A month later, during a confrontation between Squad Thompson and Sangvis forces.

M9 1911! You still can't get in touch with Miss Thompson?

M1911 She seems pretty busy herself so we're on our own.

M9 You make it sound like it's no big deal!
We're running out of ammo, we can't contact our squad leader, and we're surrounded by enemies... What do we do?!

M1911 Aren't you an elite of the new age, M9?
Is this enough to make you freak out?

M9 Damn old granny... Is this really the time to be snide?
When we use up our last magazine, we can huddle in this corner and wait for our kingdom come...
At least I've backed up my neural cloud. Hopefully I won't lose too much memory.

M1911 Giving up already?
And here I was looking forward to your death throes...

M9 Hey, what are you talking about—

M1911 Heheh...
Can't be helped. Let the seasoned vet deal with this crisis.

M9 You have an idea?

M1911 Of course. After all, a new body costs quite a lot...
Spending our bounty on that is such a waste. I'd rather save it for something that'll make my Darling love me even more.

M9 H-hold on! The Commander isn't yours alone!

M1911 Then come with me.
If you want to fight with me over the Commander, you'll have to wait till we complete the mission.

Half an hour later.

The gas station in the distance explodes all of a sudden.
...

M9 Alright, we made a scene around the abandoned gas station...
But are you sure S.F. will go check it out?

M1911 Without an advanced Ringleader around, these units aren't too smart.
Besides, we also blew up a few Sangvis units over there. They're bound to divert some troops to investigate.

M9 I sure hope so...
I donated my last magazine. If we run into more enemy...
I only have enough bullets left to blast my neural cloud to bits.

M1911 Pffft, don't be so melodramatic. We're very likely to make it out.
Now let's regroup with Thompson and the others.

M1911 and M9 reach the side of the motorway.

M9 The Sangvis patrols really seem to be gone.

M1911 Then let's make our away through quickly.
They'll be back soon once they realize nobody's there.

M9 Got it.

An hour later, the two arrive at the rendezvous point.

Thompson What took you so long, M1911?
If you were late by another ten minutes, you'd have to make your own way home.

M1911 Sorry about that, Thompson.
We ran into some trouble on the way and we're out of ammo.
We were lucky the Sangvis encirclement wasn't exactly watertight and managed to crawl our way out.

M9 Making a popular T-Doll like me crawl in the dirt, getting all filthy...

Thompson Haha, at least you made it out alive.
Now let's go. Tell me about your little adventure on our way home.

At the Griffin base.

M1911 Jeez...that was exhausting.
I need to catch some sleep.

M9 Um, M1911...

M1911 Hmm?

M9 Thank you for today... If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have made it back.
And I was only calling you an old granny out of pique... Sorry about that...

M1911 You did your best to help out on our retreat so I forgive you.
But only this time. If you call me that again, that'll be a whole new tab.

M9 Humph! Of course!
I may be apologizing, but that doesn't mean I'm letting you have the Commander!

M1911 Oh, what a shame. You'll lose painfully.
I'm a lot more determined than you think.

M9 Humph. You think I'd be scared of you?

M1911 No, but I look forward to our next fight.

M1911 Then...
Be prepared to lose against me as my rival!