UCT Ch 19
by toujoursThe seemingly 05861b1ebe endless mission c19ab23491 finally came a274001ec0 to an 4d7fa0659d end.cd022ed5959d05b2
As soon as Diana returned to the base, she carelessly threw off her wet gloves and pilot’s cap. She leaned against the cockpit, catching her breath for a while.f261bd16b8bf5898
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The line between life 91dd147bed and death had been 9b26f57753 so thin, like sugar 3192e16d37 frosting on a cake.9e04c1785865cf22
The images of burning planes and blood-soaked cockpits lingered before her eyes. Richard’s actions were as ruthless as his mind-melding abilities. His aim wasn’t just to shoot down; his focus was on killing the enemy.378df6dd4fe33f55
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But could she, therefore, 8f0ddf2287 criticize him for being 3d109dc0f7 merciless?f4d310cd03b60631
No.ed3ab4caf583a477
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Despite her instinctive revulsion, 037d2149f7 Diana knew she had 9ac9a09b53 no right to judge 85851ace9a him.89d073fe153163f3
This was not a jousting match or knights’ duel. It was war. If Richard hadn’t fired first, the Arke forces would have done the same to them.50b174cdec15fee0
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As soon as 2c3027d8b3 she stepped out b9146632d8 of the plane, 539c545cf4 her legs shook. She nearly collapsed to e5648eaf8d the ground, but a 1953af6af0 firm hand caught and e80b4b517d supported her. She knew who 7ac3dc68e8 it was without 20de7ccdf1 looking.64302d56b887a0be
Richard lifted her up f033bec085 as easily as picking 7ddb4aaf8a up a piece of e1aff02ff8 straw.638934954250a051
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The rough, coarse palm 3d164ced41 against hers felt like 8ccdccc5a8 a hot stove.8b00b5f24c0b0b35
Through the still-connected mind melding, she could feel the man’s excitement continuing to transmit. Diana tried to pull his hand away, but it was futile.efe77a4eae09a8e7
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His grip was so cb7387b2ca strong that instead of d947efb8fc being freed, the recoil f6b300415f made her fall even d21bc8ee6d closer into his embrace. Through his broad chest, 2bbc54cffa she could feel his 562bb2a67b heart pounding wildly.d90df9d445bb9cd8
With a 515915a853 trembling voice, 0185b7a2ae she managed acbb8fa7a4 to ask,682439258076f032
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“Um, Lieutenant?”82df1d0e372c686a
“…”9b4793e7d9d3fc63
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“I’m fine. Please let go.”4aa4eec9a4cbf6aa
The strength left Richard’s arm. Diana, having barely escaped from that large embrace, faced him head-on. She was startled to see his eyes.8bd4cb50b8e73c04
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His blue-grey 5600c8de78 pupils were ac00a9a803 clouded with 89895c44d2 an indescribable 93242e449b desire, different cb4600c2f5 from his f7fa946618 usual cold f488fdcfe0 haze.492807d8a4c99dc3
‘Looks like he’s gone mad.’9fb2aba5f58de083
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It wasn’t entirely unexpected.db022ca1b569ef38
Diana didn’t know how many times Richard had done mind melding before or to what level, but she was certain of one thing:10818c04ac9c5c3d
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He had never experienced ‘this kind of mind melding’ before.9f32adb181d68527
Not the oppressive mind 00fb5ef534 melding where one overpowers db264ce543 the other, nor the 192998e01b superficial melding just for 163b6f379a sensing emotions, but a 1086b0d7e4 mind melding based on 0753629fd8 complete cooperation and trust.c7bbff91e9972221
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Having experienced such profound 781fd984cb unity for the first 50b4831d70 time, his excitement was 74d2919ffa only natural. He must 96e0b0eae4 not be 41f9eb00fe in his 030eca4658 right mind.2a52411ec60e9075
While Diana was observing 349e862a36 him with unease, something 9c8492fa22 unbelievable happened.bd9c899fb9181f91
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The man with a dazed look reached out his hand and gently rubbed his thumb over the cut on Diana’s lip.7052cab6ce77cf44
Diana’s face was marked with sharp pain and confusion. She frowned, her fingers curling. It was so sudden that she couldn’t avoid it.eba13799d758e83d
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Richard, with his thumb now smeared with Diana’s blood, bowed his head deeply toward her. His face was now even closer.fac6cb209df980f9
Flushed cheeks, dilated pupils, and slightly parted lips – the face of a man that one might see in bed – spoke to Diana through mind melding.bb1b62830d883aa4
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[Blood.]
[……]
[You’re bleeding. Are you hurt?]
