The ARM-TVZ had just gotten back from the mission to locate and retrieve any information and leads about where the encrypted message on where where the Heard was operating came from, having successfully extracted Hex and their somewhat operational rig after an attempted wipe using a magnet during the adversarial initial contact with each other. After making the initial reports and the members going their separate ways, Cunningham had doubled back to the location where they kept the AVs to begin repairing the battle damage it had sustained during the mission.
“Well the replacement capacitors on the Squall Shield seem to be working decently well; none of them appear to have burned out, even after taking some rounds and using it for a bash another AV. The output could be a bit better, but that also would risk overloading them at critical times or require re-wiring to locations where larger capacitors could be fit in.”
“It appears that the proximity fuse on the second phase of the Anti-shield rounds that Cpl. Chitter was able to land were not properly set before firing. The phase-shift coating got them through the Sqall Shield’s force field, but the explosive core did not trigger. They still punched some holes in the armor plating, and the secondary damage appears to be limited. I will need to be careful removing them in order to not have them detonate in my face.”
“Now how does the reactor look? Okay, looks like some parts overheated, but radiator and heat-sink seem to have kept things from suffering too much damage. Need to top off the fluids, replace some of the parts that got distorted from the heat; but beyond that, nothing too major”
“Let’s run a diagnostic see if anything other system has any issues... Looks like the targeting system acting up, having a bit of trouble with IFF system and it removing allies as valid targets. Should be fixable by flushing the memory, rebooting the system, and re-uploading Coalition and Jovangellian standard codes along with personalized squad codes. Might not be a bad idea to work with Meryll on some program to be able to make adjustments on the fly for what AVs they have seized control of or Mila has jumped into.”
“Well now that I have a checklist of what needs to be worked on, should be best to start on it.”
---
“Oy, Cunningham, don’t you think its a bit early to be working on your AV. You got back late last night, and you need to make sure you rest.”
“Oh Commandant Broadside. Sorry about that, just wanted to wrap up
some things. And do not worry, I will make sure I get some rest once
I finish this.”
“...What have I said about calling me
military ranks? And do you mean to say you have not gotten to bed
yet?”
“Sorry about that, I am just so used to referring to commanding officers by some rank, and given that I respect you I fall back on that instinct; but also catch myself to not say captain, so my mind pulls out a random one that comes to mind. And I also wanted to make sure everything was in full operational order in case there was a reprisal strike; and missing one night of sleep is not an issue, I am used to needing to be actively participating in a conflict operation for several days on end.”
“Look, I know we do not dig too much into everyone’s past, just as long as you have have everyone’s backs when things happen; so I do not know and nor do I need to know about what you did before; but two things: 1, we are not going to try to work you to death as it sounds like your old employers did; and 2, we do not have nearly enough or sufficiently strong stimulants to have you skip sleep like that. So do not try this again unless it is an emergency. So once you finish what you are working on, you take the rest of the day off, though this is a firm request not an order.”
“Aye aye cap- Broadsides.”