands in defense. Shit! Uhh...

"Okay okay, here listen," he began, looking at her straight back, "If you talk, I'll try to tell you how the hell we can resist their Mind Control, deal?"

Skadi looked a little less suspicious, but more interested - Well if it is 'Her' showing genuine interest - "Fine," and she turns, holding out her weapon again. She was wondering how she could break it to him, and not reveal the existence of the Abyssal Hunters till a comfortable point in the future.

She decided to go about one that she thinks, for now, will work.

"Being a bounty hunter, employers want us to take down whatever the normal mercenaries can't handle..." she began, crafting her little monotone lie. Of her employers, of the sea monsters that she is 'hired' to take down.

Of the fact that a good number of time, what she kills lives near the coast or the ocean. Michael listened grabbing his chin and humming. Curiosity in it all, especially learning how she 'learned' to take down a great many monsters that, in her experience, not even the best operators of Rhodes Island or some of the finest warriors of Ursus can't take down.

Well, in truth, it wasn't entirely a lie. The Abyssal Hunters are her 'clients' and the sea creatures are, in reason, are her bounties that she must hunt.

And there are most definitely things out there that not even the Emperor's blade or the greatest powers can take down.

Michael bought it. He leaned back, hummed, and then looked back at her, after staring into the Terran ocean for a few moments. "What people will do for a buck and a paycheck at the end of the day..." he sighs, "Alright, you held up your end of the bargain," he began, "I'll-"