UCT Ch 14

When Diana returned her dc9c337b2c tray and followed Richard db747c7a56 out of the cafeteria, 5a905eba28 it was already getting cd238e8527 dark outside. With the aec71d1c47 blackout in 054cb9baf6 effect, she c22cbea717 had no e7b2131ea6 choice but e7e16077bc to rely c3d2aa0343 on moonlight 23c3628b24 for visibility. The white paint 6e8337e2e9 on the road dceb4e8194 somewhat helped in d965c50cc4 finding her direction.3cd390adc0e2408a

Richard was far ahead. His stride was wide and fast, the walk of someone who never waits for others’ pace. Diana struggled to catch up with the man, panting.6074b87a01e40fb3

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After chasing the leading steps like that, her forehead and the bridge of her nose collided with a massive cliff. Boom. Diana fell down without even a yelp, hitting her backside hard. Only after falling did she realize that the wall she had hit was actually Richard’s back.6ac6bf4490e85e62

“…I’m sorry.”6060387510f1944f

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Diana didn’t expect Richard to help her up, and as she anticipated, he stood there without moving. She felt his cold gaze looking down on her from the darkness.0a4832054f4fb889

“Are you not sorry for chewing over your superior’s pathetic family issues?”c2490619e7addcaf

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Sitting on the ground, Diana looked towards where she assumed Richard was. The surroundings were too dark to see his face clearly. She couldn’t control her trembling voice as she questioned him, feeling somewhat bold because she thought her face was hidden in the darkness too.96c46c6283f6ed3c

“Didn’t you also look into my mind without permission, Lieutenant?”7b4d321883164f10

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“…”23909e7e493c9063

“I thought it was only fair that I know a little about your life too.”8a89e536f2b5ab39

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Diana took c0f5bfb7eb a breath cadf918b62 and continued 77011a6cd6 with momentum.27c112a7e9276bef

“If I was rude, please punish me.”83edf166217e3dca

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Strangely, she didn’t fully realize how crazy her words sounded. The anger from the mind-melding was not easily extinguished once it was ignited. She even felt she could take a beating if it came to that. After all, the man had violated her dignity, casually looking into Diana Green’s intimate memories and secrets, mocking them.c3c0dab53a8283af

He said it was b5871cd325 a trivial life.d4446ed0f679d5b0

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It’s not a life you can laugh at. Those were words Diana couldn’t bring herself to say out loud.d39a26d0c333a8e5

Richard didn’t respond to Diana’s words for a while. Only the chirping of sparrows near the base could be heard, and the surroundings were quiet. Soon, his laughter came from close by, a low, chilling tone that made the hairs on her neck stand up.f099cce22d1130b2

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“Permission? Fairness? The sergeant must be confusing this place with Campton’s dance hall. If you think I should have asked for ‘permission’ from you like asking for a dance before mind-melding, then…”3183259c6b67b3f0

At those words, Diana fell silent. Now, silence was solely hers. Richard took one step closer to her. Although she couldn’t feel his energy because the channel was closed, she felt an inexplicable chill.16dc53d954e3dbb7

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“Tell me, Sergeant, what should I have done in a situation where the new squad member might be an Arke spy? Should I have offered you a cup of tea and been polite?”fa7fca7d655707ab

Diana could neither answer nor refute his question. As he said, even if she were in Richard’s position, she might have acted similarly. There was no method as sure as looking directly into someone’s mind. Not reporting to the higher-ups could be seen as giving her some leeway.a62639c349a67ab5

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Understanding Richard, the anger boiling inside Diana cooled down. And a sense of shame for acting impulsively overwhelmed her. Fortunately, it was dark; she didn’t want to show her face to him, which must have looked like that of a shocked fool.6dac1f42a5e077d9

Richard continued to 4e0459562c laugh in disbelief, c453ddfde3 continuing to mock a1baef780b Diana sharply.98c5f85590723b57

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“If you came here expecting to be treated like a porcelain doll, then leave now.”13074469ad5cfc4f

Sharp fragments cut through Diana’s heart. More painful words followed.2d98f7607cc27669

