Hum

Tags: Platonic Relationship, Sniper and Spotter, AAA Original Characters

Published: 14 January 2022

Word Count: 605

Summary

A pair of Combat SecUnits have a moment of quiet respite in the middle of a long deployment.

This was proving to be a long, difficult deployment. Even their supervisors, working in shifts to spell each other, were feeling it. Their main target was proving frustratingly elusive; Iota had spent almost ten full standard cycles in its chosen sniper perch, barely moving, rifle held at the ready for that one single shot of opportunity. Gamma was having a harder time of it; it was constantly on the move, hacking, listening, watching, analysing everything it saw and heard to figure out where and when their target would finally come out into the open. It hadn't stopped to recharge even once yet, and Iota could feel Gamma's growing weariness through their oh so brief check-ins over their secure feed.

Iota scanned the killzone again, thorough and methodical. Tertiary targets were identified, marked, ignored. They weren't who the clients were after, simply potential collateral damage once the primary target had been eliminated. A secondary target was spotted, and Iota sent the data through to its supervisor. Ignore it, was the return order, the supervisor's frustration with the long, tedious deployment leaking through the feed. Iota obeyed.

A familiar flicker of movement caught Iota's attention, and it watched for a moment. Gamma, without its armour and in deliberately nondescript civilian clothes, was carefully working its way around the perimeter of the killzone, manipulating cameras, subtly working its way into secure systems to ferret out something, anything that could help them complete their mission. Iota waited for a moment where Gamma was standing still, then sent a wordless, directed ping.

The return ping had a subtle hint of grumpy, tired resignation. Iota analysed it, analysed (again) the data they'd collected over the past ten cycles, calculated probabilities, came to a conclusion. Request recharge, it sent briefly. There was a long hesitation, then Gamma sent an acknowledging ping. It was soon moving again, and disappeared from Iota's field of view. Iota went back to watching and waiting. It was patient. It could wait as long as it needed to.

Several minutes later, Gamma sent another ping. Iota returned it, but didn't look away from its vigilance. A moment later it felt the subtle shift of air as Gamma slipped silently into the hidden sniper's nest and moved to sit down on the floor beside Iota with a weary exhalation. "This deployment sucks," Gamma murmured grumpily, whisper-quiet, barely loud enough for Iota to hear.

Iota hummed a soft agreement. "Rest," it said just as quietly.

Gamma sighed and shifted just enough to lean against Iota's side, careful to not jostle its aim. Iota adjusted its own position a little to let Gamma settle more comfortably, and upped its body temperature by a degree or two even as it continued scanning the killzone.

A few minutes later, Iota realised that Gamma still hadn't managed to start its recharge cycle. "Rest," it insisted again, the word barely more than a breath on the still air.

"I'm trying," Gamma murmured in frustration. Tension strung through its frame; Iota could feel it even through its armour.

Iota didn't look away from its vigil, but it started humming ever so quietly, a thread of melody whispering through the small room, soft enough that it wouldn't travel beyond the walls. Gamma sighed again, and Iota felt the tension gradually easing from Gamma's frame as it leaned against its side. Iota continued humming, low and soft and soothing, gently guiding Gamma towards its desperately needed recharge. Eventually, Iota felt Gamma relax completely as its recharge cycle finally kicked in.

Iota continued to watch, and wait, and hum. It would do so as long as it needed to.