Chapter Text
2 minutes later...
HEINRICH POV
„First we go visit the librabry, then we'll have lunch at the cafeteria, and then-”
„Wowowow, slow down !”
A little Kolibri, cutely named "Libri," dragged me through the hallway at a speed equal to a car. I didn't even try to use my legs anymore - I just glided across the floor, still holding her hand, probably scuffing most of my soles.
"Eh ?"
Libri suddenly stopped, and I launched myself further forward as momentum was still pushing me. I stopped only after a few meters, smashing my face into the floor. Man, it hurts !"
„Oh, nio ! I'm sorry !”
She rushed to my side and helped me to stand up. You could probably see a couple of bruises on my face – I feel them, at least.
„Don't worry about it, but please, let's walk at the standard pace next time.
„O-okay...”
She looked borderline sad now ...is it a thing with „Kolibris” ? That they change their emotions momentally ? Man, I'm feeling a little bad...
„O-okay then ! Now – you said something about the library ?”
AND now she's happy again. Chaotic.
„Yes ! It's my favorite place ! We're actually in front of it !”
I looked in front of me- yet another boring gray door. This time, it has „Library” written on it.
„Alright... So, we'll go in ?”
„YES ! You'll be happy to meet others.”
„Others ?”
As soon as I opened the door, a sudden wave of this strange feeling hit my brain - it was much stronger than anything I've felt, at least for now. Still, even with its power, it's still more of a nuisance than a problem. I'll live with it.
From behind the now open door I saw the interior of the library - it was a cozy, medium-sized room with two long bookshelves on its sides and a couple of tables with chairs, probably for reading. A large red carpet stretched on the ground, covering the entire room.
Straight in front of me, there was a big pile of Kolibris, trying to climb a top of each other, probably trying to reach a book on the tallest shelf. It was kinda cute.
„Hello everyone !”
When the big Kolibri pile noticed us, it began to crumble. After a couple of seconds, it fell down, leaving small girls spreaded on the floor.
„Sister Libri !”
One of the girls walked to us with fear in her eyes.
„We have a problem !”
It seems that the girl didn't notice me - as soon as she looked at my face, she jumped away and hid behind Libri, standing here with some sort of uncertainty on her face. She peeked behind her, staring at me.
„Em, hello ?”
„Hello.”
She stared some more. Quite rude, but i'm used to it now.
„What is the problem, sister Koli ?”
Koli ? Koli the Kolibri ? I don't know who gave them those names, but I'm feeling out of ideas.
„Em, ah ! Right ! THE STEPPY BROKE DOWN !”
A look of horror appeared on Libri's face.
„THE STEPPY BROKE DOWN ?!”
„Em... Steppy ?”
I looked at one of the tables – some kind of mini ladder was laying on it. All of the steps fell off, so it's kinda broken. I guess this is that „Steppy” they were talking about ?
I walked past some other Kolibris straight towards it. Now EVERY Kolibri noticed me and hid behind the chairs and some under the tables. I'm certainly scary .
„Hm...”
I sided the steps back to the frame. Now it's brand new.
„Wow, it was easier than I-”
„THE STRANGER FIXED THE STEPPY !”
A loud cheering filled the room, almost making me deaf. Then, a group hug, eh, occurred. I was smashed by a group of short girls. What a dream !
One of the gurls asked me:
„Mister Stranger, what's your name ?”
„Em, Heinrich. Heinrich Liebermann.”
„...Brother Heinrich is it then !”
Another loud cheering filled the room. I hope I won't get hurt.
„Brother Heinrich ! Brother Heinrich !”
Another Kolibri called out to me. I turned my head towards her direction. She stretched her arms toward me and jumped in her place.
„Uppie !”
I guess that means I should pick her up... I gently did so, putting my hand under her shoulders and lifting her up in the air.
„YAAAY ! UPPIE !”
„Me too ! I wanna too ! Pick me up, too !”
Now, ALL of them want an Uppie...
Suddenly, Libri pulled me out of the happy group and led me through the door.
„This one's mine ! Find your own brother !”
„Eh ? Come on ! Sharing is caring, you know ?”
She closed the door before hearing any more begging.
„I'm.. yours, now ?
„We have to continue our trip, right ? Let's go !”
She started walking in some random direction. With no other choices, and even less answers, I followed her.
Another boring door, another writing in red paint, another possible headache. I think all that „headaches” are Kolibris' fault... Maybe I'll ask her about it over lunch.
Libri opened the door leading to the canteen, and I looked inside.
Same dull walls, white-tiled floor, a lot of tables and chairs and a door to the kitchen at the back of the room, straight behind the long table where a couple of EULEs were distributing rations for some kind of local currency. Currency I don't have at that moment. Sweet !
The room was fairly crowded with various replikas – some EULE, STAR and two STCR at the far right, one of which gave me some kind of apologetic look. I guess it's the one from yesterday... The rest of the room was indifferent to me, more focused on their meals, except for... Huh, that was interesting.
ADLR, the great second-in-command, was sitting all alone in one of the tables in far-left corner. No one was there with him, and Adler, certainly more focused on his meal AND the book he was reading, seemed to not mind that. I guess people were avoiding him due to fear or something...
Where was I ? Ah, right ! Lunch !
„So, it's lunch time, then ?”
„Yea !”
Libri's cheerfulness is certainly contiguous, as I myself started to feel better. She walked to the counter and asked something one of the EULEs behind the long table. After a while, she came back with two traces full of...
Oh.
I... I don't even know what it is...
Maybe it tastes better than it looks ? Well, it won't hurt to try.
„Here yu go !”
She handed me one of the trays.
„Where should we sit ? I have many friends, so we can totally-”
„I've already decided.”
I started walking towards Adler's table.
