⁕ When Kindred Souls Meet

Many years had passed after the birth of sisters. 

KD-555 walked carefully in the busy hallway while making sure to not bump into anyone. Having just returned from a month-long mission, she was covered in blood after having recently eliminated her targets. However, the red all over her body drew a series of disgusted or judgemental looks from everyone she came across. 

"Fucking psycho murderers, I swear! "

"Someone should exterminate these demons. "

"Ugh... what a bunch of freaks these assassins. "

"What a fucking whore, walking around like this without cleaning up first. "

Whispered some of the people KD-555 passed by. 

They were warranted insult from an outside perspective but KD-555 had no choice either as the only shower facility she was permitted to enter was the one inside her and her sisters' barrack. The longer she was exposed to the people's judgement, the more people became agitated by her presence. 

Suddenly, she bumped into a row of Imperial Marines who intentionally formed a wall to block her path. Upon seeing her fall to the ground, they all laughed mockingly. 

[marine] - "Does killing people make you feel good? You must love your job so much to cover yourself in the blood of your victim, you fucking whore. "

"Murderer! "

Yelled a random pilot in the crowd before he threw a handful of mashed potatoes on KD-555's face. 

"Bulleyes! Hit that bitch straight in her face! "

Many in the crowd laughed alongside the pilot while pointing their fingers at KD-555. Despite all the abuse, KD-555 could only remain silent. She never chose this life, it was a life assigned to her by birth. Suddenly, KD-552 squeezed herself through the crowd and moved in front of KD-555. 

[KD-552] - "Hi, Mister Karman, I apologize for my sister's presence. Please, allow me to escort her out of public view. "

Upon seeing KD-552, the Imperial Marines exchanged a few looks between them before allowing a small passage for the two sisters. KD-552 quickly dragged KD-555 with her out of the public's view into the barrack room. While she got KD-555 into the shower and helped her wash off the blood on her body, the three other sisters sat by each other on a bed.

[KD-554] - "Okay, so I stabbed him through the chest, pulled off a few of his ribs and tore out his heart. And all this took me only half a second. "

[KD-553] - "Interesting technique... "

Said KD-553 as she took some notes. 

[KD-554] - "That's not all, I then went to his wife and kids and also did the same thing to them. No witness, you know. All the while, I made sure that the same process was performed in the same amount of time. "

[KD-553] - "Hmm, exact and precise. You need to teach me your technique, KD-554. I keep lacking a few seconds behind your speed when I'm killing. "

[KD-551] - "That's so unnecessarily brutal! Why did you have to kill his wife and kids? They weren't even on the target list. "

Said KD-551 with a concerned look in her eyes.

[KD-554] - "Well, I said no witness, didn't I? "

[KD-551] - "But they weren't even in the same room let alone the floor as him. They clearly didn't know anything about the murder. "

KD-554 and KD-553 frowned their brows in frustration. 

[KD-553] - "Well, practice makes you better. You saw how she can pull off the same trick four times in a row with the exact same time and speed each. 

KD-551 recoiled a little while holding her abdomen. 

[KD-554] - "Yeah, listen up and maybe you'll even be better at your job. "

[KD-551] - "No, no, I'm done for the day. I'm going to sleep, you guys continue. "

Said KD-551 while slipping under her blanket. 

[KD-553] - "Pfft, your loss. "

[KD-554] - "Anyways, so... "

While the two sisters continued exchanging stories, KD-555 and KD-552 came out of the showers refreshed with a towel around their waist. 

[KD-552] - "Look at ya, all grown up with the biggest pair of milkers amongst all of us. "

Said KD-552 as she slapped KD-555 on the chest. 

[KD-555] - "Hey! "

Yelled KD-555 as she protected her breasts with her arms. 

[KD-552] - "Ya know, you could bag yourself someone with a very high position in the empire with these. "

Said KD-552 while she used a hair dryer on her hair. 

[KD-555] - "No, I'm not planning to sell myself to some soggy old man in their sixties for some minor benefit. "

Said KD-555 as she tried to wipe the water off her hair using an old rag. 