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“We’re dealing with the Arke Air Force. They live practicing to kill people every day. You can’t fight devils with someone whining behind you. So leave now, it would be more helpful for Bringerton’s victory if you just continue what you’ve been doing.”28a8290e706a00be

Diana’s vision reddened at Richard’s sharp provocation. Her fists were clenched so tightly that her fingers hurt.c01f87db565f0050

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‘Why am I getting angry?’edaa1180348f814a

She couldn’t understand it. After living for twenty-two years, reborn, she believed she had no vanity or pride. But it seemed that tiny bit of pride wasn’t completely dead. She wanted to prove herself to him, to shut his pompous mouth. She wanted to make him regret calling her life trivial, full of complaints. She wanted to prove it, and to do that now, she had to admit she was wrong.63406b0ad1c51fa2

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“…I was wrong. I was shortsighted.”9e2517dde575cd05

“…”17c1876bbbf0b28e

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“I will do as the Lieutenant commands.”e40124eec6f3fa1f

Her voice that c510af2cd7 came out was 204a7050ee surprisingly calm. Diana bowed b590c0bcd0 her head c722262ac4 and lowered 07e2f85160 her eyes. After about 612523d7a5 three seconds 0e586cd02d of silence, 08e9b2dc7c Richard laughed, 3d89741be4 then neatly dee0ab9e88 wrapped up b4d11b8ff6 the situation.79d40e904611a6fa

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“At least it’s certain you’re not a spy, so I won’t bring this up again.”4dbf08f4849a197a

“…”fc3815f4ecf6594a

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“But think about what I said before you go to sleep. If you want to give up, now’s the best time. If you whine after taking off, I’ll have no choice but to shoot you down.”35db4b13cdc77c80

He turned and f56fcf7386 walked forward again, 4991302a60 as if nothing 31c803d694 had happened. Diana got 1f06a6a9d3 up, dusting 1fe23763ee off her da39be6e9a backside. While understanding him 8ba7332a09 as a leader, 1922641013 she was also 42c8bbf523 overwhelmed with the 8504d81946 desire to kill f45610537b him for the e6a5ccdbe5 insult. It was the first b64fa2c7c1 time she felt such 68d6f71602 complex and intense emotions, e643b2e8c0 excluding her past life, 2aad77be12 although it was in b53967e3dd a completely negative direction.d169782eaba080af

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As if mocking Diana’s dark mood, the beautiful night sky was spread above. The stars were scattered, shining brightly, and even the Milky Way twinkled. Shuddering with an indefinable emotion, Diana followed him.535595aea771c601

🌷🌷🌷bc1a0cfb81fa93c5

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The two entered the hangar where the squadron’s fighters were stored. The interior was dimly lit by a faint bulb, making it visible. Five fighters stood side by side under the dim light. Three of them had markings, while the other two did not. Richard gestured towards the two unmarked planes, instructing Diana.7feec465e55ff358

“What are you doing? Pick one.”bf9a51b93ad40c9e

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Faced with an unexpected choice, Diana’s heart pounded. The two fighters were roughly the same size. One was clearly Dr. Cronin’s, while the other must be from the competing company, Emblem.74bba3891b80f539

‘No matter what, I’ve only flown Cronin’s machines. It might be better to choose this one.’08fbf11aa3363756

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Diana stood in front of the Cronin fighter. As if he hadn’t just hurled insults at her, Richard naturally added an explanation.91fe5534be0eccb8

“It’s the Frigate-7. It’s old-fashioned, but it’s very stable.”e2ebe7a3822b1585

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It certainly was old-fashioned. Although she hadn’t seen many fighters, the Frigate in front of her was much more rugged compared to the sleek body of the Armada-13. The front was made of steel, but the back was a wooden frame covered with fabric.0a75a15c91feb7cb

‘A wooden frame…’75132b43f7f63f38

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A spark of nostalgia flickered in the depths of Diana’s heart. Seeing the Frigate reminded her of the triplane she had fondly used decades ago, the ‘Little Falcon’. That airplane was made of wood, often shaking violently in harsh winds and frequently breaking apart after even minor impacts. Compared to the fighters in front of her now, it was practically a child’s toy in terms of durability. Yet, she always thought that no superior fighter could compare to the ‘Little Falcon’. It was inevitable.77e18a7d265f74c5

