LOG-007.
I was tired, bruised and battered. But I was a General who'd had six months of physical conditioning drilled into him, and so despite my body screaming at me, I rose.
"You're…you're material? Why are you material!?"
It was interesting, finally getting to see one of the vaunted prison guards the Grunts supposedly sourced their modified uniforms from. The outfit was white, rather than the villainous Gamma green I'd gotten so used to, with gold plating replacing the gunmetal grey cuirass, and of course the visored helmet lacked the iconic goblin-esque face crudely painted onto the front of it.
And as far as I could tell, his voice was being modulated somehow. Possibly to preserve his anonymity in the face of no doubt vengeful escapees.
"I-I need to report this! You shouldn't be here-"
I could see a faint pair of eyes widening behind that orange visor, and in that singular instance, I noted the name projected across the front of the helmet's identification bar. Bob.
"W-Wait-!"
My gauntleted fist flew in a vicious uppercut, and Bob had less than a second to gasp out a strangled exclamation before he was sent flying up and backwards, helmet knocked askew from the strike and some kind of baton escaping his grasp to clatter to the floor.
The man fell in a limp heap as I advanced, glancing around warily before noting that aside from Bob and I, the room I'd been deposited into was empty.
With a loud clunk, part of my ruined armour slipped loose of the greater whole, landing on the floor and abruptly making every part of my body feel heavier. It seemed with the unified power field integrated into the suit broken, I was stuck using pure muscle to stand upright now.
Inconvenient, to say the very least. Especially considering I'd need to use sheer speed to blitz my way through the prison un…detected…
Glancing back down at my would-be jailer, a contemplative expression took over my face, even as part of my helmet's shattered plating finally slipped loose, exposing one of my eyes to the world.
"Hm…"
—
"Mornin' Bob! Got that new prisoner squared away already?"
Actually, Bob was currently stuffed in a storage closet that had been just outside the chamber I'd met him in, alongside the separate pieces of my armour, with his hands tied together with Gamma string and a sock stuffed into his mouth.
"Yep! Feisty fella, that Knightmare! Not feisty enough for me though!"
But the man waving at me didn't need to know that, so I mimicked the gesture, trying to replicate his casual air as I strode by, something which he chuckled at before we parted ways, him continuing down the sleek white hallway I'd come from, while I turned a corner and let out a quick breath.
The uniform currently wrapped around my form clung to my skin tightly, whether by design or whether due to being a size too small, I couldn't tell. I was slightly bigger than Bob, after all. But not big enough that any of the Guards I'd run into had noticed yet, it seemed.
Pausing in my stride to stare at one of the viewports lining the nearby wall, I observed what almost looked to be a more eldritch, colourful version of space for a moment, before continuing onwards.
That didn't last long, unfortunately, as another figure approached me just as I was trying to figure out how I was supposed to get past a locked door, prompting me to turn around and cross my arms as they…as she settled to a stop in front of me, her fingers twiddling together as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
"H-Hi Bob!"
Tilting my head as I noted a thin blue tentacle that had apparently managed to slip out the side of her helmet, I silently acknowledged that the Wardens either had Legion defectors in their ranks, or employed some other kinds of aliens, before glancing up and reading the name projected on her identification bar.
"Hey…Lizzy. How ya doin?"
A friend of some kind? Or just another coworker? Crap, maybe she was Bob's direct superior!
"Listen, I know we've been together a while now, and we both knew it'd be a struggle…you know, with a human and zynari and all, but it feels like we haven't been talking as much, what with work and the Legion keeping us both so busy. I just…I never really know if it's okay to pester you about stuff like this, I guess?"
There was a moment's hesitation, before the Guard slumped. Even as I idly pondered the weird emphasis she'd placed on 'talking.'
"Is it…is it my body? Is it the tentacles? I'm sorry, m-maybe I'm just being stupid, I should-"
Lizzy gasped as my hands firmly grasped her shoulders, our helmets just inches from bumping into each other as I narrowed my eyes.
"Communication and honesty are important in a relationship, you should never feel hesitant to come forward to your partner about your feelings, otherwise resentment can grow and fester in silence. You have a wonderful body that you should be proud of, and any man who'd turn you down is one I'd consider a damned right fool."
I took a quick breath as, somehow, a blush managed to manifest on my counterpart's visor, a darker shade of orange layering itself over the rest of the opaque mask.
"Look, I've got some important work to do right now, but we'll sit down and have a proper talk when we both clock out, alright? I want to hear everything you have to say."
There, hopefully that would get her off my back long enough to skedaddle out of this part of the UCF. I didn't have time for this.
"Oh. That's…"
The triumphant smirk hidden behind my lowered visor fell as Lizzy abruptly leaned forward, pressing herself against me before wrapping her arms around my waist.
"That's good to hear, Bob~"
Ack! Release my buns, foul jailer!
"L-Lizzy! I have work to do! This is fraternization on-duty! We'll get in trouble!"
I didn't know if any of what I'd said was true, considering I didn't know what protocols the UCF's Warden garrison followed. But the alien gave my cheeks an almost petulant grope at that, before letting out a sigh and nodding, finally releasing my abused behind.
"Fiiiiine, but don't think you're off the hook mister! You're getting a reward once we're off the clock~!"
Scrambling to get away from her, I turned to step toward the nearby door before nearly slamming into it, forgetting it was still closed. Something that prompted a huff from the tentacle haired Guard that had just unwittingly molested me.
"Geez, looks like I got you all distracted. Just let the scanner see your helmet ID, ya silly goof!"
Glancing up and finally noticing the small, almost camera-like device hidden in an alcove at the top of the doorway, I waited a second before a quiet, gentle tone presumably indicated a successful scan, the barrier sliding open and allowing me entry deeper into the facility.
"R-Right! Thanks Lizzy!"
Powerwalking forward with as straight of a face as I could maintain considering the circumstances, I did my level best to ignore the feeling of obscured eyes staring at my rear with absolutely zero shame to be found in their gaze.
"No problem big boy~"
Man, what an awkward situation to get caught up in, Bob was gonna be in for it once all of this was over.
…Hm. Good for him! Hopefully it all worked out on his end, Lizzy seemed nice…if a little handsy.
A shudder ran through me at the phantom sensation of probing alien hands, even as I turned yet another corner and exchanged greetings with yet another Guard.
Eugh…