As everyone settled into their new base of residence, even Michael was taken aback. He had seen settlents like this in his previous life, but this was the first ti he owned one... At least, by legitimate ans.
Like a palace, the ceilings were impossibly high, so high, in fact, that Cybefang could easily reside in the rooms despite its massive fra.
With five floors, there was no shortage of facilities for the crew and, by extension, their leader, Michael, to explore.
"Let’s go to the dining hall first!" Ava suggested.
They decided to start the tour from there. As expected, the place was enormous, easily able to accommodate more than a hundred people. Of course, amid the nurous tables, one stole the spotlight at the very center, an oval-shaped table clearly ant for the faction’s leader and those closest to him.
Beside it stood a kitchen so grand it would make even the most prestigious chefs grin with excitent.
"It won’t be long before you witness my craftsmanship!" Richard said, rubbing his hands together as he pondered what dish to make for tonight.
On the sa floor there were large indoor and even larger outdoor swimming pools.
As they inspected the place, Victoria ever so discreetly threw a few blushed glances at Michael, rembering the ti they embraced each other.
Next ca the training grounds, a necessity Michael had insisted upon. As a result, there were three distinct fields. The first, on the underground level, provided privacy for those wishing to practice away from prying eyes. The second, on the first floor, was designed like an arena, offering the best vantage point for spectators. The third was located outside in the courtyard, ant for the more powerful and destructive attacks.
The cha workshop, where both Claire’s cha and Cybefang would mostly reside, ca next. As for Claire, the sparkle in her eyes made it clear she was more than content with the place.
Library with a fireplace, which Alia and Victoria deeply appreciated.
A whole private gym... and to top it off, there were massage and spa rooms, not to ntion a karaoke room styled like a night bar.
There were so many facilities that it all started to blur in Michael’s mind, so much so that he genuinely forgot so of the rooms he and the crew now had at their disposal. It seed they’d have to explore the rest over ti.
Without a doubt, this was every introvert and apocalypse enthusiast’s dream. If soone were to lock themselves in here, they could easily spend their entire life inside and never get bored.
After a few hours, the best was saved for last. The top floor of the base was specifically designed for cultivation. There were private rooms with padded walls for complete privacy, allowing for maximum focus, as well as larger spaces for those who preferred to ditate together, for whatever reason.
"More or less, this is it. All that’s left is to check out your private quarters." Nicole exclaid.
Michael nodded. "Indeed, it was an interesting adventure, right?"
She scoffed.
"I guess so..."
At last, Michael entered his room. As requested, it was furnished with a grand titanium bed, a sleek wardrobe, and ornate furniture that seed straight out of a noble’s manor in so grand historical drama.
Devil’s Tongue, who had remained in Michael’s grip in order to see their new place of residence, instantly spoke.
’Quick! Jump on the bed!’
Albeit with an arched eyebrow, Michael did what the soul weapon requested.
’Good! No creaking!’ The weapon remarked. ’And if you consider the padded walls... Congratulations! No matter what sounds happen in this room, no one will hear a thing!’
"So that’s what you were worried about." Michael chuckled.
’Naturally!’ Devil’s Tongue bellowed. ’You tend to overlook the small details, always focused on the bigger picture.’
Michael frowned, clearly not amused.
’What, you don’t believe ?’ The soul weapon scoffed. ’Then let’s see if I’m right. With a base this size, did you even think about who’s going to be stuck cleaning it?’
The weapon’s words held rit, with the place being so enormous it wouldn’t be just a quick half-hour job.
Under normal circumstances androids would be bought with the task of cleaning the place. However, with Michael and the crew still scarred from their encounter with the rogue AIs, it left them with a single option.
"Oh..." Michael’s eyes widened in realization. "So that’s why you brought it up. You want us to hire maids."
While the weapon couldn’t express itself, Michael was fairly certain it was smirking at that mont.
Without a doubt, this was sothing that would have to be discussed later. However, the crew now had more pressing matters to attend to.
Night soon descended, and the crew decided to host a feast in their new base. Naturally, they invited Nicole to stay, and she miraculously accepted.
It was decided that the next day, they would depart for the asteroid belt. With that settled, the crew retired for the night.
Unsurprisingly, after spending so long on Venus, where the day-night cycle differed from Earth’s, Michael found himself lying on his bed, his thoughts clouded, unable to sleep.
"I spoke briefly with my mother and sister, though they won’t be able to visit us until we return from the expedition... at least I know they’re doing well."
He sighed.
"Considering the battlefield we’re heading to, it seems like it’s high ti I started operating a cha on my own. I might as well ask Claire for pointers later. It would be wisest to learn from the more experienced."
Slowly, the seconds ticked by, blending into minutes, yet Michael’s heartbeat continued to beat irregularly, almost as if anticipating a fight. Of course, he knew the real reason: it was because he had seen Nicole again.
"I’ll be in trouble if I don’t manage to get a wink of sleep." He mused out loud.
Knock Knock
Just then a gentle knock on the door echoed.
Wordlessly, he stood up and approached. As he turned the handle, his heart fluttered montarily at the sight of who was on the other side, though he wasn’t surprised.
Victoria stood there, her hair slightly damp, glistening as if she had just taken a shower.
Even more alluring, she wasn’t dressed in her usual attire but in casual pajamas, giving her a cute appearance. They weren’t even of a revealing nature, yet the simple, nonchalant look proved unexpectedly tempting.
"I... can’t seem to fall asleep." She admitted, a hint of pink creeping onto her cheeks. "So I thought... maybe spending so ti alone with you could help."
She paused briefly.
"After all, you’ve got this titanium bed... wouldn’t it be a sha if it went unused? It’ll be quite so ti before we’re back here..."
Michael was conflicted. True, he had embraced Victoria once before, but he could excuse it as the passion of the mont. Now, however, he was thinking with a clear mind.
"You can’t sleep either, can you?" She asked softly. "There’s no sha in lifting your spirits, especially before a fight. Honestly... I won’t be able to sleep a wink unless we do this. Don’t you want us to benefit each other?"
A chill ran down his spine. He loved Victoria. There was no doubt about it. And as the pressure in his veins quickly surged, it was clear his body craved her touch more than he wanted to admit.
Not to ntion that Victoria was right. With death looming over every fight, it wasn’t uncommon for soldiers to ease each other’s worries with physical contact.
’I’m not doing this just for ... I’m not.’ He told himself. Silently stepping to the side, prompting her to enter. Once she did, he quickly locked the door behind them as they settled onto the bed.
"The room’s padded. We can be as loud as we want." He whispered in her ear.
"If that is the case, I won’t be humble..." She giggled charmingly.
Fortunately, the Devil’s Tongue assessnt had been correct. None of the crew were awakened by their passion.
Lost in each other’s embrace, both of their worries lted for the night, giving them peace of mind.
The next morning, waking up in each other’s arms, they didn’t linger. By dawn, the crew was already on the move, making way for the current most dangerous battlefield of humanity.
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