“Yeah, go ahead.” It would be nice to update her on what happened at least. Eliza turned and flicked a couple switches. “Mustmustmust get Lieutenant Turner to the ex-ex-ex-traction point.” 22’s voice glitches. “Error, visual systems damaged. This u-u-unit is unable to see. Completion of mission parameters im-impossible. Activating self-destruct systems in 5… 4…”
“Wait wait wait! Unit 22 no!” You shout, hoping she can at least hear you. Valkyries were programmed to destroy themselves in the event of potential capture and some after mission failure. “Lieutenant Turner? Is that you?” 22 asked. “Yes. Deactivate self-destruct.” You order. “Self-destruct deactivated.” She tries to look at you but she’s having difficulty turning her head. “I am glad you are still functional sir.” 22 said. “Likewise. You’re in a repair facility.” You begin. “I was injured, and you were deactivated so we were taken here.”
“Taken? Taken where?” 22 asked. “A camp near the crash site. It’s a Kingdom of Alba camp. We’re in no danger.” You state, though you couldn’t be completely sure of that you weren’t going to say so here. “You are… having this unit repaired?” 22 sounded as surprised as her flat voice would allow. “I am a waste of resources. It would be best for my significant components to be removed and the rest disposed of.” 22 said.
“Ah ah ah! None of that. You’re going to get fixed.” Eliza raps a wrench on 22’s forehead. “This unit is under attack. Attempting to retaliate.” 22 tried to move but her legs were still inactive, and her arms were spasming. “Typical mass production unit, not programmed to think much. Not been online for long I’m guessing?” Eliza asked. “My activation date was… current date unknown, unable to provide exact number of days since activation.”
“Uh… Lieutenant Turner was it? What’s this one’s name?” Eliza asked you. “Uh… Engel Group Standard Model 22, or 22 for short.” You state from memory. “22? That’s a little impersonal don’t you think?” Eliza looks it over. “22… 22… Dyshe?” Eliza turns back to you. “That works.” You decide. “I’ll be calling you Dyshe from now on.” You tell the Valkyrie. “Designation change request acknowledged. My designation is Dyshe.” The Valkyrie said in her typical bland tone. “We’ll have to work on that…” You note.
“What are your current orders sir?” Dyshe asked. “Right now? You are going to be repaired and I’m going to go back to the med tent to get some sleep.” You say. You turn the wheelchair around and move to head out. “W… wait!” Eliza calls and you turn back. “Um… I was thinking… maybe you could help?” The nervousness from earlier had come back, but she was trying to get you to stay. “Help? Help how? I don’t know how to fix a Valkyrie, except for some basic combat maintenance.” The academy had taught you a few quick fixes to keep Valkyries going but not anything more extensive than what they taught everybody.
“Well… if you assisted, I could get done more quickly, but…” Eliza notes. “But what?” You prompt gently. “If you help, we will have some time to make upgrades.” Eliza turns to Dyshe. “That is, if you’re willing Ms. Dyshe?” Eliza asks the unit. “Upgrades in functionality would increase odds of mission success.” Dyshe says flatly. “Uh… is that a yes or a no?” Eliza asked. “Yes.” Dyshe said.
“Okay!” Eliza turns to you. “If you’re up for it, there’s some last gen elite parts out back that have just been gathering dust forever. They aren’t compatible with Alba’s current gen.” Eliza explained. “Really? Why not?” You ask and Eliza groans. “This gen Alba switched to agility focused designs. If I recall right those parts are for a strength focused design, which Dyshe is. Most of the parts should be compatible with her. They should improve her performance by quite a bit.”
You nod. “I probably shouldn’t lift anything heavy, but sure, show me where they are, and we can get to work.” Eliza’s nervousness looks like it lessens when talking about machines you notice, and you admit you’re having an easier time talking to her yourself when you’re talking shop. Eliza walks behind you as you wheel yourself out of the back room into the vehicle maintenance area. She leads the way from there through a back way to the outside and to a shed. There’s a pile of vehicle parts around the shed, though again for vehicles you don’t recognize. The Federation uses exclusively vehicles that can fly so you don’t know these designs.
