Deafening cracks of thunder forced the pilot's eyes open, the disorienting booms, cracks, and snaps of gunfire finally sobered it as the post sleep weariness was wiped clean. Its instincts kicked in as it let out soft whimpers. Its chest burned with pain, once again remembering that it was in no position to do anything. Yet it found itself stumbling out of its cot in search for its better half.
Finding its helmet, Delta made it out into the next room where the thunder only grew louder. Figures were running in seemingly chaotic patterns as it finally managed to get its helmet on. As the seals formed around its neck, the wounded pilot could finally hear as the peaks of each shot were deaden. It could begin to hear the shouting of orders as it finally found its mechanical form.
Thankfully its body was still in one piece, the umbilical cords for its neck were already laying out. To its dismay, LT wasn’t lying when he mentioned its pod was a broken mess. It would be forced to pilot the thing from outside, something it had never actually done before.
Getting down it retrieved the bundle of cables, connecting them one by one until the sweet relief of the omni directional sensors kissed its brain. Standing both of its forms up, the sweet sensation was swept away as Delta nearly emptied its stomach, the multiple views of itself, messed with its mind. After its organic form collapsed to the ground in disoriented pain and nausea, Delta thought it could hear someone yelling at it.
“Delta! Get the fuck back.” The voice screamed over the return fire.
Delta shook its head, ignoring the man as it dragged its organic body up, to carry itself with its mechanical body. Closing its organic eyes, it became easier to deal with only the doubling feedback of its two sets of skin.
Targets Eliminated (0/2)
Protect Marines (35/24)
WARNING COOLANT RESERVES EMPTY
WARNING CRITICAL FAILURE - AWAIT REPAIR TEAM
POD DISCONNECTED - REQUIRED WEAPONS OVERRIDE
Delta mentally accepted the override as its mechanical form slowly carried its organic one with it. The sensation of being in two places at once continued to make its stomach turn. The disorientation was overwhelming as something deep within its core pushed it forward towards the bay door.
“Delta what did I fucking say?” The voice screamed once more.
Delta shook its head, anger etched into its soft face as it wondered why these frail humans cared so much to just die instead of letting it take care of the problem.
Delta’s soft body collapsed to the ground, right inside the bay door, using the wall as a backrest as its mechanical form stalked out of the building. It couldn’t go far due to the length of the umbilical cord, but it crouched into a firing position just behind the low fortification the marines were using for cover.
A single red triangle appeared out in the tree line, before flashing out of existence as the railgun snapped to and fired. The bright flash of a core detonation washed out the battlefield as the surrounding bushline was showered with shrapnel.
Delta's cries of pain as the shockwave rattled its weak body were drowned out with the jubilation of the surrounding marines who praised their protector. Delta gasped in pain as it tried to focus on scanning the field for the last target.
“Delta! I don’t care if you want to die, if you don’t get back to safety we aren't going to have you when you're crucial.”
Delta couldn’t understand what the marine meant, he was speaking such nonsense to its mind. If they needed it, why didn’t they want its help? If it wasn’t there, they would just get another HOUND. What made understanding only more difficult was the fact that it couldn’t think over the ringing in its ears.
After several moments of internal debate it felt the sweet release of another's touch. It used the HOUND’s sensors to switch its focus from the battlefield to its organic form. In Front of it was LT, sympathy resonated out of the man. Frustration filled its core as it desperately wanted to cry out and yell at him, but its voice couldn’t break through.
“We got this.” He reassured it. “You’ve done enough.”
Delta shook its head angrily as the fire within it still burned brighter.
“We need you, but not now.” LT reassured it as he picked up the pilot’s frail body.
Its mechanical form towered over the marine, nearly growling as it threatened to bite his head off. The marine scoffed at the pilot’s childish attempt at intimidation, as he brought its organic form back to safety. The mechanical form followed diligently as its threat had obviously been ignored. Now matter how hot its core burned with anger, confusion, or desperation it couldn’t bring itself to kill the one person that seemed to care for it. Surrendering to his wishes it laid its helmeted head against his plate carrier, as it was treated like a princess of ancient times.
Setting it down on one of the couches, he pulled out his sidearm and held it out to the pilot.
“There, if we fail, you may do what you want, But until then, or until you are healed, you will not get yourself killed. I don’t care if you’re listed as equipment, I’ll still file you for insubordination if you leave that couch.”
There was that silly habit of his again, trying to desperately get it to smile. LT removed the helmet from its head to only earn a smoldering glare inside. Pulling out a pair of ear protection, he returned the pilot to the dulled silence of the world.
“A guy can try~” He laughed as he slowly unplugged the umbilical cords.
Its mechanical form laid down, as its senses finally allowed itself to only see and feel from its organic one.
“Now be a good girl, and don’t move.” LT finished as he hopped to his feet and exited the garage, that Delta had yet to truly leave.
To the distress of Delta, the skirmish lasted several hours, though it seemed as though the rebels weren’t willing to push up that remaining mech in case the HOUND came after them. Happy that it had at least bluffed the enemy, it allowed itself to rest.
“Oh hey our good girl didn’t disobey orders.” LT’s exhausted face smirked at his latest joke.
As he got closer, he ruffled the short hair of the pilot, stunning it. The scratches continued a few seconds longer before the LT pulled back in shock.
“Oh shit- right sorry-” He began to apologize, before Delta excitedly pulled his hand back to place it back on its head. “So, you are the platoon’s dog, aren’t you?” LT relaxed as he continued his wanted affection.
Delta didn’t seem to mind the comment, if anything it felt secure in the comparison, and if it solidified the practice of this physical attention, it would bark for them.
To Delta’s enjoyment, it didn’t take long for the news to spread that to earn good will with their HOUND all you had to do was to scratch the back of its ear. At first it seemed odd for many marines as they would hesitantly reach out towards the pilot's head. Though things smoothed out each time as its head moved the rest of the way and met their hand. They seemed to still see it as a person, which Delta didn’t particularly like if it meant it wasn’t going to be rewarded so easily.
Several of the marines mentioned that it was touch starved, apparently something many of these men’s wives and girlfriends were afflicted with. In a sense it guessed that it was like these women.
Some of the marines had attempted hugs, though this was quickly dissuaded, as while Delta wished to receive them, its injury prevented it from being able to enjoy them.
In a day it became a ritual when rotating back from your post to affectionately scratch the back of its ears, and on rare occasions give it gifts of thanks for its work so far.
