Elora blew on the handkerchief and dried the few tears that came out by the time the pilots started asking their questions. Lorenzo began answering them with a profound lack of enthusiasm, yet one could recognize that some of the topics were more important to him than he openly let on. Ritsu continued standing in the sidelines. She was now gave more attention to the scene since the incident with Elora, and tensed up anytime Lorenzo passed by the girl as he walked by the row of pilots. [quote=@LHG100] He asked the biggest question that came: [color=fff200]"Uhm, sir, when will our next mission come? Will it be a real one?"[/color], and a follow-up, [color=fff200]"And... do Cruxi things tend to self-destruct?"[/color].[/quote] [color=f26522]"Well, officially you are only allowed to take to the field after your advanced training is complete, which takes about four months or so. However, considering the rate the Cruxi are advancing from the Zygan system, Cain may order a deployment sooner. Worst case scenario, you may be thrown out there in under a month. So you youngsters better devote the time you have to honing your skills, whether they are physical, mental or social. Especially the social part, that is lacking from you all."[/color] Lorenzo turned around. [color=f26522]"As for the other question: the Cruxi utilize both biological and mechanical units in their invasion force, which you will learn of starting tomorrow. The biological units seem to have some kind of sensor built into their weapons, causing them to be broken down once the unit itself is killed. A couple of them have been managed to be captured live, though, so we have managed to initiate research into their weapons. As for the mechanical units, they tend to activate self-destruct sequences when rendered incapable of assuming the offensive, for example disabling its weaponry, resulting in the remains turned useless for research. There have also been cases of more advanced units retreating using unidentified teleportation technology. My hypothesis is that these advanced units are too valuable to be sacrificed in the field, and so would make for a fine objective to capture. While I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to study a mechanical unit like that close-up and figure out their function, capturing one is extremely dangerous, and could easily result in casualties to the Framewerks. It is up to the Squad Officer's discretion whether such an operation is worth the risk while on the field."[/color] [quote=@LHG100][color=fff200]"Hey, sir... one last thing. The... y'know, narcotics, made me freak out. I don't want those any more. I didn't know they'd do... that. I wouldn'tve used them if I knew."[/color] [/quote] [color=f26522]"Ho ho, so you don't want them? Such a shame; I would have been more than glad to provide you with more of the substance, especially if I mixed up some of my colleague's solutions into the mix. However, for you to be properly rehabilitated you will first take diminishing doses to ease your body into the lack of a 'fix' as young ones used to call it. Suddenly cutting off the substance will just lead to unnecessary withdrawal symptoms. I'll also get some research done on the rather peculiar effects the drug causes,"[/color] Lorenzo said with a creepy grin. He flicked his fingers at the next pilot with a question. [quote=@redbaron1234] [color=Tomato]"Sir, I actually have two questions. First, what happened to Stukov?"[/color] She glanced around the room to double check Miles wasn't actually there when she asked the next question,[color=Tomato] "And second,where is Miles?"[/color] [/quote] [color=f26522]"Pilot Stukov attempted to harness the Framewerk's inner potential, but failed. The electricity he generated to coat the Framewerk's armor layers overloaded the systems. And to think how much promise he showed; to waste that potential on such idiot is a shame. I expect you to learn from this, Shinkai."[/color] Lorenzo suddenly turned to Lora's direction, his eyes boring into her. [color=f26522]"At your current stage of development, you should also have a deep enough connection with the Framewerk to utilize its power. However, you are only to release it in an emergency; it is highly probable that you are unable to control it, just like Stukov, and while he only killed himself, you could cause even more destruction. You must train your concentration and mental capacity every day from now on so you can control it reliably, understood?"[/color] Lorenzo then resumed walking back and forth. [color=f26522]"As for pilot Miles, he was reported to not have put on his suit, and due to the lack of protection he is now a vegetable due to a concussion-induced coma. A fool, and an arrogant one at that. People like them don't deserve to pilot my beauties. Anyway, next question."[/color] [quote=@knighthawk] Romeo raised his hand after the other two asked theirs. [color=f6989d]"Who did you loose in the war?"[/color] [/quote] Lorenzo paused for a moment, and looked Romeo straight in his eyes, before he continued walking. [color=f26522]"...My wife and daughter. She was only eight when they came...I shouldn't have been in that conference in Umbris...I struck back, but only realized later why it didn't interface properly...damn things require hormones..."[/color] Lorenzo's speech devolved into rambling as he seemed to be absorbed in his memories. Then he snapped back awake, like a lucid dreamer, and turned angry. [color=f26522]"No more questions about my personal life! That is an order! Horowitz,"[/color] he said and pointed at the next pilot to raise his hand. [quote=@Cassowarysaur] [color=92278f]"Sir, the combat exercise seemed pointless. With all the damage done to the Frameworks, it would take a lengthy amount of time to repair them, even if you recover all the materials. A computer simulation would have accomplished the same thing and none of this damage would have happened. My lonewolf tactics were only apparent because I could survive by myself, and after all, the people I could team up with would be my very enemies. Unless I have missed something, sir, the event could have been executed to a much more productive degree."