Heart of Steel

Chapter 8: With Allies Like These . . . (1)

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"So you're the government lapdog that Syuen set us up with. I have to say with how she described you, I expected a little more." Crow said crossing her arms. 

". . . All I said was "hi, nice to meet you", cool your jets. ." Vulca replied, putting his hands up.

"Setting us up with some guy without a squad of his own. What was Syuen thinking? That just cause he's from the Rim too that we'd get along with him? Ugh." Viper muttered, looking annoyed.

 "Probably cause Syuen thinks we are like minded. Typical of humans to group us like that." Crow pointed out. Vulca sighed before realizing something.

" . . . Hey aren't there supposed to be three of yo-" 

"Captaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaain!" 

No sooner did the words leave his mouth, than Vulca was knocked over by something moving a million miles per minute. His head was left spinning as he got back to his feet. 

"Ooooh, he has food in here! Gimme, Gimme!" The pint-sized member of Exotic said. "Hey, what gives?! fwah I hate this flavor! This one sucks!" She said as Vulca dusted himself and Jackal threw the splendamin packet at his face. 

"I was plannin' on splittin' it with you all later. Anyways, I'm Vulca Illmarien, nice to meet ya." Vulca tried introducing himself again now that everyone was here. Viper was on her phone, Crow wasn't even looking at Vulca and looking elsewhere and Jackal was trying to tear open the package of the last Splendamin with her teeth. Vulca sighed as he reached out and offered Jackal a flavor she liked to try and get the last of his favorite flavors back. Instead, Jackal smacked his hand away and tossed the packet into the trash. 

" . . . Think happy thoughts, Vulca. Happy thoughts." Vulca said trying to reach into his pocket for his Cigarrete carton, only for him to open it and find it to be empty. Turning back to Crow, she just shrugged as he saw the last of the smokes in between her fingers, unused . . . only for her to toss it in the trash.

"Finders keepers, "Commander". Plus I heard those, are bad for you." She said unsympathetically. Vulca cursed Syuen mentally before slapping his cheeks and putting on a sickly sweet smile, asking that they just get going now. Poor guy. 

~. . . ~

Once on the surface, Vulca asked to see each of the weapons belonging to the members of Exotic. 

"Okay!" Jackal said, tossing her rocket launcher at him unexpectedly. The others followed suit, pelting Vulca with their weapons. As was his custom, he put on modifiers to help them perform better, considering they were going into an area heavily populated with Raptures. Jackal looked excited, taking back her rocket launcher, with Viper warily taking her weapon back too. 

"I don't get it." 

"Hm?" 

"What's in it for you?" 

"Ya live to see another day, that's what it is." 

" . . . You think we're that weak huh? Don't make me laugh." Crow said bitterly. "You're the worst type of commander. Self-righteous and yet weak-willed." Viper giggled at Crow's statement as Jackal admired the mods Vulca slotted on. 

"Wowwww! I can blow more stuff with this right, commander?" 

"Yeah, I guess." 

"And I won't get in trouble?"

"Within reason." 

Jackal was practically bouncing off the walls. Vulca at least could have some solace in Jackal as it seemed she did . . . like him somewhat. Deciding to test the water, he reached over and patted their head. Jackal beamed at the gesture, which caught Jackal off guard but she adored the gesture nonetheless. At this display, Crow sighed loudly. 

"Something up, Crow?" 

"I just don't get it. With how soft you are, a commander like you would be dead by now. That or you got others killed." Crow pointed out. Vulca froze up.

"Come again?" 

"You heard me. You can barely reign us in, and your cheap tricks in an attempt to get on our good sides are pitiable. It makes me wonder why you are still allowed to be a commander in the first place, with just how lackluster your commanding skills are. With skills like those, it's no wonder you're squadless."

Vulca's jaw clenched.

"I've seen that look in your eyes before. The same one every human gives us because we're Nikkes and from the Outer Rim. The same one humanity gives Nikkekind as a whole. So go ahead and show your true colors. It's only a matter of time before you do." Crow goaded. Vulca would say something as his hand moved away from Jackal's head. Jackal grabbed his wrist stopping him from doing so. 

"I want more! Captain never gives me this many head pats! Gimme, gimme!" Jackal said enthusiastically. Just like that, all the vitriol Vulca would spew at Crow melted away on the spot as he turned his attention to Jackal. She warmed up to him rather fast and was honestly the only reason he hadn't snapped at the Exotic squad just yet. Hell, it's hard not to smile at her antics even if some of them are a little . . . less than savory.

"Really? Tell ya what." Vulca started.

"What! What!" 

"I'll give you some more later on. We gotta get a move on after all. When we set up camp for the night, I'll give ya lots then." 

"Promise?!" 

"Promise." Vulca grinned. Viper was left stunned as was Crow. He didn't engage in the verbal assault she sent his way and instead just . . . Ignored it. 

"I don't believe it." Crow muttered. 

"I don't either. But maybe he's different?" Viper posited. 

". . ." 

"Maybe if we play along now, he'll come in handy later." Viper whispered going up to Vulca and making conversation with Vulca. Crow mulled it over. Maybe she could use him to her advantage. 

~. . . ~

"And then as soon as I told him I was from the Outer Rim, he ran! He ran! Literally." Viper laughed as she was regaling a tale to Vulca. Jackal had her head on his lap, as he ran his hand through her hair.

"You don't say." 

As the campfire lit up the area, Vulca handed Viper, Jackal, and Crow different flavored splendamin. Viper took her splendamin and went to talk with Crow as Jackal wolfed down the food. Eventually, Crow approached and asked to speak with Vulca in private. Oh, brother, he thought to himself. 

"Relax, I just want to chat." She said lighting up a cigarette and offering it to Vulca. Vulca took it gratefully before deciding to hear me out. 

"Jackal's taken a liking to you." 

"Really? How could you tell?" 

"You must be stupider than I previously thought." 

"I'm jokin', ya must be denser than I previously thought." Vulca retorted. Crow didn't respond merely shooting him a glance.

"You're different, I'll give you that. Viper's analysis was right." 

"Good different or bad different." 

"Bad. I don't like how you're getting our guard down. You're likely to betray us sooner or later. You being from the Outer Rim especially makes me wary of trusting you. Commander or not. But . . ." 

"But?" 

"If you're serious about it, I won't stop you. You're the one in charge here regardless." Crow remarked, without a hint of approval in her voice. Vulca headed back to the campfire. Before he had a moment to think, Vulca was pulled into Viper's arms as she motioned for Crow and Jackal to join in as she took a photo with Vulca's phone.

"Wha- How'd ya unlock it?" 

"Doesn't matter how. Just focus on the camera!" Viper said as she snapped the photo of the four of them. Vulca found the gesture of goodwill rather endearing so he flashed a grin. Despite the Outer Rim shaping them differently, Vulca felt that deep down they weren't that different after all. 

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