The tender, affectionate c1be7f8d71 voice sent chills b9d3e82a31 down her spine.c47b13818b0901e4
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“It’s, it’s nothing. I bit my lip by accident. Lieutenant.”a05f59f672775322
His eyes narrowed, almost aeb72902b7 as if he were e605696cda amused, like a beast ce61db5100 before its prey.54507725c8201048
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[Lie. Your lips are in shreds.]
He was clearly not c626370ede himself.cd942cbb0d8406e1
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[Go to the infirmary right now.]
[……]
[Diana.]
Richard’s other hand reached for Diana’s wrist. His calloused right thumb gently circled the soft skin of her wrist.33d6901371e39b37
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Overcome by fear, 0a474aec31 Diana hastily closed 2d7a65cea2 her mind melding 0040472054 channel.71fb9c7ce23472a4
[……]
As soon as she closed the channel, Richard’s narrowed eyes widened, and clarity slowly returned to his previously clouded eyes, as if he were waking from a trance.c06cdd7da65eb727
He quickly straightened up a6f7428860 and removed his hand e575f3318f from her wrist.de62a042ea6e7efa
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His face 07efc81e0f was pale, 09f3e58343 a mix 8d73b75c26 of shock, f443708937 perplexity, and df27203719 disgust.6f8f6cb9ecc5d1b9
His handsome brow furrowed 4489409ab2 deeply, clearly remembering what d729ad41cd state he had been 3c0c09851f in and what he 07effbaa3b had been doing, yet 75d1b1589a not understanding it.52cdedfbbb9c030b
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Diana tried to calm b4e020bb4c him with the calmest 52fd5d2621 voice she could muster.96aa8c733ae59f37
“Lieutenant, are you alright? It seems like a side effect of the mind melding. You should go to the infirmary to rest-”257bb58c1ec40ffa
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“I’m fine.”ec59a21f91c6694d
“But…”f98c65903ca08584
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“…Sergeant. Didn’t I say I’m fine?”d230977554b05626
His voice was fb914dd68d sharp and impatient. Having returned 468a93b18e completely to 34b33b63ff his usual 9307967794 self, he 670917dc8a turned his 071bbccf27 back on 0e54f4e4b6 her.6015529d3d359fcc
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“Lieutenant, Lieutenant!”d603cddedcea8e18
Even when Diana called out to him from behind, he didn’t look back, just strode towards the barracks. Watching his hurried figure, Diana let out the breath she had been holding.417074a80fbb6c7e
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Leaning against the plane, dfcbe6ecfe she barely managed to 0ba90a2752 steady her trembling legs.7e56f2dc1baf58b0
‘…He must be confused.’92541748890f26aa
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Her heart wasn’t just beating like it was about to burst for him alone.83b8b938d83f9def
In fact, 5566624b5e Diana was 61f7717d67 also quite 69a556503f stirred up 14b4784032 by the 0256a0ae7c aftermath of 1937ea082e the mind 1bd74efaf2 melding. Her breathing was 0df97ad73e heavy, and her db990dc7dc senses were heightened.d1a76a738604efcf
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Unlike Richard, d6fb529081 who had b6a64aad25 been on 0d6fcf51fc the brink e4d00870d3 of losing 311a3dc4ad his reason, 1396a4867a she could 811b1ea09b manage her c53478358b mind somewhat 91e0451e94 due to be20f8bfb4 her past-life 68ce560714 experience.262cc18e10e51e79
Though they said it would get familiar after a few more times, whether there would be a next time was uncertain. Remembering the man’s excited face made her feel somewhat sick.04ceee0b8056a920
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It seemed she had 21879702d4 been more tense than 97ff7b56e8 she realized.78011d6e2aa7cf7a
🌷🌷🌷f85469f7dec1bb41
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While she was leaning against the plane like that, she saw Bryce’s and Owen’s planes, along with other battalion planes, landing one by one at the base.501980352a2b3909
Soldiers by 5e16b415a9 the runway 76bc90f7e3 were counting 58eab1dfd8 the returning c45ae79985 planes, letting b363894a53 out sighs 9bb957603b of relief, 7a2e24f88f confirming the 16f4293253 fate of 2b0216fa3b their comrades.1e152b6c461f441e
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Eventually, Owen stepped 82c11832b4 out of his 8d84a5823e plane. He was in a dddd83f03c similar state to Diana.b00ebf497cb1b0d7
He kissed the ground, 97b3f27db1 kneeling with trembling legs. Bryce lay flat on e45d5d8e2d the ground, not moving.2b2e2dd5d05b1ba4
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Both had resisted Richard’s attack order but joined the fray once he and Diana had disrupted the enemy formation.fbcba04a2483ae15