[KD-552] - "Oooh, so I suppose you already have someone in mind. Come on, tell big sis about it. "

[KD-555] - "We are the same age you and I. "

[KD-552] - "I was actually born 3 seconds earlier than you. "

Said KD-552 as she began to put on some varnish on her fingernails. 

[KD-555] - "Where the hell did you get these things? "

[KD-552] - "Oh, remember how the Marines let us through earlier? I actually managed to seduce their commanding general, Mister Yuan. "

KD-555 pinched her nose in disappointment before looking at her sister.

[KD-555] - "You actually sold your body like this? Isn't all the abuse we receive on a daily basis not enough for you? Now you want to submit even more? "

[KD-552] - "That's where you're wrong, sis. Not all humans want to harm us. "

Said KD-552 as she presented her hand to Kadyn. 

On one of her fingers, there was a massive wedding ring with a big blue diamond on top. 

[KD-552] - "I'll be moving in with him soon. But hey, don't worry, I'll come visit often. "

KD-555 was at a loss for words. To think that a human would actually want to marry a killer android is beyond her perception of this world. 

[KD-555] - "But... I thought... "

[KD-552] - "Not all humans are hostile toward us just as not all of us are killers at heart. I'm sure if you had the opportunity, you would also choose a different life than this one. "

Later that night, while everyone was asleep, KD-555 carefully snuck out of her bed and moved out of the barrack. She navigated through the base's structure until she reached a crowded stretch of the hallway where a large amount of traffic circulated at every moment. With anticipation, KD-555 sat by the janitor's closet and waited while scanning the crowd. 

Time flew by until almost all activities had ceased by the arrival of midnight. By 3 AM, even the janitor arrived to begin the cleaning process. 

[Janitor] - "Still waiting for that someone? "

Said the janitor as he fumbled the key to his workstation. 

[KD-555] - "That's where I first met him. I don't know where else to find him. "

[Janitor] - "That must be someone very special to you. I saw you waiting here almost every night in the past few months. "

[KD-555] - "Did you notice him while I was gone for my mission? "

Said KD-555 in a hopeful tone. 

[Janitor] - "Haha, girl, you are talking about a fifteen-year-old boy walking inside the hallways of a top-secret Imperial military facility. I think you may have seen an illusion. "

Said the Janitor as he grabbed his gloves from the shelves. 

[KD-555] - "He also called me "comrade". I think he is part of the Revolutionary Youth Corps or something. "

[Janitor] - "Don't be ridiculous, the RYC does not operate here. Besides, "Comrade"? Like what, are we in the soviet union? Haha! "

Far in the hallway, a man in dark armour suddenly appeared in view. As he moved closer, KD-555 adjusted her optics forward and saw that it was the Grand Knight. Before he even came close to the area, KD-555 immediately stood up and saluted the man while keeping a straight posture. 

[Janitor] - "Huh? What are you doing? "

Said the janitor as he moved out of his cabin. 

As he pushed his head out of the doorframe, he abruptly came face to face with the Grand Knight. In a panic, the janitor quickly stood up and saluted the knight with trembling hands. 

[Janitor] - "I... I didn't see you, sir. "

[Grand Knight] - "I'm performing an inspection of this facility. The emperor suspects corruption amongst the elites of this place. Are you the janitor in charge of cleaning level A-1A during the day? "

[Janitor] - "I confirm, sir. "

[Grand Knight] - "From tomorrow onward, you'll be granted access to clean the meeting room and personal offices of the elites on that level. While doing your job, you will place a micro android inside the office of each and every one of the elites. If you find anything suspicious, report it immediately to the IEEB. The Empire thank you for your contribution and your family in the Philippines will receive a substantial monetary reward for your cooperation. "

Said the Grand Knight as he handed a small box to the janitor. 

[Janitor] - "Thank you, sir! I will do as you demand. "

[Grand Knight] - "Work as you usually do to not raise suspicion. "

[Janitor] - "Of course, sir! "

Said the janitor as he rushed onto his floor scrubber. 