„But tha- Wait !”
Adler was so engrossed in his book that he didn't notice us coming. Only the loud THUD made by my tray snapped him out of his trance.
„Hello, Adler.”
I sat against him. He looked... bamboozled, at least.
„Oh, hello to you. It's... nice to see... you again.”
„The feeling's mutual, pal.”
I picked up my spoon, trying to comprehend what this grey goo on my trace is.
„Wait !”
Libri quickly ran towards me with her food in hand, clearly scared.
„I-I'm sorry, mister Adler... I-”
„Do not worry about it. Anyone can sit wherever they like.”
ADLR took another spoon of the goo, looking indifferent.
„I'm curious about one thing, though, Mr. Liebermann – why did you decide to sit... right here ?”
„Well, you looked quite lonely and I decided to keep you company-”
ADLR stood up.
„I think I change my-”
„-I can also share some information about the UN to you. You look like an intelligent fellow.”
Adler pondered for a moment, then sat back in his seat.
„I think I can slip some info if we keep talking. But first-”
I pressed the spoon into the jelly-like mush. It was... more sturdy that I'd have imagined.
„-I wonder how this „Eusan Nation Cuisine” taste like.”
I put the spoon in my mouth, It was...
„Tell me... Is EVERYONE's eating this... stuff... everyday ?”
„It's standard food for Gestalts and Replikas alike, Mr. Liebermann. Some...”
He looked at Libri, who already finished her plate.
„...like it more than others. Why do you ask.”
„Well, if I had to eat it every day, it would violate Geneva convention...”
„Geneva convention ?”
Alder's eyes lit up.
„It's... a convention of what is correct and what is right to do to people... Somehow. I've never studied it thoroughly.... You can have the rest, Libri.”
I slided my food towards the hungry Kolibri.
„Is it... really that bad, Mr. Liebermann, that you would starve rather than eat it ?”
„Just... Wait here, okay ? I'll be back in a minute.”
I quickly left the door, patting the head of Libri's as I stood up. Time for some PR – In form of our Ambassador rations !
ADLR POV
I was eyeing Heinrich as he left the room. This man... he cannot be a spy, that's a fact. He's to foreign, even for an Empire. If what he said is true, then I hope we didn't break any other rules of his so-called „United Nations”. The last thing we need is another enemy...
„Mister Adler...”
I awoke from my internal monologue, seeing Kolibri looking at me with repentance in her eyes.
„...I'm sorry for sitting here. He sat there on his own...”
„As I said, don't worry about it. I've managed to learn something new, so that's something.”
I pat her head. She cheered up.
„Say... Is Mr. Liebermann acting... right ?”
„YEA ! HE REPAIRED STEPPY !”
„He repaired steppy ?”
Looking at how all the Kolibri are deifying this little ladder, I can clearly say these girls are loving him now.
„Is... any of the others asked him for, eh, uplifting ?”
„Oh, you mean Uppies ? They all did. Only Kobi got it, tho... That lucky girl...
And now he's their new Upbringer. He's certainly fast in gaining allies...
„Did you manage to get into his head ?”
„No ! His mind is impenetrable ! Even with all of us in one room we didn't achieve much !”
„Interesting...”
I hope he won't start asking questions – our bioresonance is one of our Aces right now...
„I'm back !”
Mr. Liebermann walked back to our table with two medium-sized black boxes in his arms, certainly gaining the looks of all the people in the room. He sat back to his previous seat.
„Time for magic to begin !”
Okay, now I should connect this to the main unit and... voila ! All is ready now.
„Just... enjoy the show !”
I clicked the button in the middle of the lower box. A couple of robotic claws popped out of the lower box and started preparing the meal in the upper box, without any need of stoves or packages !
It was a festival of colors, and the delicious smell of boiled, fried and grilled foods flooded the room, causing many Replikas to start drooling unconsciously. After five minutes it was done - a 5 course meal of the highest grade !
„Let's look at the menu... Tomato soup, potato chips, Potato Pancakes, Beef steak and a Lemon pie for dessert !”
Despite this fancy display, food inside rations isn't, what some people say, refined to higher tastes. It still taste extraordinarily good !
I took a bite of the steak. It was marvelous...
„Hm ! It's soo good !”
I looked around me – eyes of every replika was still on me. Even Adler looked at me bewildered. Libri, in contrast, looked like a puppy begging for food.
„Libri, Mr. Adler, would you like to share this meal with me ?”
„YES !”
„I guess I can't help it...”
Twenty minutes later...
All three of us managed to finish this amazing meal, and, frankly saying, we were full, or at least I was. We managed to share some of it with any replika who couldn't contain themselves and approached our table. By the look on their faces, I could safely say that they liked it. Libri and I left the room happy and with probably a few new friends. Adler's a pretty nice guy... Dammit ! I forgot to ask him about this weird tingling ! Eh, I'll probably find an occasion later... Anyway...
„Here you are !”
A familiar STAR approached me, looking relieved.
„Armata ?”
„I looked for you everywhere !”
„I was... in the canteen.”
„Omagah ! You know Armata, too ?!”
She rushed to hug the STAR unit. She returned the hug, even though briefly...
„Oh, Libri, what are you doing here ?”
„Do you know each other ?”
„We're the bestest friends !”
„That's true. Anyway... I was appointed to be your bodyguard, Heinrich.”
„More like a warden, then ?”
„N-no ! I was-”
„Merely a jest, Armata.”
„Oh.”
„The more the merrier. Let's get to another destination. What's next ?”
I looked at Libri.
„Oh ! It's time for the dorms and hospital wing ! Then we'll show you the mines !”
Libri took one of my hands and led me to yet another place, with Armata following us with a little blush on her face for some reason... Well, time for more sightseeing !