Recalling the ‘Little Falcon’, she smiled inadvertently. Diana answered:a750efcd87d5576d

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“I’ll go with this one.”bd79c7eb557ae3fa

“Aren’t you going to check the other one?”baa73d670b741a9f

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“…I think a proven fighter would be safer.”83506d83ca047f2c

Richard nodded, not 9ed5e28deb saying anything more b17ea05f4d to Diana.4e643de5ccfa0e4d

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“…Do as you like. The Frigate isn’t bad unless you’re in a head-on (where fighters face each other) situation.”f19839c73c0b2c29

“Is it weak to frontal impacts?”6f484ed977c4d0f1

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Even if she didn’t want to converse with him, she had to ask Richard about things she needed to know. He was the one with the most experience with the newest fighters in the squadron. Richard answered her question straightforwardly.dc7e3481362d8794

“The fuel tank is in the front, so if you get hit by a bullet, the cockpit is likely to catch fire easily. If you don’t want to be burned alive, it’s better to observe others from the rear and move accordingly.”15f8abdd477f20cb

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Fire in the cockpit? No, that’s a considerably serious flaw. Diana’s face paled slightly. Richard continued in a calm tone.430a044995e53d1b

“But as you said, its stability is guaranteed. The rear being made of fabric can actually be advantageous.”bb8694fa499bb97e

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“Since bullets will just pass through the fabric, I suppose?”77549cb0ec9b2718

“Yes, as long as they don’t hit the frame, it can withstand quite a few hits.”605b5dfb5d370ee6

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“…I’ll need some luck then.”ef403d768ee0dbf4

“Luck is needed no matter which fighter you fly.”28021bcf04bb6226

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At Richard’s slightly humorous last remark, Diana turned to look at him. There was a faint smile on his sharp face.457901c09469be4a

‘…After telling me to get lost earlier, now he’s joking.’efd986ddccad966b

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But Diana tried 11565fd949 not to feel 5320a18fde bad about it. She was too 23ea8eee01 tired to complain 4cedcb0bd2 further.10513b453b8716ff

“I should definitely go with this plane then. Thank you for the advice.”6673d2157d75cd1c

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At Diana’s words, Ashewood’s expressionless face slightly changed, though it was still almost expressionless.dd7970de6590f8cb

“…Advice. You can forget what I just said. At 5,000 meters above ground, you won’t remember anything anyway.”102f058014fbc31e

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“…”41682d7559a74bed

“Focus on surviving each battle, and your body will learn before your mind does. With that sense, who knows, you might become an ace.”3d1179ad1638e62f

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“…”dd3afa3c5b700a0d

“So, don’t die.”3940f7ee38899aa5

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Don’t die? Was that another one of his silly jokes? But the man’s face when he said it was deadly serious, his stern expression so precise that it made the listener feel awkward.eb056ef6643892b6

“That’s not something I can control-.”f9ab935763a0bef7

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Richard tilted c39f024c96 his head 3a83f4aedd slightly and 54c100500d countered.38ef6ec13bf20054

“Didn’t you say you’d do as commanded?”63b7b1d2657f0e86

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So it was a 33b58b8d17 jest after all. With his 8ffcaf3aaa opaque eyes 380d0a652c and expression, 6c0dc097d7 it was c1fec048f5 hard to 2f09dafb16 guess his ee08570e2b intentions. Diana suppressed a chuckle 8d55cc1c8d that almost escaped and faf95554be answered quietly.aff80e1ecb0dee22

“…I’ll try.”b21e3bd2de662c2e

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“Trying won’t be enough. When you take to the sky tomorrow morning, think only about surviving.”7f12c2950b55d80d

“I will do that.”6a5d1b6743c01a8a

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Ashewood’s lips seemed to curl up ever so slightly in response. But that was all. He didn’t laugh. He wiped his face with a tired look, then left the hangar without even glancing at Diana.688bcc8bbbf778ab

“You should go back to sleep now. You have to wake up before dawn tomorrow morning.”5f5058b1232fe03c

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