While the janitor worked to clean the hallways as usual, the Grand Knight looked at KD-555 before suddenly dragging her into the janitor's closet and shutting the door behind them. 

[Grand Knight] - "Now, this stays between us, alright? "

[KD-555] - "What? What stays between us, sir? "

[Mike] - "That I'm actually the Grand Knight. "

Said Mike as he took off his helmet. 

[KD-555] - "You are... You? It was you? "

Said KD-555 while stuttering. 

[Mike] - "I know, big shock, it was me. "

Kadyn backed off before falling to her knees.

[Kadyn] - "I apologize for everything! A lowly creature like me should've never shown myself in your face, Grand Knight. Please forgive me! "

Said Kadyn while trembling in fear. 

[Mike] - "Now, now, comrade, what the hell is all this ruckus? "

Said Mike as he knelt beside Kadyn and pulled her back up.

[Kadyn] - "Punish me as you wish, Grand Knight. I accept all- "

Before Kadyn could finish, Mike gently placed his finger against her mouth.

[Mike] - "Hey, look at me, just cut all the formal crap you were taught. Between us, I'm just Mike, not the Grand Knight. Talk to me as you would normally talk to others. "

Mike's gentle expression, combined with the way he graciously held her hand, quickly melted Kadyn's worries away. 

[Mike] - "Tell me, why are you here in the middle of the night by yourself? "

[Kadyn] - "I don't know why but a feeling I can't explain compelled me to want to see you since we met last time. "

Said Kadyn while shyly looking at the floor. 

[Mike] - "Well, you're lucky I showed up for that inspection. You do realize I don't operate in this base, right? You could've been waiting forever here without me ever showing up. "

[Kadyn] - "That's fine... I'm glad I waited. "

Said Kadyn while she tried to look away from Mike. 

Upon noticing the blush on Kadyn's cheeks, Mike knew that he had an opportunity. 

[Mike] - "Hey look, how about we break the ice a little between us? How about I take you somewhere nice? "

[Kadyn] - "Somewhere nice? "

[Mike] - "How about a restaurant? You hungry? "

[Kadyn] - "I will follow you where you command me to. "

Said Kadyn with a respectful expression. 

The janitor suddenly stumbled onto the two as he opened the closet for supplies. 

[Janitor] - "Oh... I won't tell. I swear on my mother's head I won't say a word. She's a sweet woman who raised an honest man, God bless her. "

[Mike] - "I trust you, comrade. We might meet up here in the future as well, so keep this between us, alright? "

Said Mike as he padded the janitor on his back. 

As Kadyn walked out of the cabin behind Mike, the janitor gave her an impressed look while giving her the thumbs up. He was clearly impressed with who she had managed to mingle with. 

At the restaurant, the two had a seat at their table before menus were handed to both of them. As Mike looked at Kadyn over his menu, he noticed how her hands were still trembling. 

[Mike] - "I apologize if I was a bit rough with our flight earlier. "

[Kadyn] - "No, I'm fine. I'm just not used to flying across the sky at mach 10 speed. "

Said Kadyn while her lips trembled. 

[Mike] - "Look, again, I'm sorry if I... "

[Kadyn] - "No, you don't understand, that was fucking amazing. I have had an experience not accessible to anyone on this planet. Mister Mike, I want to fly like that again on our return trip. "

Said Kadyn while trembling with excitement. 

Mike's eyes widened as he wasn't expecting Kadyn to be thrilled instead of being shocked. 

[Mike] - "For sure, I can do that. Now, how about we start ordering? "

Said Mike with a smile. 

[Kadyn] - "Ordering... But I don't have any money... "

Said Kadyn as she lowered her eyes in shame. 

[Mike] - "I took out for dinner, so allow me to pay. "

Said Mike with a grin. 

Seeing Mike's grin felt as if a bolt of lightning hit Kadyn right in her heart. 

[Kadyn] - "Ehhh... I'll have a steak with a side of red wine. "

Said Kadyn while trying to hide her embarrassment. 

[Mike] - "No wine! We are both not at the legal drinking age yet. "

[Kadyn] - "Oh... I understand. I'm sorry. "

Said Kadyn while looking like a scared puppy. 

