There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)

"Emergency point, huh?"

Zein looked around as they stopped just outside the tunnel. Bassena used the chance where they might not be disturbed to stick himself to the guide; with hands circling Zein’s waist and chin on the guide’s shoulder.

"It does kind of look like a bunker," Zein muttered. Of course, a normal bunker would not have all of this abundant nature, but the enclosed, secure nature was the same. "Did you say something about farming?"

"Uhh...well..." Bassena laughed awkwardly in embarrassment. "I just thought it would be good if the place became sustainable for living. Maybe a few fruit trees and vegetable plants? Of course, that’s only if we really can use this place as an emergency retreat..."

Zein smiled; it was always interesting when Bassena shifted from his commander mode to this soft-spoken negotiator. Of course, that was only the case when talking to him. That being said, Zein saw value in the esper’s idea.

Indeed, the place was a safe haven inside the dark and dreary Deathzone. Even Zein would want to go back here from time to time just to relax after a hard time in the frontline. The place wasn’t big enough to accommodate the whole Operation’s troops, since most of the land was occupied by water, but...

It should be enough for emergencies; for the squads that had to run away from danger, and for the people who received too many injuries even the healer couldn’t completely take care of--both physically and mentally. There would probably be a case where the fight was so bad the guides couldn’t handle all of the corrosion at once. In that case, this place would be perfect to offset some of the corrosion, due to the shard’s nature. For guides too, it would be a good place to treat burnout.

And in case they might get trapped here by another siege, having stuff to eat inside was indeed a good thing. If they brought seeds and boosters from outside...it would be expensive, but Radia Mallarc is Radia Mallarc.

Still...

"I’ll try and talk to the core," Zein said. "It all depends on the gatekeeper."

Bassena laughed and kissed the guide’s cheek, rubbing his unshaven face on Zein’s neck. He was sure the core would come to it if Zein persuaded it. They were kind of like Zein’s ’kids’ after all, since Zein was a full fragment instead of shards.