[IC] Evolution of Conflict: A Sci-Fi Mecha 1x1 FaithfulMuse and Stern Algorithm

[Stern Algorithm]

Nyx and Asteria separated successfully, allowing Asteria to repair Legion. The battlecruiser continued to fire at the cogs, but the previous hits had been lucky; the cogs were simply too small to get a lock-on by cannons intended for other ships. With legion repaired, Solomon said, "Thanks. Let's take out this ship, we've wasted enough time as it is."

[FaithfulMuse]

Blythe nodded and headed to where the ship was located. As soon as this was over, the better. She wanted to know what exactly had just happened, and she was convinced that either Maya or Sion could answer that question.

[Stern Algorithm]

As they approached, the battlecruiser switched from using its long-range bombardment cannons to its short-range point defense guns, much as the battlecruisr in enemy group 5 had done. Legion hid behind Nyx as they got pelted by shots from the guns, poking out occasionally to shoot out a few of the guns. Though it took a bit longer, they managed to take out all the guns on this side of the battlecruiser. Realizing that it was futile to continue fighting, the battlecruiser started backing off, giving the cogs a clear path to the freighter.

[FaithfulMuse]

Blythe couldn't help but smile when the path was cleared for them. This whole thing had started out as nothing but a true disaster, but it seemed like things would end good anyway.

[Stern Algorithm]

The Freighter offered no resistance as the team disabled the engines. The Incubator and accompanying ships, having taken care of their own enemy groups, came to clean up. As it turned out, with all their offensive ships routed, the enemy fleet surrendered.

Maya's voice came over the comm line, "It sounds like you guys had a pretty rough time, but great job stopping both freighters, one of the freighters that our ships were taking care of actually managed to jump. Anyways good job out there, everyone, let's get back to the Incubator."

The cogs returned to the hangar and the pilots got out. The lower half of Solomon's face and the front of his pilots suit were caked in dried blood. "L-lieutenant? Can I go to the infirmary?" he asked, with a delirious grin on his face as he wobbled back and forth.

"Lay down!" Sion commanded, "We'll get some nurses to take you over." Tera, who had some nursing background, came over and helped Solomon to the ground, while Israfil looked on worried. Soon a couple of nurses with a gurney came and took Solomon away.

"I want a report on what happened with your team," Maya asked Claire, "It turns out Mayura has some range limitations, so I wasn't able to tell what was going on with you guys. Your cogs all look to be fine, so I wasn't expecting to see Ensign Lear in that condition."

[FaithfulMuse]

Claire nodded and started to explain what had happened from start to finish. How she hadn't been able to take charge succesfully, that Solomon had taken over and had done so very well, and how he had used his mind control skills during the battle and how much effort that had costed him, but also about how her and Blythe's cogs had combined to become one during the battle.

[Stern Algorithm]

"I see," Maya said pensively while Sion's demeanor seemed to confirm that they knew something. "Each cog has some sort of 'secret' system; it was faster than we expected, but it seems that you two and Solomon have unlocked yours."

"It's actually quite commendable really," Sion said, giving a rare compliment, "the Lieutenant and I aren't even sure that we've unlocked ours. Also, I'd like to apologize, Claire Rivers, it was my suggestion to put you in charge. I'll be frank with my reasoning. I don't want leadership getting to Ensign Lear's head. He's got a big enough head already," Sion added at the end, again, showing a rare example of humor.

Maya shot Sion a look of 'that was an inappropriate comment, but still funny', and said, "Well, it's common for support units to hold leadership roles, since attackers often don't have enough awareness of the entire battlefield. Still, I suppose Legion's control of its bits requires good battlefield awareness."

[FaithfulMuse]

"So instead of an arrogant little brat, you thought putting someone in charge who was left shocked and crying after her latest mission was a much better idea? Not all of us can turn off their emotions whenever the fuck we want, you know." Blythe said, glaring at Sion. She didn't care if she was being inappropiate, what Sion had done was nothing short of stupid.

Claire, who wasn't sure of what to say, chose to keep her mouth shut. Even though Blythe was being rude, she knew that her twin was trying to stand up for her, even though Sion's reasoning was understandable.