Mike smirked before swiping his finger down the menu. 

[Mike] - "One bottle of Chateau Lafite 1949... for me. What will you have? "

Said Mike while keeping his eyes trained on Kadyn. 

[Kadyn] - "But you said... "

[Mike] - "Yes, I tend to keep things formal but where is fun in that? I'm currently off-duty, so why not live a little? "

Mimicking Mike's motion, Kadyn swiped her finger down the menu before stopping in the whisky section. 

[Kadyn] - "I'll have the same thing as you. "

[Mike] - "Fine choice. "

Said Mike while handing his menu back to the waiter. 

[Waiter] - "Sir, I cannot serve alcohol to underaged- "

Mike suddenly held up a golden card with the restaurant logo imprinted on its surface. With a surprised look on his face, the waiter quickly nodded his head before rushing away. 

After a few hours, the two youngsters walked joyfully while exchanging stories before arriving inside Mike's room. Upon closing the door behind them, Kadyn immediately jumped onto Mike's bed before beginning to undress. 

[Mike] - "Oh, what are you doing? "

[Kadyn] - "It's time for this, isn't it? You took me out on a date, and now it's time for me to offer myself to you. "

Said Kadyn as she exposed her top. 

[Mike] - "No, no, what the hell are you talking about? "

Said Mike as he used his ability to cover Kadyn with his blanket. 

[Kadyn] - "Well, according to protocol and what I've seen, this is the desired outcome, no? A date is just to inspire trust in a person in order to facilitate the final goal of carnal pleasure. I know how it goes. My sisters have all done it before. "

 [Mike] - "Who the hell taught you that bloody nonsense? "

Said Mike in a frustrated voice. 

[Kadyn] - "Well, that's how dating functions, no? Besides, I'm fine with you being the one to take me. I can't explain why but I love being around you. "

Said Kadyn with a smile as she looked at the ground. 

[Mike] - "Hey, listen to me, I didn't take you out on a date just to bang you in the end. That was never my intention! Kadyn, we humans take each other out on a date because we show interest in each other, not because we seek to bang and enslave each other. "

[Kadyn] - "But I'm not a human, I'm a being of lower status. That's all we deserve. "

[Mike] - "You are human to me and I will treat you as such. "

Kadyn raised her head and looked at Mike in the eyes. 

[Mike] - "Don't feel obligated to do anything. With me, you can make your own decision. Forget all the crap you learned before because you are my equal and no one can tell you otherwise. From today onward, if anyone treats you as if you were sub-human, you tell me. I have the authority and way to teach those bastards a lesson. "

[Kadyn] - "It's so illogical. How can you be so nice to me without any goal in mind? "

Said Kadyn as she looked away.

[Mike] - "Why does everything have to have a goal? I like you and I simply don't want you to get hurt. That's all. "

Tears began to escape Kadyn's eyes as she turned toward Mike.

[Kadyn] - "If you like me, then make me yours. No one has ever spoken to me like this. Never in a thousand years would I imagine the Grand Knight out of all people liked me. "

[Mike] - "Hey, hey, don't start crying! What's wrong? "

As Mike tried to wipe away Kadyn's tears, he suddenly noticed the wide smile on her face. She was not crying out of sorrow but out of joy and excitement. 

[Kadyn] - "Mister Mike, I'll be yours from today onward. "

[Mike] - "Sigh... Maybe another time. I want to know you better beforehand. "

Without warning, Kadyn leaned forward and kissed Mike on the cheek. 

[Kadyn] - "Don't make me wait that long, alright? I'll be in the same spot as today. "

Kadyn slowly leaned against Mike's shoulder where she remained until she fell asleep. When morning came, Mike picked Kadyn up and carried her on his back. Before anyone could notice, Mike put Kadyn back into her bed in the barrack. 

In the present, a shadowy figure slowly approached Kadyn's body against the rock. After putting his hand to her nose and confirming that she was still alive, he quickly picked her up and carried her on his back. 

To be continued...