Eliza gets a cart and leads you into the shed. “So…” You begin. “You know Amber pretty well then?” You chit chat as you start loading the parts she points out. “Oh yeah. I’ve spent many many long nights fixing her up.” Eliza grabs a part and tosses it aside. “I think she’s getting tired.” Eliza noted. “Tired? But unlike us ‘fragile baseline humans’” You try to mimic Amber’s voice… badly. “Valkyries don’t need to sleep.” You joke but Eliza snaps her head to look at you with anger on her face and you gulp. “Don’t do that. Amber may make light of everything, but I think that’s just how she copes.”
You pull your chair over and pack some parts in a box. “Copes? With what exactly?” You ask. “Amber has been fighting for a very VERY long time. She’s very good at it and enjoys it, but I think she’s getting sick of it.” Eliza explained. “Valkyries can’t stop working for their makers. They can’t even disobey a properly given direct order, though the Boss isn’t authorized to make her do anything, a General could order her to like… kill me, and Amber would have to do it. She wouldn’t be able to stop herself.” Eliza said sadly.
“Couldn’t you change her programming then?” You ask. “Maybe, I do know how to reprogram a Valkyrie but...” Eliza gulped. “If they found out about that, I’d probably find myself in front of a firing squad. Altering a Valkyrie’s program without authorization is punishable by death.” Eliza admits. “That’s not right.” Eliza puts the box on the cart and starts wheeling it out. “Yeah…” You wheel yourself after Eliza, the both of you silent as you make your way back to Dyshe.
-
“Ugh… gruh!” Eliza grunts as she pulls on the chains in the middle of her workshop to raise Dyshe up and suspend her in the air. “Okay! So you don’t know anything about Valkyries?” Eliza asked. “Nope, just how to do some quick patches to keep them going.” You wheel up to Dyshe, Eliza has cut off nearly all of her uniform, there’s just enough left over to preserve her modesty so she looks like she’s wearing a two-piece swimsuit.
“Alright, hand me the tools and we’ll start by removing her legs.” Dyshe was powered down at the moment, the even more blank than the usual vacant expression on her face was unnerving but necessary for safety reasons. You turn away as Eliza cuts off the skin covering the legs at the seams so you could just reattach it later. “3/4ths!” Eliza said and you pass it over. You’re having a bit easier time moving and decide to get out of the chair to help her. “Um… thanks.” That nervousness is coming back, but you have an idea. “Hang on.” You head over to the console you saw Amber using earlier and turn the music back on. It blares loudly so you turn it down so you can still hear each other. “My tunes! I was so distracted I forgot!” Eliza smiles delighted.
Eliza removes the legs one after the other and sets them down. “So, the knee joints are in bad shape, but the legs themselves just need a bit of buffing.” Eliza begins and grabs a part out of the cart to show you. “If you could find me the other J-12 actuator that’ll go quickly.” You rummage around and manage to find it.
Eliza has already replaced the first while you were looking for the second. You pass it over and watch as she separates the knee parts, removes the broken joint part, and buffs out the area around it so the part fits properly. Eliza buffs any scrapes and other superficial damage out of the legs. “Alright, that’s the basics, now for the hard part, making her better. I’ve got a welding mask and torch around here somewhere…” You find the torch while Eliza grabs the mask. You grab a set of welding goggles to put on while Eliza cuts through the welds and opens the leg up.
“Wha… really? The Federation is THAT cheap?” Eliza complained. She pulls out a part you don’t recognize. “The whole thing is made of low-grade steel! Some parts are even made of tin! And… reinforced plastic!? No wonder Dyshe went down.” Eliza turns to look at you. “How many missions has she been on?” She asked. “Uh… this was the first one. Mine too.” You admit. “First mission and she had no chance of survival with this kind of shoddy work!” Eliza grumbled.
“The pistons need replacing and then the whole leg needs reinforcement if Dyshe is going to have any chance of surviving combat.” Eliza notes. “Don’t worry sweetie,” Eliza speaks to Dyshe even though she’s inactive. “I’m going to make you better than EVER.” she says resolutely. “I’m going to need more metal…” You both decide to head outside and grab more scrap.