"Hold this steady Jin!"
Sera ordered, pointing to a sparking severed wire. As she reached across him, her breasts brushed against his arm, the thin fabric of her suit doing little to hide their softness. Their fingers intertwined with each other briefly as he took the wire, trying to keep it from shorting against the chassis. Her breath hitched, a tiny, almost inaudible tremble as she met his focused gaze for a split second. The close proximity caused her face to flush, and she unconsciously bit her lower lip.
"You're doing great, Sera,"
Jin's voice is calm despite the chaos around them, he unconsciously chose the dialogue option Asha had presented earlier to compliment her leadership.
"We'd be lost without you taking charge like this."
His sincerity was absolute and it clearly caught her off guard. She paused, and her blush deepened under the grime and sweat she quickly turned her face away, giving Jin a view of her slender neck and the curve of her shoulder.
Sera muttering facing away. "Don't get sappy, you idiot. Just… don't let go of that wire." As she spoke, she shifted her weight, causing her suit to stretch across her ass, outlining its perfect curves.
[HUD – SOCIAL LINK UPDATE]
Affinity with Subject Seraphina: +3% (Total: 15 / 100)
"Your direct compliment, perceived as genuine, has temporarily bypassed several of her defensive subroutines. Leadership synergy with this subject is improving."
"Note: This may unlock unique tactical options in future group engagements."
With a final, forceful twist from Jin and a skillful maneuver from Sera, they managed to clamp and seal the primary internal coolant line just as the hissing intensified. As they worked together, their bodies pressed close, Sera's breasts brushing against Jin's chest with each movement.
Clara cried out to the group. "G-got it! Panel overridden! S-system shutting down p-pod 737!" As she spoke, she stretched to reach a higher component, causing her jumpsuit to ride up and expose a glimpse of her smooth lower back.
"Valve closed! The main flow is stopped!" Rosa shouted as well, jumping up and down with excitement, her breasts bouncing beneath her suit.
The pod's violent sparking sputtered and died. The hissing mist lessens. The angry red lights on its panel went dark.
The group exhaled almost in unison, a wave of relief washing over them.
Clara smiling at Jin, her orange hair falling across her face as she moved. "We did it… thanks to you for being here to help, Jin." As she spoke, she unconsciously leaned forward, giving Jin a view down the front of her suit.
Rosa, jumping erratically on her feet and high-fived him. "Not bad at all, hero! This place is way less boring with you around!" As she high-fived him, she deliberately pressed her body against his, her breasts brushing against his arm.
Sera stepped back, crossing her arms, pushing her breasts up and making them more prominent. "Hmph. You didn't completely screw it up, for once,"
Her earlier cold approach thinned. "But I don't get any ideas. We're not safe yet. We need food, water, and a real plan to get out of here. Let's move."
Jin nodded, meeting each of their gazes. Clara's gentle gratitude, Rosa's infectious energy, Sera's reluctant acknowledgment. "Together,"
His smile even his tired and pain-laced makes them reassured, despite his injuries and the terrifying world they faced, felt a little stronger growing in their bond.
Asha talks in a calm and informative tone. "Phoenix Core analysis update — Affinity levels with multiple subjects are nearing 'Bond Event' thresholds. At around 20% Affinity, subjects may unlock private interactions or personal quests.
For example:
• Seraphina may reveal details about her pre-disaster leadership.
• Clara might recall a critical technical memory useful for Vault repairs.
The Group Cohesion Index is now at 82%.
Maintain and deepen these bonds, Jin. They're a measurable asset and essential for your long-term survival."
[HUD – SOCIAL ANALYSIS UPDATE]
• Multiple Subjects: Affinity nearing 20% Threshold
• Upcoming Unlocks: Bond Events / Character-Specific Quests
• Group Cohesion Index: 82%
As they gathered the few tools they had, these three remarkable young women made the vast, cold cryo-bay feel a little less empty and a little less hopeless.
Sera, Clara, and Rosa were now occupied, examining their new jumpsuits and the meager contents of Locker B-7, their voices a low murmur that Jin barely registered. As they tried on the jumpsuits over their thin cryosuits, the fabric clung to their bodies, outlining every curve. Rosa's suit was particularly tight across her chest, the zipper straining to contain her breasts. Clara's jumpsuit was slightly too big, causing it to hang off one shoulder and expose her collarbone and the swell of her breast. Sera's jumpsuit hugged her hips and ass perfectly, drawing Jin's attention despite himself.
He leaned heavily against a sturdy support beam. His HUD still displayed his low HP and stamina.
[HUD – STATUS OVERLAY]
HP: 35 / 110 (Critical)
Stamina: 12 / 110 (Severely Depleted)
Condition: Resurrection Sickness — Duration Remaining: 00:39:27
"Asha? Can… can we talk with just the two of us?... Without me, you know… talking out loud?"
[Neural Link Request Detected]
> Private Cognitive Channel: Pending Connection…
Phoenix Core – Asha: Standing by for mental interface.
[LINK ESTABLISHED – PRIVACY MODE ACTIVE]
"Affirmative, Jin. I can process direct neural impulses for communication. However, sustained internal dialogue at a complex level may place additional strain on your cognitive functions, especially given your current 'Resurrection Sickness' debuff and low stamina. Brevity and clarity are advised."
