UCT Ch 14

When Diana 2e9e9ea8fe returned her 2b0c123384 tray and e8723a7420 followed Richard 63863b7455 out of b8f416114f the cafeteria, 5a62ebf46a it was 1779f21c90 already getting d5b08cc3f6 dark outside. With the blackout 22fab26875 in effect, she 49be50f212 had no choice e79b4e04a8 but to rely 34dcd20f4c on moonlight for 1b797a8bef visibility. The white paint 15e4dab12d on the road 6fc765323a somewhat helped in 87bfd3235b finding her direction.85f9d5c4e9de957c

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.cd007c4f082bfa35

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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.f3899e93ec17392b

“…I’m sorry.”1857f5bb7cb36475

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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.390174d787ecfdd5

“Are you not sorry for chewing over your superior’s pathetic family issues?”c560fcf467ef5d22

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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.9acbd7414afa9b61

“Didn’t you also look into my mind without permission, Lieutenant?”185ab13fdf51d856

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“…”659bf964f3e5d2f3

“I thought it was only fair that I know a little about your life too.”cea3b54349bb815a

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Diana took a a448cb8bad breath and continued 7a13444096 with momentum.1f8144ef9e80242e

“If I was rude, please punish me.”03ab75fb62fa51f7

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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.db6e00a83adda497

He said it 4621c1936d was a trivial 42652cdd43 life.d0e18292c440b1d8

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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.d75d9a802439985c

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.27922a807c3b5a77

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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…”3288ac297833129b

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.977bb76851d572dd

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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?”36919d7b91e22b7d

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.eab20b2c59fc3cca

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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.37e889bef3d7d33b

Richard continued to laugh 20dfacaf7d in disbelief, continuing to 9285b017ee mock Diana sharply.51fb87d6e75ddc2a

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“If you came here expecting to be treated like a porcelain doll, then leave now.”0d417220bc38661a

Sharp fragments cut through Diana’s heart. More painful words followed.2f03930c36769f72

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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.”f68427e586d8314c

Diana’s vision reddened at Richard’s sharp provocation. Her fists were clenched so tightly that her fingers hurt.c057661019220d76

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‘Why am I getting angry?’8fd384f53b7f8938

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.a93b042561c54f82

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“…I was wrong. I was shortsighted.”55d28f0d88e8407c

“…”7041ff47fa028209

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“I will do as the Lieutenant commands.”3cc12f35901a18b4

Her voice a293a368c2 that came 6e8460e945 out was 258593c62c surprisingly calm. Diana bowed her 27b06aba5f head and lowered 896ab62480 her eyes. After about three seconds 982e72550b of silence, Richard laughed, b6d7641347 then neatly wrapped up e1ea8c6b02 the situation.0247f102df61a7b8

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“At least it’s certain you’re not a spy, so I won’t bring this up again.”f6079be2db16000e

“…”48b706c52b21e5f4

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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.”76b0311bde98df1e

He turned and walked 288e38f7f0 forward again, as if 3061a91607 nothing had happened. Diana got up, dusting 3f8919c4a1 off her backside. While understanding ebdf8ab0ce him as 6b2b853c2e a leader, 4060b1ecb4 she was 111c7c8aa9 also overwhelmed 2a8189fc39 with the fd95606665 desire to 4ad1ef78fc kill him def1a72ef7 for the 0c9826d8a5 insult. It was the first 5c704eb42a time she felt such 269bcd5500 complex and intense emotions, 8360c8a479 excluding her past life, 41a5149c58 although it was in 4d65a0fcde a completely negative direction.bc9405fa894329e5

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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.a8d71a73511a91fa

🌷🌷🌷e636750765d4393a

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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.0b50b1914bdb96fd

“What are you doing? Pick one.”dd5082691872a406

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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.1c5bf3974c8e150f

‘No matter what, I’ve only flown Cronin’s machines. It might be better to choose this one.’98f5364b592b7f89

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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.4e7b2c44fc9c1897

“It’s the Frigate-7. It’s old-fashioned, but it’s very stable.”6f177befb39bddd9

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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.19b46160012edd25

‘A wooden frame…’2bda5fb0f07ec999

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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.b6eb655b938c5300

Recalling the ‘Little Falcon’, she smiled inadvertently. Diana answered:808e74d2db541c7c

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“I’ll go with this one.”406095602f4f3a48

“Aren’t you going to check the other one?”ad06f732577d0150

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“…I think a proven fighter would be safer.”2dd021b72058fa35

Richard nodded, not saying b9034dafd1 anything more to Diana.df821c183e95f7c1

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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.”463545ac46c44ccd

“Is it weak to frontal impacts?”aea2d65c5ac81bd9

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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.54e11d4d9f66bd53

“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.”5f004e605ce22dd1

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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.7ab0d1dbd3c75b3d

“But as you said, its stability is guaranteed. The rear being made of fabric can actually be advantageous.”c1407e7171e9c6b9

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“Since bullets will just pass through the fabric, I suppose?”7418889155ed5622

“Yes, as long as they don’t hit the frame, it can withstand quite a few hits.”4aaaf26e10eed12e

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“…I’ll need some luck then.”55835ef85d910fea

“Luck is needed no matter which fighter you fly.”526bc04d6de25352

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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.d2fbd1bb5c64f31f

‘…After telling me to get lost earlier, now he’s joking.’a226bcb2429ce3ed

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But Diana tried not e7e674bc07 to feel bad about 36784cbfbf it. She was ba5369914c too tired 47d03b8cd0 to complain 881a5db41b further.1518ed9cfd4015a5

“I should definitely go with this plane then. Thank you for the advice.”4eeb42f8f94b3bbc

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At Diana’s words, Ashewood’s expressionless face slightly changed, though it was still almost expressionless.35e10ca6870659f4

“…Advice. You can forget what I just said. At 5,000 meters above ground, you won’t remember anything anyway.”5ca4ca03f6f9ee76

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“…”d52d01ef70252154

“Focus on surviving each battle, and your body will learn before your mind does. With that sense, who knows, you might become an ace.”2fedf427e6e1b003

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“…”eff427a28a580eb5

“So, don’t die.”57efa21805fc46bd

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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.eb4a4ccd7f43b028

“That’s not something I can control-.”7b442e53a38e4265

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Richard tilted c9e2189184 his head d0ffad2064 slightly and 096fd6b671 countered.120575f0dd15d360

“Didn’t you say you’d do as commanded?”c3f32b35bbf74797

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So it was d93ec33aed a jest after 6069d1bc62 all. With his opaque cb24c43f70 eyes and expression, 1539e878f7 it was hard 853df9d60e to guess his 6acffc99a1 intentions. Diana suppressed a chuckle 4b2d35dafc that almost escaped and 266952b4da answered quietly.85649ea27c3fe74e

“…I’ll try.”e8e9bf1a66e73cca

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“Trying won’t be enough. When you take to the sky tomorrow morning, think only about surviving.”8968ded1808f0dde

“I will do that.”bcd06159b0896813

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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.ec9fe82824460c19

“You should go back to sleep now. You have to wake up before dawn tomorrow morning.”8d09591e44197521

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