[Stern Algorithm]

"In space combat, there are no infantry, so one does not actually get to see corpses in space. All damage simply appears to be structural, so it's much easier to forget that you are killing people," Sion said, though this made Israfil fidget a little since the only reason he wasn't shocked from battle is because the destruction he had caused with Orpheus only resembled demolition and not murder. "I thought this difference would be enough for Ms. Rivers to overcome her inhibitions. Most people think leadership is a privilege, it seems that you two know as well as I do that it is a burden, and that...that only makes you more qualified than Lear to lead." Sion wasn't really sure where he was going with this, perhaps he had tried to avoid the responsibility of leadership for too long and this was the fruit that he reaped. As much of a hard front as he put on, the truth was he preferred to either obey or operate independently. In actuality, he should have led the second team instead of going off by himself, but he wasn't ready to admit that yet.

"RHS, that's enough," Maya put a hand on Sion's shoulder. Then, addressing the sisters, "You two did well, despite our mistakes, but that doesn't justify the choices we made. We'll take what you've said into consideration, and I'll overlook your tone with Lieutenant RHS. RHS, you can forgive her for that, right?"

Sion looked at Maya and muttered, "...fine..."

"Well, everyone's dismissed until the next assignment, which won't be for a while, we've got to process these freighters," Maya said. Her and Sion headed out of the Hangar.

[FaithfulMuse]

Blythe sighed, rolling her eyes sarcastically. As if she needed Sion's forgiveness. The man had done something idiotic and she had given her opinion, that was all she had done. She saw nothing wrong with that.

Claire sighed, before looking at Israfil. "How did your mission go?" She asked him.

[Stern Algorithm]

"The mission was difficult," Israfil replied, "But the lieutenant protected me, and QAZ kept an eye out for enemies. I scored a lot of...kills..." his voice started excitedly but dropped off as he grappled with the realization that the strikecraft he shot down had pilots. He even successfully stopped one of the enemy battlecruisers by bombarding the bridge with lasers until he blew a hole through it. He thought about what the bridge looked like, with bridge officers sitting at their consoles. He felt a bit of guilt, but what worried him more was how little of it he felt. Trying to change the subject, he continued, "I-I think I'm getting the hang of Orpheus, though I don't think I've unlocked anything yet. I think it's cool that you can combine."

[FaithfulMuse]

"It proved to be very useful during battle, so I suppose the combination of our cogs is a good thing." Claire answered. She didn't want to think of the people who had died, but saw no reason why they couldn't talk about anything else.

[Stern Algorithm]

"It's amazing that such a complex system exists," Tera added, "though I'm curious how our Concert is going to deal with all these enemy ships. I considering we took out the main Homeworld base on Cepheus, I'm surprised this much of their force still exists."

[FaithfulMuse]

Blythe simply shrugged in response to what Tera said. "Does it really matter? They're being taken care of, and that's what is important." She said. She didn't really care how much of the enemy force still remained.

[Stern Algorithm]

"Well, I think we should learn as much as we can about the conflict that we're involved in," Tera said, hopefully without seeming too critical. At first, Blythe's statement came as a surprise, but Tera realized that it came less out of any sense of blind obedience and more out of a sense of apathy. "I'm wondering if these ships even belong to Homeworld. Rumors are saying another organization is helping them."

[FaithfulMuse]

Again, Blythe shrugged, but this time, the woman kept het mouth shut. She had already made her opinion on this matter clear, what use would it be to say anything else?

[Stern Algorithm]

Tera took Blythe's silence as criticism. Maybe Tera shouldn't be listening to baseless rumors in the first place. Maybe this conflict was too big for them as soldiers to truly comprehend. As she pondered this, Israfil spoke up, "I'm going to go check on Solomon, see if he's ok."

[FaithfulMuse]

"I'll come with you, if you don't mind." Claire said, looking at Israfil. She knew that Solomon wasn't always as likeable, but he was still part of the team, and Claire cared about anyone, with no exception.

[Stern Algorithm]

"Of course," Israfil replied.

Solomon was given his own room at the infirmary. The diagnosis was that he collapsed not be cause of blood loss (he didn't actually lose that much blood), but because of mental load. So their treatment was to keep him in a room that was dimly lit and kept relatively quiet to reduce sensory input until he recovered. Still, the nurses allowed visitors as long as they didn't raise their voices.

"How do you feel?" Israfil asked.

Solomon who was wearing shades as part of the treatment, shrugged, "I think they're overreacting. I feel fine. I was just fatigued from the battle was all." He took a sip from a juice carton.

[FaithfulMuse]

"If you don't mind me asking, why are you wearing shades?" Claire asked Solomon, looking at him. It was possible that he just liked wearing them, but considering the situation and the fact that she had never seen him wearing them before, Claire doubted it.