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

[Stern Algorithm]

"Well anyways, I'm rambling," Chief Link said, "if you have any problems with your cog, please let us know. I'll let you get back to your training."

[FaithfulMuse]

"Alright, I will." Claire promised, though she was still not convinced that she would ever tell him, or anyone else for that matter, about what had happened before her training session.

[Stern Algorithm]

Israfil was really enjoying the bicycle machine because he was sitting, and could go at his own pace. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Solomon sneaking around in the hallway outside the gym. Solomon saw Israfil as well and came inside.

"Solomon! Aren't you supposed to be in bed?" Israfil whispered loudly.

"I'm fine, couldn't stand it in there any longer," Solomon replied, looking at Israfil on the bicycle with a slight condescending sneer. "What are you doing?"

"I'm just getting some exercise," Israfil said, feeling a little uncomfortable. "This is Mike Rogers, one of the engineers," Israfil introduced.

Solomon looked at Mike with passing interest, not remembering him from the shuttle. "Isn't exercise kind of pointless?" he said, "The only thing that matters is our minds."

"Well..." Israfil's ability to come up with a response was never very good.

[FaithfulMuse]

"Just that you use your mind for the job, doesn't mean that you shouldn't take care of your body. Besides, excersing can be fun, maybe you should give it a try." Mike said, looking at Solomon. Of course, he knew that excersing wasn't for everyone, but he doubted that Solomon had ever tried it before.

[Stern Algorithm]

Solomon was about to retort, but then thought better of it. He wanted to stay hidden; he didn't want to go back to the infirmary. He didn't want to do anything in particular with his freedom, he just had a mischievous desire to not be controlled. "Sure, why not," he said, getting on a bicycle machine and started pedaling.

"So...you're really OK? No headaches? nosebleeds?" Israfil asked, concerned.

"I'm fine," Solomon said, sounding mildly annoyed.

[FaithfulMuse]

"Why should he be suffering of those?" Mike asked, unaware of what had happened on the battlefield.

[Stern Algorithm]

"Something the doctor called mental load," Israfil said, "We control our cogs with our thoughts, as I'm sure you know as one of the engineers. But supposedly it can strain our minds, and in Solomon's case, he was using his cog to amplify his ability."

"Nothing a little practice won't fix," Solomon said dismissively.

"I'm not sure you should be exercising either," Israfil said with some concern.

[FaithfulMuse]

Mike shrugged. "Don't worry about it, Israfil. I don't think a little bit of excersing will be that bad for him. If anything, it's more fun than lying in a hospital bed the whole day." He said.

[Stern Algorithm]

"Heh, Mike know's what he's talking about," Solomon said, glad that Mike was taking his side. "Hey, you Ascended?" Solomon asked Mike.

[FaithfulMuse]

Mike nodded. "Yeah, I am. I suppose you are as well?" He asked.

[Stern Algorithm]

"Yeah," Solomon replied, "a pleasure to meet you." Solomon extended his hand, though upon closer inspection, seemed to recall seeing him before. "Have we...met?"

[FaithfulMuse]

Mike nodded when Solomon asked if they had met before. "Yeah, we met back at the shuttle, on the way here." He answered.

[Stern Algorithm]

Solomon blinked a few times as his memory made the connection. "Ah, yes, then you've seen all the pilots. Except the Lieutenant, I suppose." Solomon continued biking.

Israfil, on the other hand, felt that what Solomon had done to Blythe on the shuttle was sort of the unaddressed elephant in the room, and decided to say to Mike, "B-but don't worry about what happened on the shuttle, we're all comrades now, right?" Israfil turned to Solomon.

"What?" Solomon sneered, then mellowed out, "Sure, yeah, whatever," and continued cycling.

[FaithfulMuse]

"What happened back in the shuttle, anyway? You seemed pretty pissed at that girl." Mike asked Solomon, quite curious about what had been going on exactly.

Blythe also entered the gym, but didn't seem to notice the guys excersing together.

[Stern Algorithm]

"She talked back to me," Solomon said plainly, "I don't know where these Wildtypes get off being so insolent. I put her in her place."

Israfil looked downwards uncomfortably.

[FaithfulMuse]

"Don't you think you over reacted? It's no fun if people talk back to you but it's no reason to use your powers against them." Mike asked, looking at Solomon.

[Stern Algorithm]

"I think that as a superior being, it is well within my rights to wield my superiority against an inferior. Besides, they would do the same, and probably worse, to us if the situation was reversed. They already did so in the past," Solomon said, referring to the oppression Ascendeds faced before the Race Wars.

[FaithfulMuse]

Mike frowned upon hearing Solomon's explanation. He wasn't the only one who thought so, but he didn't like that kind of mindset. "If you think that we're superior and better than Wildtypes, than why don't you behalve better as well and treat them fairly, rather than repeating the mistakes they made in the past?" He asked.

[Stern Algorithm]

"We're not repeating their mistakes," Solomon retorted, "we let them live their lives properly, but they need to know their place. Unfortunately in the Ascendancy, they outnumber us right now; what do you think would happen if we let them get away with whatever they please? They'll turn on us if we give them the chance."

"But Solomon,"Israfil said suddenly, "I'm not your enemy. I thought we were...friends..." Israfil remembered how scared he was of Solomon back on the shuttle, and how after he had apologized to Blythe, he had become rather friendly. Israfil had started to trust that Solomon was turning a new leaf.

[FaithfulMuse]

"They'll turn on to us if we keep treating them like shit because of the mistakes they made in the past instead forgiving them and treating like equals." Mike said in return.