[/color] Yeshua slowly let the words trickle out of his mouth, keeping a stern expression and making sure his eyes never met with Lorenzo's. His heart almost dropped to his feet by the time he had let the last words out. [color=92278f]"I hope my criticism is appreciated."[/color] [/quote] [color=f26522]"If a virtual reality exercise would have been sufficient, do you think I wouldn't have done so?"[/color] Lorenzo came leaning close to Yeshua, his breath smelling of pickles and fruits. [color=f26522]"You can make a million combat simulations, but none of them will ever prepare the mind for the reality that is the fires of war. There is no sense of danger, no fear of death while in such a machine, making it only useful for basic control tests and gauging motor functions. They don't prepare your survival instincts to give all the adrenaline and endorphin they could to make that final push between life and death. Virtual reality will never replace the real thing, as much as some of my more foolish colleagues like to think. And it seems the exercise wasn't so pointless; after all, we found out how much you can actually do in a real situation,"[/color] he said, letting the ensuing implication to dig into Yeshua's consciousness. Lorenzo turned away, and returned to the podium. [color=f26522]"If you think yourself so good that you can work alone, maybe we could just do that; we'll drop you into a Cruxi-occupied planet, and observe how you take the invading forces all on your own, since you are so capable of surviving. You would be a hero for the entirety of three minutes and thirty-five seconds before you would be subjected to a fate worse than death. Wouldn't you like that, Horowitz?"[/color] [color=ed1c24]"...Douchebag..."[/color] [color=f26522]"WHO SAID THAT?"[/color] Lorenzo suddenly shouted. One of the pilots stepped out of the row: It was Ryan. He took an expression of defiance. [color=ed1c24]"I said that you're a douchebag. You call me an idiot even though I did just as you ordered us to do? You're the idiot here. Besides, Lora would have attacked Elora first, and I wanted to protect her. Anyone would have done the same in my place. So suck it, gramps!"[/color] He finished his speech with a hand gesture considered offensive in most civilized cultures. Elora blushed a bit when she heard what Ryan said, and lowered her head a bit to conceal her reaction from the others. This, however, didn't escape Lorenzo's observation. He was silent for a moment before he spoke again: [color=f26522]"I see what is happening here. Liu'un, come here."[/color] Elora hesitated. [color=8dc73f]"Uhh-"[/color] [color=f26522]"That is an order, Liu'un, not a request,"[/color] Lorenzo snapped back. Ritsu suddenly interjected: [color=0054a6]"Sir, I believe this isn't necessary-"[/color] before she was stopped by Lorenzo's fiery leer. Elora did as told, and stood next to the podium. Lorenzo's gaze shadowed the poor girl. [color=f26522]"Now stand still and watch closely, Goodwill. This is what happens when my patience is tried past the limit. Now, pilot Liu'un, Goodwill has decided to act like a complete moron and defy his commanding officer. All because of you. Don't you think you are responsible for this behavior?"[/color] [color=8dc73f]"...Um...Uh...I..."[/color] Elora stuttered, so scared she was unable to form sentences. Her face started sweating, and her wide eyes reflected Lorenzo's looming figure over her. Her legs were shaking, barely keeping her balanced. She held her hands tightly to her chest. [color=f26522]"Answer me!"[/color] Lorenzo shouted, and the girl whimpered. She started crying again. [color=8dc73f]"Y-Yes! It's be-because of me! I'm responsible! I'm the one wh-who should be punished, not R-Ryan!"[/color] After a moment that went by in a couple of seconds yet felt like an eternity to all spectators, Lorenzo answered: [color=f26522]"...Wrong."[/color] Elora only managed a yelp before she was slapped in the cheek by Lorenzo, causing her to fall down to the floor. She lied there, softly crying and whimpering while partly assuming a fetal position. Ryan clenched his fists and drew something that shone and reflected light from his pocket. He roared: [color=ed1c24]"You bastard! I'll kill you!"[/color] Before anyone else of the pilots could respond to what was happening, Ryan lunged at Lorenzo with a combat knife he hid in his clothes. It looked like the old man was about to be stabbed. But then something happened: Lorenzo caught Ryan's knife-holding arm with the kind of speed and strength that should have been impossible for a regular human, let alone a man of his advanced age. Lorenzo tightened his grip on the arm, causing the knife to fall from Ryan's grasp. [color=f26522]"That was the wrong move, boy. Not only did you defy your commanding officer's order, but you also assaulted him. That is an offense punishable by death."[/color] He tightened his grip on Ryan's arm again, and started twisting it. Trickles of flowing blood and audible creaking of Ryan's bones could be heard as he screamed in agony. His arm was bent to a 90-degree angle, before he finally released his grip, causing Ryan to fall to the floor in catatonic shock. Ritsu ran to his side, and called a couple of soldiers to carry him over to the med bay. [color=f26522]"However, I'm a benevolent person, so I'm instead going to give you a lighter punishment: you are hereby stripped of your rank and Framewerk, and disbanded from the Framewerk Project. Liu'un, back to the row. And Ritsu, call a new replacement. Issue the Macabre back to the pool."[/color] Lorenzo non-chalantly gave orders as Ritsu knelt by Elora's side and helped her stand up again. Elora was filled with grief and remorse, her eyes swelled up due to the crying she's done, as she stumbled back to her place, a red mark of a hand on her cheek. Ritsu also went back to her place, took out her tablet and carried out the order given to her. She was now tensed up even more than previously, obviously not approving of the old man's cruelty. [color=f26522]"Is there anyone else who would like to test their luck? We can either stand here and do this all day, or I'll announce the squad leader. Your choice,[/color] Lorenzo said as he finished eating his sundae and placed it back in the drawer.