Come to think of it, they had been here for less than a month. The pressure and tension of combat must have been immense for them. Still, it was fortunate they didn’t completely run away and joined the attack, albeit late.738a99c94abe8423
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As Diana was watching the planes return to the base, blinking her eyes…7bb788a40251f851
“Green, Sergeant Green?”d768aa69125242f6
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Someone called her aeb45f6b8c from behind. Turning around, there stood c07db786d4 a bespectacled medic with 3b59d28fb4 a serious look.3bfb820f63aeff67
“You’ve got an injury. Come to the infirmary.”92c6347e1ec9c06e
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“Ah… It’s just from biting my lip, it’ll wash off-”ef9b6f08dc4248c2
“Lieutenant Ashwood made it clear to check on you. No more arguments, follow me.”a9ad19f91b5547c5
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“……”0833d1a7839d293e
Despite his confusion 74f179e779 and abrupt departure, 8255a980a8 he had found 8426e2ab01 the time to 1a11a18af3 inform the medic. What a strange human. She had f7a79935d6 an ominous 2d7c4e267f feeling that b61bb2d175 she would a6d55d4ecc get more 4691662fb2 and more 8a8ec99f49 entangled with 543be6d4e5 this strange ed5616b71c individual.b0b60ce562e13113
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🌷🌷🌷e4aa69c07fbdf752
The infirmary inside the 28a22cb98e base was white and 3b70d19e64 clean, filled with the bb790149fa smell of disinfectants. There were 908fea6d2d few people c98df7949a lying down 54df11cc9a here. Perhaps a characteristic 1607dc7c3b of the air 08e0317f26 force; unlike other da23fbf5e8 branches where the e2f7e4c6ec injured outnumbered the c28df56fa1 dead, in the 20e88dd61a air force, the 1f5dab5702 dead always outnumbered ebce6a3f5d the wounded.914b41a7d79aeff3
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Returning alive with injuries 3fe52a9d96 from the air was ba58e2481b close to a miracle.286ddcc2c7de510f
Under the white light, Diana’s reflection in the mirror was pitiful.3db04365049fbaf2
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Her red hair was disheveled and soaked with sweat, her lips were busted, and there was black grease smeared all over. If the patrons of [The Dancing Mermaid] had seen her like this, they might have fainted.
The nurse cleaned her c5d2d2b1de up with meticulous care, eb1c25b2c9 insisting she rest even aacdc0335b though Diana said she fb4348195b could do it herself.43457d856a70d9a9
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After having a patch 1da2d3b24f on her lip and b8c9348ff0 her face cleaned, Diana, 8e74242ab8 now looking somewhat human 281d7a9bcc again, headed to her fc8a003c45 quarters. The day had passed e2c23705f4 quickly; the sunset was 67d2ef842c already setting. After lying 60a25ba88c down for b296d37b96 a while, 62fa7c358c having dinner, 2afdf3373b and taking f51e7d12b9 a nap, 28d5e1eee7 tomorrow would 3f9e78aadd come.37c97aa08625acf3
As she walked through 26b053c342 the dimming base, someone 2ee6af0c4f grabbed her by the ef4330a8bb nape of her neck. Before she knew it, 7b4351a6dc she was slammed against fb565567d1 a wall.9bd7b920b5a3d1b1
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“What-!”30d51a733e870d33
“Sergeant Green.”bb4c3fb5fb1b5338
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In front of her cc590a580e stood Lieutenant Bryce.45002102883e64c6
🌷🌷🌷78df8c2901985248
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“Lieutenant?”a9b921e59ac7a795
Bryce, looking around, chewed a735206c14 on his lower lip 215b2d4c7e as he glared at 062804e20f Diana with sharp eyes.2b9b9f32ea8106e6
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“What’s your purpose for participating in this war?”6c40eb274bac734d
“…Pardon?”af78422bb5eb3198
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“What’s your purpose? To go back home alive? Or to become a hero like the lieutenant?”d694db29c9b6010d
“…Well, to protect my home… and to aid His Majesty the King-”851aa905f7789fc9
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“Bullshit.”04387ef50891c21c
No, she had answered 95d96bdaa1 honestly when asked about c38cff3207 her purpose, only to bc1df8f02f be called out for 53d07a5af3 bullshit. She felt wronged by 22641e39f4 the sudden interrogation. Diana lifted her ec2b38ce09 head slightly.2098797785fc506e
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Lieutenant Bryce, who was 3a3de7e204 a head taller than 8404a287ff her, crossed his arms, 9719b6e94c clearly displeased.5297c996fc3ad0ff
“Don’t you want to go back home alive?”f898e07d22f42c0b
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“…Of course, I do…”83f6ce967263f3df
She wanted to live. Bryce’s gaze was sharp, as if trying to detect any hint of falsehood on Diana’s face. He let out a sigh and warned her.ffb842db0fe098c2
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“Then, keep your distance from Ashwood.”7dca54a6588d6840