Rapture

Chapter 5

I spread out the plan on the table, lost in thought as I calculated the map and worked out our tactics. The base we were up against was a freaky flesh-type, like a living organism, but thankfully it wasn't mobile. Just smack in the middle of things.

The defense was solid. Those Fleshlings, all made up of ground-up living matter, looked like wiggling chunks of meat, but they could handle tools and whatnot. Problem was, they were puppets, following the orders of some main brain.

Unless they were trying to resurrect something big, like a Titan. That would spell trouble for folks in the Mindanao region.

I opened my eyes and caught Sandra shooting me a glance from her bed, pouting a little. "Hey, you went all quiet. Was my plan that boring?" she teased.

"Nah, sorry. Sometimes I get super focused. But anyway, it's already six, time to hit the cafeteria," I said, getting up and stuffing the plan in my pocket.

I didn't notice Sam scribbling in her notebook, giving me a steady stare the whole time. "Big Brother, you're a real weirdo sometimes."

"Sorry, been ages since I hung out with people, other than bandits, Gustav, and some villagers," I sighed. "Guess I lost my socializing skills."

Sam nodded, her eyes sparkling. "C'mon, big sister Sandra. Cafeteria means dinner's on!"

The cafeteria, or chow hall if we're talking military style, was Gustav's attempt at keeping things decent. It had been neglected, but now that it was just the two of us, he made it kinda presentable.

The walls were this shiny steel grey, almost blinding. The serving counters were clean as a whistle. Gustav was inside, hauling out two trays of grub.

"Heads up, it's more food than you can handle," Gustav grinned, dropping the trays on the counter. "Time to line up, folks. Chow's on."

"Looks like you found yourself a new hobby," I chuckled, heading over to grab a plate and spoon.

The others followed suit, though Sandra seemed a bit hesitant. Sam reached out and grabbed her hands.

"Come on, big sis, Gustav can apologize later," Sandra urged, giving Sandra a playful tug toward the utensils.

Sandra sighed and went along with it

I took my place at the front of the line, eyeing the trays filled with chicken adobo and white rice. Both were generously portioned, with the adobo looking especially appetizing and the white rice perfectly cooked.

I took my place at the front of the line, eyeing the trays filled with chicken adobo and white rice. Both were generously portioned, with the adobo looking especially appetizing and the white rice perfectly cooked.

"What's with the surplus of food?" I asked, setting my plate down in front of Gustav.

Gustav served me at least 10 cups of rice and nearly a whole chicken's worth of chunks. "Eat up, champ. Tomorrow's a big operation."

With my abnormal appetite and energy requirements, it wouldn't be too difficult to finish it all, but I hadn't expected such a generous portion.

I nodded and made my way to a table near the exit. The mound of rice seemed daunting until I realized I hadn't eaten anything since waking up that morning.

Using my spoon, I scooped up spoonfuls of the flavorful adobo broth and grabbed a chunk of chicken breast. With a single bite, the spoon almost snapped. The spices were perfectly balanced, and the chicken was delicious.

As I chewed, I glanced over at the three of them. They had received better treatment, but it seemed they would be sharing plates.

"Wow, that's a lot of food!" Sam exclaimed, wide-eyed at the mountain of rice.

"Of course, for the ladies," Gustav grinned.

Sam beamed. "Thank you so much, big sister, come on!"

Sandra held the big bowl of chicken adobo and stammered, "Tha-thank you so much."

Gustav nodded. "You're welcome. I'm sorry for the things I said. Now, that big dude is waiting for you over there."

Gustav pointed at me. They looked in my direction, as if they hadn't noticed me. I waved, and they waved back. Meanwhile, I realized that I had been absentmindedly eating my food while observing them.

They joined me at my table. Sam sat beside me and placed a plate full of rice in front of me, while Sandra sat across from us with the large bowl of adobo.

"So, the conversation went well, huh?" I remarked, taking another spoonful of rice and adobo.

Sam nodded enthusiastically. "Yup! But how did you hear us? We almost didn't even notice you!"

"Yeah, you were only a few steps ahead of us," Sandra added, sipping a spoonful of adobo broth. "This is really good!"

"I'm just pretty good at being unnoticed," I replied, spooning another portion of rice.

"Like, I didn't even notice you entering the room," Sandra said, with a bit of adobo broth on her lips.

Sam skillfully spooned a piece of chicken along with its flavorful broth and spread it onto her rice. "Where's Russ?"

"He's either in maintenance or out scouting," I replied.

"But Gustav is right there," Sam pointed out before shoving a spoonful of rice into her mouth. "Mmm, it's delicious!"

"Most of the ship relies on AI to handle its operations," I explained, nearing the end of my meal. "So even if he's away for a while, things still run automatically."

Sandra had finished her meal and seemed fully satisfied. "Woah, it's been such a long time since I ate until I was full," she chuckled.

Noticing rice and broth on her mouth, I handed her a blue cotton handkerchief. "You have a bit of food on your mouth. It's not very ladylike."

Sandra's cheeks turned red, and she took the handkerchief to wipe her mouth. "Th-thank you."

Sam narrowed her eyes and giggled. "You looked like a clown, big sister."

"Well, it's been a while since I had such a big meal," I said, finishing my own bowl and plate.

After a while, Sam and Sandra finished their meals and headed to the showers. I made my way to the armory to return some of my gear.

The entrance to the armory was a regular steel door with a disabled passcode lock. I turned the doorknob, and the scent of freedom and democracy filled the room.

The armory resembled something out of a movie, with guns of various calibers neatly placed on the walls. Ammunition was arranged on a table, all stored in boxes. The armory itself was unguarded, as no one would dare attempt to steal from it.

I placed my guns down, and a small robot came to pick them up. The robot had a box-shaped head and body but moved smoothly without tumbling. Using its iron pinchers, it grabbed the Glocks and walked away. However, the tiny steel creature couldn't lift the assault rifle I had brought with me.

I secured the rifle to the wall, closing the clamps to prevent it from falling.

Looking around, I saw that the ammunition was still plentiful and could last us a decade if used wisely. Since the rapture, raw resources had become more abundant, including materials like oil, sulfur, and others used in various industries.

With my gear unloaded, I decided to head back to my room for some much-needed rest. The ship was as quiet as ever, with the hallways clean and devoid of any sound.