[SYSTEM NOTE: COGNITIVE LOAD INCREASED. Stamina Drain +0.01/minute during focused neural interface.
Jin winced as a fresh wave of dizziness washed over him. "Great." Even thinking too hard was going to wear him out. But he had to know about these affinities popping up in his HUD non stop.
"Okay, I'll try to be quick. Asha, these… 'affinity' things. With Sera, Clara, and Rosa. You said they went up. What does that even mean? And why does my… system… care if they like me?
"Affinity, Jin, is a quantifiable metric representing the strength and quality of an interpersonal bond between you and others what humans called 'love' with the Phoenix Cohorts. It encompasses trust, respect, emotional resonance, and cooperative potential. Your Phoenix Core AI tracks these metrics because strong social bonds called 'love' are statistically crucial for group cohesion, morale, and collaborative problem-solving – all vital components for long-term survival in a hostile post-cataclysmic environment."
"So... it's like a friendship score? To help us work better together? I guess that makes sense. Kinda like Clara with the panel and Rosa with the valve."
"That is a rudimentary but acceptable analogy for its immediate tactical benefits, yes. Higher affinity can unlock 'Bond Events' – unique interactive scenarios or dialogues – and even cooperative skills or passive systemic bonuses that enhance both your capabilities and those of the cohort member involved.
Jin processing what Asha said "Okay… so it helps us survive..But… How does… how does 'love' fit into that? I don't… I don't really get 'love,' Asha. It sounds… complicated. More complicated than fighting rats, anyway."
There was a fractional pause from Asha, as if she were accessing and processing a particularly dense data file.
"Love, Jin, in its biological and sociological context, is a complex neurochemical and emotional state typically characterized by deep affection, attachment, commitment, and often, a desire for procreation and mutual long-term support. It is a powerful motivator for pair-bonding and familial unit formation – foundational structures for societal regeneration."
Asha's tone remains perfect yet the words landed with the force of a physical blow in Jin's mind. "And that, Jin, leads to one of the primary, long-term directives of Project Phoenix, and your specific role as 'Phoenix Prime.' Beyond immediate survival and the potential reactivation of civilization-assisting technologies, your most critical function, in conjunction with the fourteen female Phoenix Cohorts, is a genetic imperative: repopulation."
Jin's mind went blank. He felt a sudden, intense pressure behind his eyes. "Re… repopulation? You mean… make… babies? With... With all of the 14 girls? Asha, I… I can barely talk to them without saying something dumb! Sera already thinks I'm an idiot! How am I supposed to… to make them… love me? And then… do that thing when making babies..I don't know anymore...Asha."
His head throbbed violently. The very idea was so far beyond his comprehension, so terrifying and awkward, it felt like his brain was trying to tie itself in knots. This was… impossible for him he thought.
[SYSTEM WARNING – COGNITIVE OVERLOAD]
Status: Emotional Distress Levels Exceeding Safe Parameters
Recommendation:
• Cease complex neural processing
• Redirect focuses on basic somatic functions
"The Project Phoenix directive is clear, Jin. The continuation of the human species is paramount. Your unique genetic enhancements, coupled with the diverse and optimized genetic profiles of the fourteen cohorts, are intended to provide the foundation for a new, resilient human population. The development of strong emotional bonds, including what humans term 'love,' is the most statistically effective pathway to ensuring successful, long-term procreative partnerships and stable family units for the upbringing of the next generation."
Asha with a subtle shift in an attempt at a simpler explanation for the overloading Jin "Consider it another survival quest, Jin, albeit one with significantly more complex variables and a much longer projected timeline. The affinities you build, the trust you foster, the 'Bond Events' you unlock… these are all steps towards fulfilling that core directive. Your earnestness, your protective instincts, your inherent kindness – these are not insignificant assets in this particular endeavor, even if your understanding of romantic protocols is currently… rudimentary."
Jin barely heard her last words. He felt like he was drowning the weight of it saving them from monsters was one thing, but this… He was just a guy who woke up in a nightmare, who was good at basic things that his instincts told him to, and who mostly just wanted everyone to be safe. He didn't know anything about love, about making anyone fall in love with him. His head spun.
Jin thought, a single, desperate thought "Asha… I… I can't…"
A sharp pulse of pain lanced through Jin's skull—the neural link flared too brightly, thoughts crashing like static.
[NEURAL LINK STATUS: UNSTABLE]
Warning: Cognitive strain detected
• Pain response: Moderate to Severe
• Focus drift: 89%
• Emotional saturation: Critical threshold exceeded
"Rest now, Jin. Your system is overloaded. We will revisit these… strategic parameters… when your cognitive functions have stabilized. For now, focus on the immediate: recovery, resource acquisition, and the safety of your current cohort. The larger mission will unfold one step at a time."
Jin slumped further against the support beam, his face pale and beaded with sweat. As he struggled to catch his breath, Rosa noticed his condition and rushed to his side, her breasts pressing against his arm as she supported him. "Jin? Are you okay? You don't look so good."