You put it on an accessible spot under your poncho. Should the need arise, you should be able to have in out in a second. You leave the purple knife in a more visible and free spot, since it doesn't matter who sees it. AA-12 watches you stash the knife but says nothing. Instead, she looks at the visor still in her hands that she pulled off of the Jaeger unit.
"Think we could use this too?"
"Leave it. It only works when you connect to it, and it's most definitely laced with harmful malware. Won't even sell well."
"Hm… shame…"
The shotgun leaves the visor on the kitchen counter. It surely could've been useful, with all its various vision filters, zoom capabilities and weapon interaction, but the electronic side of Sangvis Ferri tech is not to be taken lightly. You finally stand up from the defeated unit, turning to your companion. You offer the blue short kitchen knife to her. She sighed.
"I'm almost wishing for a shootout to start… I-I mean… thanks."
She took the knife, after which she left her glass shanks on the counter too, just as you did. She squeezed the grip firmly, finally not having to fear breaking it… not as easily at least.
"Speaking of shootouts… think they're onto us? No way that Jaeger just randomly decided to go onto this floor into this room."
[ ] "Probably… if so, that might mean they don't know that we know yet, and we should use that."
[X] "Must've noticed something, but it couldn't have alerted the other units. They would've stormed us by now."
[ ] "Their patrol pattern is most likely random. I wouldn't worry too much."
[ ] "I don't know. It's best to just stay alert."
[ ] Write-in
"Right. Guess I'm taking point again…"
With the most pressing threat eliminated, you continue to clear the floor and take care of any opposition you might come across. Only a few apartments left now. Somewhere along the line you noticed a considerable lack of useful supplies like food, must've been scavenged before. Whether it were the two scouts sent here yesterday or someone who came before, you don't know, but this floor seems to be picked clean. Perhaps there used to be even better knives to choose from and you simply got the leftovers. But a knife's a knife, it'll do better than a piece of glass no matter its condition. AA-12 had the bright idea to check one of the refrigerators, and dearly regretted it. The smell was unbearable, she could not have closed it quickly enough. Suffice to say you cleared that room much quicker than the others.
"Alright, floor's clear. Onto the next."
With another level of the building cleared, you move onto the staircase and head up. The same sense of aesthetic seems to remain on all floors, with the same amount of decay as well. However, you can see a difference on this floor already as you enter the hallway. Long, thick cables snaking along the ground, coming from a room further down the hall all the way to the upper floors. You're careful not to step on them, and also check every corner of your vision. These cables were definitely set up recently, meaning Sangvis Ferri is setting something up. And such operations are usually accompanied by extra security measures, so you keep an eye out for sensors and cameras. You proceed further, still checking every room along the way but more just looking over them, you know there's going to be a threat further down the hall so you leave scavenging for after it's been dealt with. The rooms still showed signs of previous plundering though, this floor has likely been scavenged as well. If the rest of the building proves to be the same, then this would be a rather fruitless operation that would only serve to agitate the enemy, aside from recovering the scout's corpse perhaps. Those humans seem to have respect for their dead, and so do you partially, so you understand why they would go to such lengths.
Finally, you reach the doorway the cables extend from. AA-12 taking point, peaks out behind the corner. While every other room just seemed abandoned, this one clearly displayed Sangvis Ferri influence. The cables were connected to a command console with a portable power source, but it was small. Just one console, where usually the whole room would be converted into a command room with computers and screens all over. Either this is an S.F. outpost in the making, or something else entirely. The console is currently being operated by a Sangvis unit, another Ripper model. Maybe it's just being set up, or it's already in proper designated use, but you won't know what it's for without getting a closer look. With its back turned to you, it should be an easy kill.
AA-12 takes point, you cover her back. Your size makes her more optimal for stealth executions, even though she really doesn't like it. The files were right, she always forces herself to do things she's not comfortable with. And if memory serves, she'll be regretting it later, like with most things.
The Sangvis' head is relatively still. The console's screen isn't very big, and the unit must be partially connected to it anyway, so no requirement for head movements. AA-12 prepares her new knife with a steady grip. From behind the unit, she raises her weapon, then strikes. One hand holding the head in place and delivering a firm grip while the other drives the blade in. She's cringing as she does this, pushing deeper until coolant starts flowing out. The unit's hands fall limp on the keyboard. After confirming it ceased function, she pulled the knife out and lay it on the ground. She looked to you to confirm nothing has sneaked up, you assure her you're in the clear now. She sighs, looking at her messy gloves.
"I want to use my gun again…"
[ ] "We have to conserve ammunition."
[X] "Me too. But we can't unless it's necessary."
[ ] "This is a much more effective and cost efficient method. You should get used to it."
"Yeah yeah… I'll check around. Think you can get anything from the console?"
"Not much without connecting to it, but hopefully enough."
The shotgun gives you a nod and starts surveying the room, while you head towards the terminal. It's… uncomfortably high. Not that you can't reach it, but it's like looking at the sky while standing for too long, your neck starts to hurt and you might even get dizzy afterwards. Good thing this appears to be the apartment's living room, meaning there's chairs. A very useful human construct to both conserve energy and reach higher places with relative ease. They weren't built for the second part, but they work just as well, you know from experience. There's a chair nearby, it's wooden but looks sturdy, could definitely support your weight. You look at it, and then at AA-12 who's still looking around. Is this a moment to become uncomfortably self-conscious?
[ ] Take the chair when AA-12 isn't looking.
[X] Take the chair regardless if AA-12 is in the room looking at you or not.
[ ] Operate the console without a chair despite the difficulties.
However you reach it, you get to work. You can't do much without connecting to the console directly, upon the Ripper's death the console logged it out and locked functions. The best you can do is play around and determine what kind of console this is. It seems to have average computational strength with many access ports, signifying that this was more of a control panel and the real machinery is connected to it through the cables. There's a radar screen alongside the main one. You're no Sangvis technician, their hardware is as distinct as their software, so that's all you can gather for now.
"What'd you find out?"
"It's a control hub. Whatever it controls is connected through those cables, and is likely on the roof. It has a radar and seems capable of connecting to comms networks, so a satellite possibly."
"Hmm… sounds like one of those radar stations they use for night operations."
"If that were the case there would be more to work with than a single panel."
"Maybe they just weren't finished?"
"Could be."
With the facts and theories gathered and exchanged, you now have to decide what to do with the console. There are undoubtedly still some units in the area, and something on the roof. Disconnecting and disabling the console may put them at a disadvantage but alert them to your presence, while leaving it be leaves you hidden but your enemies unaffected. Thankfully, neither option puts you at risk of virus infection.
[ ] Disable the console.
[X] Leave the console.
After you finish your work, you step away from the console. As there is nothing else in the room that it was connected to it's pretty much safe to assume it's camera free, if the lack of an alarm blaring wasn't reassuring enough. Once the operation is over, it might be best to destroy it, but you'll leave that for later. You look around and see AA-12 has entered another room. She contacts you shortly after.
"Heather?"
[X] "Yeah?"
[ ] "Go ahead."
[ ] "What is it now?"
"I found him."
Him could only be who you think it is. Your secondary objective. Jan. The lost scout.
You follow AA-12 into the room. It looked rather empty, a bedroom that's been picked clean. The window was shattered, glass all over the floor, impact holes on the wall. Along with the glass lay the body of a male, wearing old winter clothes and a layer of frost. Must've been laying there for a day at least, puddle of blood beneath him already dry and cold. From beneath a black beanie peeked short blonde hair, and from the complexion on his face you can guess his age to be around his early twenties. His weapon, a 9mm Makarov by the looks of it, lay just inches from his red gloved hands. A sad sight.
"Poor guy… damn Sangvis…"
AA-12 was displeased with the sight. One would think that after all her complains about primitive close quarters combat she'd be glad to finally see a body taken down by a firearm. But she just looked at it, visibly unsettled. T-dolls under Griffin command don't see human bodies nearly as often as Sangvis bodies, or even those of their comrades, so some may still need to get used to it. The both of you stood above the lad, contemplating on how to handle the situation.
"What was it the old man said… give the kid the respect he deserves? Not sure what use it is to him now… what do we do then?"
"It is human tradition to bury their dead. That's likely what he meant."
"I think I saw a shovel on the ground floor… ugh, we're gonna have to dig a hole?"
"It's either that or carry him back to the village."
"That'd be weird… I mean, we do it with our own comrades, but we're T-dolls. They bring us back to repair or salvage. Not sure how they'd react if we drag this guy's body back to them…"
The shotgun brought up a good point. Gustav could've been more direct about what he wanted you to do about the body, but he clearly wanted you to do something with it. After careful consideration, you decide it'd be best to...
[ ] Bury Jan's body.
[X] Bring Jan's body back to the village.
[ ] Burn Jan's body.
Either way, you'll deal with this after the building has been cleared of Sangvis presence. For now, you can tell the body hasn't been touched after it died, not even the Sangvis seem to have done anything other than confirm his death. There's no telling what he may be carrying with him, but is it right to find out? Nobody would know… And not all is as it seems…
[ ] Search the body.
[X] Leave it be.
